Cw / 15998U / 2026Ashok Kumar Manish … vs Joint Commissioner Of Income Tax … on 1 May, 2026

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    Rajasthan High Court – Jodhpur

    Urn: Cw / 15998U / 2026Ashok Kumar Manish … vs Joint Commissioner Of Income Tax … on 1 May, 2026

     [2026:RJ-JD:20594-DB]
    
    
    
           HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN AT
                            JODHPUR
                     D.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 8724/2026
     Ashok Kumar Manish Kumar Huf, Through Its Karta Ashok Kumar
     S/o Shiv Lal Golecha Aged About 61 Years R/o Arihant Colony,
     Ward No. 23, Balotra, Rajasthan - 344022
                                                                            ----Petitioner
                                            Versus
     1.        Joint Commissioner Of Income Tax, Range-3(R), Ju,
               Aayakar Bhawan, Paota C Road, Jodhpur, Rajasthan -
               342010
     2.        Income Tax Officer, Balotra, Shaheed Bhagat Singh
               Circle, Balotra, 344022
     3.        Commissioner Of Income Tax, Appeal Addl/jcit (A)-8,
               Aayakar Bhawan, M.k. Road, Mumbai, 400020
     4.        Central Board Of Direct Taxes, Through Secretary, Cbdt
               Headquarters, North Block (Department Of Revenue),
               New Delhi - 110001
                                                                         ----Respondents
    
    
      For Petitioner(s)             :    Mr. Sharad Kothari
                                         Mr. Kalpit Shishodia
                                         Mr. Pranjul Mehta
                                         Mr. Chirag Soni
                                         Mr. Dinesh Kumar Suthar
      For Respondent(s)             :    Mr. Sunil Bhandari
    
                   HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN MONGA

    HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANDEEP SHAH
    Order

    Reportable
    01/05/2026
    Per: Arun Monga, J.

    SPONSORED

    1. Petitioner is before this Court challenging the notice dated

    23.03.2026 issued under Section 148 of Income Tax Act, 1961

    (Annexure-2), sanction note dated 20.03.2026 and all other

    consequential proceedings/actions.

    2. Brief facts of the case are that the petitioner, a Hindu

    Undivided Family (HUF) acting through its Karta Mr. Ashok Kumar,

    resident of Balotra, Rajasthan, filed its return of income for A.Y.

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    2022-23 on 22.07.2022 declaring total income of Rs. 8,24,770/-.

    The return included business and interest income, with a tax

    liability of Rs. 80,552/- and TDS of Rs. 7,15,391/-, resulting in a

    claimed refund of Rs. 6,34,840/-. Upon processing under Section

    143(1), the Centralized Processing Center (hereinafter referred as

    CPC), vide intimation dated 05.12.2022, restricted the TDS credit

    to Rs. 2,83,663/- citing mismatch with Form 26AS, without

    providing adequate opportunity or basis for such adjustment.

    2.1 Aggrieved, the Petitioner filed a rectification application

    under Section 154 explaining that the entire interest income of Rs.

    73,94,574/- was duly recorded in the books of M/s Ranka Dyeing

    Mills, corresponding interest expenditure of Rs. 74,83,321/- was

    accounted for, and only the net figure was reflected under

    business income. Additionally, Rs. 6,47,842/- was disclosed under

    “Income from Other Sources.” However, the CPC rejected the

    rectification application on 04.10.2024.

    2.2 The petitioner then preferred an appeal before the

    Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) on 07.11.2024. Vide order

    dated 04.12.2025 passed under Section 250, the appellate

    authority allowed the appeal, accepted the Petitioner’s

    reconciliation of interest income, and directed grant of full TDS

    credit after verification with Form 26AS, along with consequential

    relief. The findings adjudicated the issue of alleged mismatch and

    treatment of interest income.

    2.3 Notwithstanding, the respondents have issued a fresh notice

    dated 23.03.2026 under Section 148 based on a sanction dated

    20.03.2026, seeking to reopen the assessment on the ground of

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    alleged escapement of income of Rs. 65,51,706/- based on the

    same discrepancy flagged earlier on the Insight Portal.

