Section 135 : Special provision regarding liability to pay tax, interest or penalty in certain cases – Liability To Pay In Certain Cases

135. Special provision regarding liability to pay tax, interest or penalty in certain cases

(1) Where a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, dies, then-

(a) if a business carried on by the person is continued after his death by his legal representative or any other person, such legal representative or other person, shall be liable to pay tax, interest or penalty due from such person under this Act, and

(b) if the business carried on by the person is discontinued, whether before or after his death, his legal representative shall be liable to pay out of the estate of the deceased, to the extent to which the estate is capable of meeting the charge, the tax, penalty or interest due from such person under this Act,- whether such tax interest or penalty has been determined before his death but has remained unpaid or is determined after his death.

(2) Where a taxable person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, is a Hindu Undivided Family or an association of persons and the property of the Hindu Undivided Family or the association of persons, as the case may be, is partitioned amongst the various members or groups of members then each member or group of members shall jointly and severally be liable to pay the tax, interest or penalty due from the taxable person under this Act upto the time of  the partition whether such tax, penalty or interest has been determined before partition but has remained unpaid or is determined after the partition.

(3) Where a taxable person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, is a firm, and the firm is dissolved, then every person who was a partner shall be jointly and severally liable to pay the tax, interest or penalty due from the firm under this Act, up to the time of dissolution whether such tax, interest or penalty has been determined before the dissolution, but has remained unpaid or is determined after dissolution.

(4) Where a taxable person liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act,-

(a) is the guardian of a ward on whose behalf the business is carried on by the guardian, or

(b) is a trustee who carries on the business under a trust for a beneficiary. then if the guardianship or trust is terminated, the ward or, as the case may be, the beneficiary shall be liable to pay the tax, interest or penalty due from the taxable person upto the time of the termination of the guardianship or trust, whether such tax, interest or penalty has been determined before the termination of guardianship or trust but has remained unpaid or is determined thereafter.