Assessment.

115WE. 43b[(1) Where a return has been made under section 115WD, such return shall be processed in the following manner, namely:—

          (a)  the value of fringe benefits shall be computed after making the following adjustments, namely:—

       (i)  any arithmetical error in the return; or

      (ii)  an incorrect claim, if such incorrect claim is apparent from any information in the return;

          (b)  the tax and interest, if any, shall be computed on the basis of the value of fringe benefits computed under clause (a);

          (c)  the sum payable by, or the amount of refund due to, the assessee shall be determined after adjustment of the tax and interest, if any, computed under clause (b) by any advance tax paid, any tax paid on self-assessment and any amount paid otherwise by way of tax or interest;

          (d)  an intimation shall be prepared or generated and sent to the assessee specifying the sum determined to be payable by, or the amount of refund due to, the assessee under clause (c); and

          (e)  the amount of refund due to the assessee in pursuance of the determination under clause (c) shall be granted to the assessee:

Provided that no intimation under this sub-section shall be sent after the expiry of one year from the end of the financial year in which the return is made.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section,—

          (a)  “an incorrect claim apparent from any information in the return” shall mean a claim, on the basis of an entry, in the return,

       (i)  of an item, which is inconsistent with another entry of the same or some other item in such return;

      (ii)  in respect of which the information required to be furnished to substantiate such entry has not been so furnished under this Act; or

     (iii)  in respect of a deduction or value of fringe benefits, where such deduction or value exceeds specified statutory limit which may have been expressed as monetary amount or percentage or ratio or fraction;

          (b)  the acknowledgement of the return shall be deemed to be the intimation in a case where no sum is payable by, or refundable to, the assessee under clause (c), and where no adjustment has been made under clause (a).

(1A) For the purposes of processing of returns under sub-section (1), the Board may make a scheme for centralised processing of returns with a view to expeditiously determining the tax payable by, or the refund due to, the assessee as required under that sub-section.

(1B) Save as otherwise expressly provided, for the purpose of giving effect to the scheme made under sub-section (1A), the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that any of the provisions of this Act relating to processing of returns shall not apply or shall apply with such exceptions, modifications and adaptations as may be specified in that notification; so, however, that no direction shall be issued after the 31st day of March, 2009.

(1C) Every notification issued under sub-section (1B), along with the scheme made under sub-section (1A), shall, as soon as may be after the notification is issued, be laid before each House of Parliament.]

(2) Where a return has been furnished under section 115WD, the Assessing Officer shall, if he considers it necessary or expedi­ent to ensure that the assessee has not understated the value of fringe benefits or has not underpaid the tax in any manner, serve on the assessee a notice requiring him on a date to be specified therein, either to attend his office or to produce, or cause to be produced, any evidence on which the assessee may rely in support of the return:

Provided that no notice under this sub-section shall be served on the assessee after the expiry of 43c[six months from the end of the financial year] in which the return is furnished.

(3) On the day specified in the notice issued under sub-section (2), or as soon afterwards as may be, after hearing such evidence as the assessee may produce and such other evidence as the As­sessing Officer may require on specified points, and after taking into account all relevant material which he has gathered, the Assessing Officer shall, by an order in writing, make an assess­ment of the value of the fringe benefits paid or payable by the assessee, and determine the sum payable by him or refund of any amount due to him on the basis of such assessment.

(4) Where a regular assessment under sub-section (3) or section 115WF is made,—

(a)  any tax or interest paid by the assessee under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to have been paid towards such regu­lar assessment;

(b)  if no refund is due on regular assessment or the amount refunded under sub-section (1) exceeds the amount refundable on regular assessment, the whole or the excess amount so refunded shall be deemed to be tax payable by the assessee and the provi­sions of this Act shall apply accordingly.