    2.4 Hence, the instant writ petition.

    3. Mr. Sharad Kothari, learned counsel for the petitioner argues

    that the impugned notice dated 23.03.2026 issued under Section

    148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, along with the sanction note

    dated 20.03.2026, is ex facie illegal, arbitrary, and mechanical,

    having been issued without proper application of mind to the facts

    on record. The reopening is founded solely on a system-generated

    flag under the “High Risk e-Verification” category on the Insight

    Portal, alleging mismatch of interest income, while completely

    disregarding that the entire interest income, as reflected in Form

    26AS, had already been duly accounted for in the books and

    disclosed in the return under the head “Business Income” after

    netting off corresponding interest expenditure. It is further

    contended that the Respondents failed to furnish the Petitioner

    with the foundational material and verification reports relied upon,

    thereby causing serious prejudice and violating principles of

    natural justice.

    3.1 It is further argued by learned counsel for the petitioner that

    the impugned action is wholly without jurisdiction as it fails to

    satisfy the mandatory requirement of existence of “information”

    suggesting escapement of income within the meaning of Section

    148. The term “information” necessarily connotes fresh, specific,

    and tangible material coming into the possession of the Assessing

    Officer subsequent to earlier proceedings. In the present case, the

    entire basis of reopening is the very same alleged discrepancy

    relating to interest income reflected in Form 26AS, which was

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    already on record, duly explained, and conclusively adjudicated by

    the appellate authority. No new material or independent input

    under the scheme of Section 135A has been brought on record,

    rendering the assumption of jurisdiction legally unsustainable.

    3.2 Learned counsel further submits that the impugned notice is

    nothing but a clear case of impermissible “change of opinion” on

    identical facts and material that stood thoroughly examined and

    decided in favour of the Petitioner by the Commissioner (Appeals)

    vide order dated 04.12.2025. The Assessing Officer has sought to

    reopen a concluded issue without any fresh tangible material,

    which amounts to a review in the guise of reassessment–an

    action not contemplated under the scheme of the Act. It is well

    settled that reassessment proceedings cannot be initiated to re

    appreciate or revisit the same material merely because a different

    view is sought to be taken.

    3.3 Lastly, it is contended by learned counsel for the petitioner

    that the impugned proceedings are vitiated by borrowed

    satisfaction and gross non-application of mind, as the Assessing

    Officer has mechanically relied on system-generated data without

    conducting any independent inquiry or appreciating the detailed

    reconciliation already accepted in earlier proceedings. The

    reopening, based on superficial comparison of figures in Form

    26AS, ignores settled principles that taxation must be based on

    real income and proper accounting treatment. The repeated

    initiation of proceedings on the same grounds, despite a binding

    appellate order, constitutes a colourable exercise of power, is

    contrary to judicial discipline, and renders the impugned notice

    liable to be quashed.

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    4. Mr. Sunil Bhandari, learned counsel for the respondents, on

    the other hand opposes the petition urging that not only the same

    has been filed prematurely without responding to the impugned

    notice and but is an attempt to short circuit the statutory scheme

    contained under the Income Tax Act.

    4.1. He would further strenuously argue that in any case, the

    contention that the show cause notice has been issued without

    any additional information is belied by the very bare reading of the

    sanction note dated 20.03.2026, which would reveal that it is

    based on the cogent information which was found to be prima

    facie believe worthy upon due application of mind which led the

    competent authority to issue the impugned show cause notice.

    Any argument to the contrary is thus, untenable and has to be

    necessarily rejected by this Court and the writ petition accordingly

    deserves to be dismissed at the very threshold.

    5. In the aforesaid backdrop, we have heard the rival

    contentions of the learned counsels representing the respective

    parties and have perused the material available before us. We

    shall now proceed to render our opinion qua the same by

    recording reasons and discussion thereof in the succeeding part of

    the instant order.

