The Full Form of ITAT is India’s Income Tax Appellate Tribunal

ITAT is a quasi judicial institution set up in January, 1941 and specializes in dealing with appeals under the Direct Taxes Acts. The orders passed by the ITAT are final, an appeal lies to the High Court only if a substantial question of law arises for determination.

Starting in 1941 with six Members constituting three Benches – one each at Delhi, Kolkata (Calcutta) and Mumbai (Bombay), the numbers of Benches have progressively increased and presently ITAT has 63 Benches at 27 different stations covering almost all the cities having a seat of the High Court.

Historically speaking, tax was introduced in India by the Act of 1860, where assessment was made by a Panchayat and a person feeling aggrieved by the order could appeal to the Collector of the District, whose order was final. Subsequently, the successive Acts of 1868, 1869, 1870, 1872, 1886, 1916 and 1917 made improvements providing for an appeal from the order of the Collector of the District to the Commissioner of Revenue of the Division but no reference was available to the High Court under these Acts. “Income Tax Act” in its modern form, as we know, was introduced which legislated advisory jurisdiction to the High Courts.