According to an official release, the step is likely to mitigate the hardship faced by assessees in deserving cases. The decision will be applicable in cases where in the course of search and seizure operations, books of accounts have been taken over by the I-T department and were not available to the taxpayer to prepare his return of chargeable interest.

It will also be applicable in cases where in the course of search and seizure operations, cash had been seized and which was not permitted to be adjusted against arrears of interest tax or payment of advanced interest tax instalments falling due after the date of search. Other circumstances in which the said officers will be empowered to take decision include any chargeable interest which was received or accrued after the date of first or subsequent instalment of advance interest tax, which was neither anticipated nor contemplated by the tax payers and on which advance interest tax was paid by the tax payer after the receipt of such interest.