    6. Before examining the merits of the contentions, it is

    necessary to refer to the sanction note dated 20.03.2026, which

    sets out the reasons for issuing the impugned notice dated

    23.03.2026 under Section 148 of the Income Tax Act, 1961,

    proposing reassessment for Assessment Year 2022-23.

    7. At this stage, it may be noted that the assessee had filed an

    appeal against the original assessment for the said year, which

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    was disposed of by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)

    vide order dated 04.12.2025, and that order has since attained

    finality.

    8. Reverting to the sanction note dated 20.03.2026 and the

    notice dated 23.03.2026 issued under Section 148, same are

    reproduced below for ready reference :-

    “Sanction Note dated 20.03.2026
    In this case information has been made available to this office through
    Insight Portal under the head High Risk e-Verification’, the scheme
    notified under Section 135A by the Hon’ble CBDT vide Notification
    No. 137/2021/F. No. 370142/57/2021TPL (Part-1) dated 13.12.2021
    notifying the e-Verification Scheme, 2021.

    2. Vide aforementioned Notification, the Central Government has
    notified the e-Verification Scheme, 2021 in accordance with the
    provisions of Section 135A of the Income tax Act, 1961. Accordingly,
    High Risk Cases related to Assessment Year 2022-23 have been
    verified by the Prescribed Authority under the scheme and submitted a
    Preliminary Verification Report (PVR) estimating the Income
    Escapement. As per Clause 4(9) of the e-Verification Scheme-2021,
    matched the Preliminary Verification Report with the latest Income Tax
    Return to prepare the Final Verification Report (FVR) wherein Value at
    Risk (VaR) has been arrived. Which is mentioned as under:-

    3. In the instant case notices u/s 133(6) were issued to verify the
    interest from deposits at Rs.71,99,135/ and the interest from savings
    bank at Rs. 73/
    In response to the notice issued assessee has filed its submission and
    stated that “It Has Already Been Considered While Filing the Return.
    3.1 The reply of the assessee is considered after duly examination of
    ITR which is placed on record.

    3.2 To verify the facts of the case it is seen from the ITR that the
    assessee has disclosed interest income of Rs. 6,47,842/- (including
    interest from deposit of Rs. 6,47,429/- and interest from saving bank of
    Rs. 313/-) during the F.Y.2021-22 offering income under income from
    other sources. The relevant portion of the ITR is being reproduced as
    under:

          B4            Income From Other        B4                     6,47,842
                        Source
                        Note-Fill "Sch
                        TDS2" if applicable
          S.No.         Nature of Income         Description (If any    Total Amount
                                                 other selected)
    

    1. Interest from Saving Interest from Saving 313
    Bank Account

    2. Any Other Interest (Others) 6,47,429
    3. Any Other Other Income 100

    3.3 From the above, it can be inferred that the assessee has shown an
    amount of only Rs.6,47,429/- against Rs. 71,99,135/- on account of

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    interest from deposits and a separate amount of Rs. 313/- as interest
    from savings bank which is more than the amount i.e., Rs. 73 which is
    subject to verification.

    3.4 As the assessee has disclosed interest from savings bank of Rs.

    313/- in its ITR for AY 2022-23 which is more than the amount under
    verification, hence no adverse inference is drawn on the issue.
    3.5 Further in absence of any satisfactory explanation from the
    assessee with regards to the amount under verification on account of
    interest received from deposits the balance amount of Rs. 65,51,706/-
    (Rs. 71,99,135/- Rs. 6,47,429/-) cannot be verified. Further, though it
    is seen that the assessee has shown business receipts of Rs. 29,94,300/-
    and offered income of Rs. 3,27,245/- under provisions of section 44AD
    of the Income Tax Act, 1961, no credit of such receipts can be given in
    the absence of any explanation from the assessee with regards to the
    nature of business and receipts received by the assessee during the FY
    2021-22.

    3.6 Having regard to the above, and in view of the absence of
    satisfactory explanation with regards to the interest from deposits
    received during the relevant year, there seems to be an escapement of
    income of Rs. 65,51,706/- on account of interest from deposits in the
    hands of the assessee and remained unexplained and the same has
    escaped assessment within the meaning of section 147 of the Act.

