Section 159 : Service of notice in certain circumstances – Miscellaneous Provisions

159. Service of notice in certain circumstances

(1) Any decision, order, summons, notice or other communication under the Act or the rules made thereunder shall be served by any one of the following methods, namely: –

(a) by giving or tendering it directly or by a messenger including a courier to the addressee or the taxpayer or to his manager or to agent duly authorized or an advocate or a tax practitioner holding authority to appear in the proceeding on behalf of the taxpayer or to a person regularly employed by him in connection with the business, or to any adult member of family residing with the taxpayer, or

(b) by registered post or speed post or courier with acknowledgement due, to the person for whom it is intended or his authorised agent, if any at his last known place of business or residence, or

(c) by sending a communication to his e-mail address provided at the time of registration or as amended from time to time, or

(d) by making it available on the Common Portal, or

(e) by publication in a newspaper circulating in the locality in which the taxpayer or the person to whom it is issued is last known to have resided, carried on business or personally worked for gain, or

(f) if none of the modes aforesaid is practicable, by affixing it in some conspicuous place at his last known place of business or residence, or

(g) if the mode prescribed under (f) is also not practicable for any reason, then by affixing a copy thereof on the notice board of the office or authority who or which passed such decision or order or issued such summons or notice.

(2) Every decision, order, summons, notice or any communication shall be deemed to have been served on the date on which it is tendered or published or a copy thereof is affixed in the manner provided in sub-section (1).

(3) When such decision, order, summons, notice or any communication is sent by registered post or speed post, it shall be deemed to have been received by the addressee at the expiry of the period normally taken by such post in transit unless the contrary is proved.