    4. In view of the above facts and circumstances there is information
    within the meaning of Clause (iv) of sub section (3) of section 148 of
    the I.T. Act, 1961 which suggest that income chargeable to tax as
    discussed above has escaped assessment for Assessment Year 2022-23
    and accordingly it is fit case for issuance of notice under section 148.
    Further, in view of section 148A(4) of the I.T. Act proceeding under
    section 148A are not required.

    Notice Dated 23.03.2026

    1. I have received information under the scheme notified u/s 135A that
    income chargeable to tax has escaped assessment for the Assessment
    Year under consideration in your case/the case of the person in respect
    of which you are assessable under Income-tax Act, 1961.

    2. 1, therefore, propose to assess or reassess such income or recompute
    the loss or the depreciation allowance or any other allowance or
    deduction for the Assessment Year 2022-23 and I, hereby, require you
    to furnish, within a period of 90 days in which this notice is issued, a
    return in the prescribed form for the Assessment Year 2022-23.

    3. This notice in being issued after obtaining the prior approval of the
    specified authority accorded on date 20-MAR-26 vide Reference No.
    100000090968176.”

    9. As already mentioned, after the completion of the original

    assessment proceedings, the assessee preferred an appeal before

    the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals). We find that the

    CIT(A), upon due examination of the same material on record, as

    noted in the sanction note, ibid, adjudicated the matter on merits.

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    No fresh material or new information has since come into the

    possession of the Assessing Officer that can possibly justify

    reopening the assessment on the ground of alleged escapement of

    income. Issuance of the impugned show cause notice in the

    present case is, at best, one of a mere change of opinion by an

    assessing officer, which does not constitute a valid ground for

    reassessment. Let us see how.

    10. CIT order be seen at this stage, relevant extract thereof is

    reproduced hereinbelow:-

    “5. Findings & Decision
    5.1. I have carefully considered the grounds of appeal, the material
    available on record, the rectification order passed under section 154
    of the Act, the intimation issued under section 143(1) of the Act, and
    the submissions tendered by the Appellant. The primary issue for
    adjudication is whether the AO, CPC was justified in restricting the
    TDS credit to Rs.2,83,663/- as against the claim of Rs.7,15,391/-
    made in the return of income, and whether the subsequent
    rectification applications filed by the Appellant warranted
    acceptance under section 154 of the Act.

    5.2. It is noted from the return and accompanying financials that the
    Appellant had disclosed substantial interest transactions during the
    relevant year. Interest income of Rs. 73.94.574/- was recorded in the
    business accounts after netting off interest expenditure, and a
    further sum of Rs.6.47,842/- was separately declared as income
    from other sources. The totality of interest income was thus stated to
    have been duly offered to tax under the relevant heads. The TDS
    reflected in Form 26AS/AIS corresponds to such interest receipts.
    The Appellant’s contention is that the gross interest income
    corresponding to the TDS has in fact been declared in the ITR,
    albeit partly under business income after netting and partly under
    income from other sources.

    5.3. The intimation issued under section 143(1) of the Act restricted
    the TDS credit on the ground that the income relating to such TDS
    was not fully reflected in the return. However, the intimation does
    not set out any detailed computation or reason as to how the figure
    of Rs.2.83.663/- was arrived at. Further, during rectification
    proceedings under section 154 of the Act, no specific mismatch or
    unreported income was pointed out by AO, CPC, nor was any
    material furnished to demonstrate that the interest income subject to
    TDS was not accounted for in the returned income. The Appellant’s
    repeated rectification applications thus remained unaddressed on
    merits, which has resulted in the continuation of an adjustment
    whose basis is not clearly discernible from the record.
    5.4. It is a settled position that an adjustment under section 143(1)

    (a) of the Act must be confined strictly to matters apparent from the
    return and must be supported by clear and objective data. Likewise,

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    for invoking section 154 of the Act, the error must be apparent from
    the record. In the present case, the AO, CPC has not demonstrated
    that there existed any non-disclosure of income relating to TDS
    which would justify restricting the TDS credit. On the contrary, the
    financial statements and computation furnished by the Appellant
    prima facie reflect that the underlying interest income was indeed
    included in the return, either as business income or income from
    other sources. The non-consideration of this aspect, despite specific
    rectification petitions filed by the Appellant, constitutes a mistake
    apparent from the record.

    5.5. It is further observed that Form 26AS fully reflects the
    Appellant’s entitlement to TDS credits claimed in the return. If the
    AO, CPC considered that any portion of Income corresponding to
    the TDS was not disclosed, it was incumbent on the AO, CPC to
    specify the precise mismatch, quantify the undisclosed amount, and
    provide reasoning. The absence of such disclosure renders the
    restriction of TDS credit unsustainable. The consistent explanation
    of the Appellant that the interest income Was duly declared has not
    been rebutted with any contrary evidence. In the absence of such
    rebuttal, and in view of the materials available, the restriction of
    TDS credit appears to have been mechanically applied and not in
    accordance with law.

    5.6. Accordingly, I find that the reduction of TDS credit from
    Rs.6,34,840/- to Rs.2,83,663/- in the intimation under section 143(1)
    of the Act is erroneous. The resulting denial of TDS credit to the
    extent of Rs.3,51,177/- is not supported by reasons or by any
    demonstrable mismatch in income. The denial of rectification is
    therefore not in accordance with section 154 of the Act. The
    Appellant is entitled to the full TDS credit as claimed in the return,
    subject to verification of matching PAN- based credits in Form
    26AS”.

    11. The contents of the sanction note leading to issuance of the

    fresh notice for reassessment, when read in conjunction with and

    compared against the order dated 04.12.2025 passed by the

    CIT(Appeals), do nothing more than reveal a change of opinion on

    the part of the Assessing Officer with respect to facts and

    materials that had already been examined and conclusively

    adjudicated by a competent appellate authority. The sanction note

    raises no fresh ground, discloses no new material, and advances

    no tangible information beyond what was already on record before

    the CIT(Appeals). It is, therefore, nothing but an attempt to

    reopen a concluded matter on the basis of a revisited view of the

    same facts, a course of action that is wholly impermissible in law.

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    12. Dehors our discussion in the preceding part, even otherwise,

    the order passed by the CIT(A) is legally and factually well-

    grounded. The core issue before the CIT(A) was the arbitrary

    restriction of TDS credit to Rs. 2,83,663/- against the assessee’s

    legitimate claim of Rs. 7,15,391/-, without any computation,

    reasoning, or identification of a specific mismatch in the intimation

    issued under Section 143(1). The CIT(A) correctly held that such

    an adjustment, being a summary proceeding confined strictly to

    errors apparent from the return, cannot be sustained in the

    absence of any demonstrable basis.

    12.1. On the question of disclosure, the CIT(A) rightly noted that

    the assessee had not suppressed any income. Interest income of

    Rs. 73,94,574/- was recorded in the business accounts after

    netting against interest expenditure, and a further Rs. 6,47,842/-

    was declared under income from other sources. The totality of

    interest income was thus offered to tax, albeit across different

    heads, a fact the AO (CPC) failed to appreciate before

    mechanically restricting the TDS credit.

    12.2. The CIT(A) further correctly held that the assessee’s

    repeated rectification applications under Section 154 were left

    unaddressed on merits, despite being supported by Form 26AS,

    financial statements, and detailed computation. The failure of the

    AO (CPC) to either accept or rebut these applications with contrary

    evidence itself constitutes a mistake apparent from the record,

    warranting correction.

    13. Moreover, adverting once again to the core issue of change of

    opinion being the cause of reassessment, the findings of CIT order

    assume decisive significance in the context of the impugned notice

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    dated 23.03.2026 under Section 148. The sanction note proceeds

    on the premise that interest income from deposits remains

    unexplained and has escaped assessment. However, the CIT(A)’s

    order, which has attained finality, not having been challenged by

    the Revenue, conclusively establishes that the income was duly

    disclosed and the denial of TDS credit was erroneous.

    14. There exists, therefore, no fresh information suggesting

    escapement of income within the meaning of Section 148. The

    Assessing Officer is seeking to reopen an assessment on a premise

    already negated by a binding appellate order, which amounts to a

    collateral attack on a final adjudication and is wholly impermissible

    in law.

    15. It is a firmly settled position of law that the power of

    reassessment conferred under Section 147 of the Income Tax Act,

    1961 cannot be exercised merely on the basis of a change of

    opinion by the Assessing Officer with respect to facts and

    materials that were already available on record at the time of the

    original assessment.

    16. Reassessment is not a second innings for the Assessing

    Officer to reconsider or re-appreciate evidence that was already

    before him. If the Assessing Officer forms an opinion on a

    particular issue during the original assessment, whether expressly

    or by necessary implication, any subsequent attempt to reopen

    the assessment on the same facts constitutes nothing more than a

    change of opinion, which is not a valid jurisdictional ground for

    invoking Section 147.

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    17. Hon’ble the Supreme Court in CIT v. Kelvinator of India

    Ltd.1 authoritatively settled this position by holding that although

    the Finance Act, 1989 omitted the requirement of “reason to

    believe” based on “new tangible material”, the concept of “change

    of opinion” as a bar to reassessment continues to operate as an

    in-built check against arbitrary exercise of the power. It is held

    therein that the Assessing Officer must have tangible material to

    conclude that income has escaped assessment and that mere re-

    examination of the same facts cannot justify reopening.

    18. This principle has also been consistently affirmed by various

    High Courts. Delhi High Court in CIT v. Eicher Ltd.2 reiterated

    that where the original assessment was completed after due

    application of mind to the material on record, issuance of a

    reassessment notice on the same material is impermissible.

    Similarly, Gujarat High Court in Praful Chunilal Patel v. M.J.

    Makwana3 held that reopening based on information already

    available during original assessment proceedings amounts to a

    change of opinion and is liable to be quashed. Qua the ratio

    enunciated by both the High Courts, ibid, we need add no more,

    other than simply observe that we are in respectful agreement

    with the same.

    19. In the present case, the interest income from deposits and

    the manner of its disclosure in the return were matters already

    examined, and conclusively adjudicated, by the CIT(A) in its order

    dated 04.12.2025. No new or fresh material has come to light

    thereafter. The sanction note dated 20.03.2026 draws upon the

    1. (2010) 320 ITR 561 (SC)

    2. (2007) 294 ITR 310 (Del)

    3. (1994) 236 ITR 832 (Guj.)

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    very same figures and information that were before the appellate

    authority. The reassessment notice dated 23.03.2026 is therefore

    nothing but a re-examination of a concluded matter, squarely

    falling within the prohibited category of a change of opinion. It is

    accordingly held to be without jurisdiction and liable to be

    quashed.

    20. In view of the aforesaid, we are of the opinion that the

    appellate order having attained finality, the subsequent notice

    dated 23.03.2026 issued under Section 148 of the Income Tax

    Act, 1961 for reopening the assessment, on the basis of same

    facts and material, is clearly beyond the jurisdiction of the

    Assessing Officer and constitutes an overreach of authority. The

    very issue has already been examined and adjudicated by the

    quasi-judicial authority, i.e., the Commissioner of Income Tax

    (Appeals), and therefore cannot be reopened on the same set of

    facts. The action of the Assessing Officer in seeking to revisit the

    concluded matter amounts to exceeding his authority and reflects

    an improper exercise of power.

    21. The writ petition is accordingly allowed. Both i.e. the notice

    dated 23.03.2026 issued under Section 148 of Income Tax Act,

    1961 (Annexure-2) and sanction note dated 20.03.2026 and all

    other consequential proceedings arising therefrom are set aside.

    22. All pending applications including stay application also stand

    disposed of.

                                       (SANDEEP SHAH),J                                                (ARUN MONGA),J
                                        53-raksha/-
    
    
    
    
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