Tuesday, December 8, 2009

WEALTH TAX AT A GLANCE

WEALTH TAX AT A GLANCE
 
Wealth Tax Act came into force on 1st April 1957. It is applicable to the whole of India. Under this Act tax is charged at the rate of 1% on the amount by which the net wealth of the assessee exceeds rupees fifteen lakhs on the valuation date. Only an Individual, Hndu Undivided Family and a Company are chargeable to wealth tax.As per section 45 of the Act, the following assessees are specifically excluded from the levy of wealth tax -
a)     any company registered under section 25 of the Indian Companies Act,1956;
b)    any cooperative society;
c)     any social club;
d)     any political party;
e)     a mutual fund specified under section 10(23D) of the Income Tax Act.
Net wealth of the assessee as on valuation date is chargeable to wealth tax. Valuation date is 31st March of the relevant previous year. The expressions 'assessment year' and 'previous year' would have the same meaning as specified in Income Tax Act. Where there is a change of ownership on the valuation date i.e. 31st March, it is the net wealth at the last moment of that day and not the first moment or during the day which shall be the subject of assessment under Wealth Tax Act. This is because the valuation date is a continuous period starting at the first moment and ending at the last moment of a certain day and therefore net wealth shall be taken at the last moment of the valuation date.
 
Chargeability of Wealth Tax
          Incidence of tax in the case of an individual depends upon his residential status and nationality. Whereas in the case of a Hindu Undivided Family and company it depends upon the residential status. Residential status of an assessee is to be judged by the same principles as laid down in section 6 of the Income Tax Act.
          In case of an individual who is a citizen of India and his residential status is resident and ordinary resident, the net wealth taxable under the Wealth Tax Act would include the aggregate values of all assets located inside and outside India including deemed assets but excluding exempted assets and deducted by the aggregate value of all debts owed by him on the valuation date which have been incurred in relation to the assets. Similarly in the case of a Hindu Undivided Family which is a resident and ordinary resident or a company which is a resident in India, the net wealth chargeable to wealth tax would include the aggregate value of all assets located inside and outside India including deemed assets but excluding the exempted assets and deducted by the aggregate value of all debts owed by him on the valuation date which have been incurred in relation to the assets.
          But in case of an individual Indian citizen whose residential status is either resident but not ordinary resident or non resident, the net wealth taxable under the Wealth Tax Act would only the value of all assets located in India including deemed assets but excluding exempted assets deducted by the aggregate values of all the debts owed by it on the valuation date which have been incurred in relation to the assets. Net of assets/ liabilities located outside India are tax free.
          Finally, in the case of a Hindu Undivided Family or a company which are non residents, net wealth chargeable to tax under Wealth Tax Act would include the value of all assets located in India including deemed assets but excluding exempted assets and deducted by the aggregate value of all debts owed by it on the valuation date which have been incurred in relation to the assets. They are not assessed in respect of assets locate outside India.
          Here it has to be specifically noted that the debts owed by the assessee on the valuation date is deductible only if such debts had been incurred in relation to those assets which are included in the net wealth of the assessee.
 
 
Assets
          The expression assets have been defined in section 2(ea) of the Wealth Tax Act. Only those assets within the scope of section 2(ea) are chargeable to wealth tax. They are mentioned below:
1. any guest house and any residential house or commercial house including a farm house situated within 25 kilometres from the local limits of a municipality
(Whether known as a municipality, a municipal corporation, notified area committee, town area committee, town committee or by any other name) or a cantonment board, but does not include –
a)     a house meant exclusively for residential purposes and which is allotted by a company to an employee or an officer or a director who is in whole time employment, having a gross annual salary of less than five lakh rupees.
b)    any house for residential purposes or commercial house which forms part of stock in trade.
c)     any house occupied by the assessee for the purpose of his business or profession
d)     any residential property let out for a period of 300 days in a previous year
e)     any property in the nature of commercial establishments.
2. motor cars ,other than those used by the assessee in the business of running them on hire or as stock in trade.
3. jewellery, bullion and furniture, utensils or any other article made wholly or partly of gold, silver or any other precious metals or an alloy containing one or more of such precious metals.
4. yatchs, boats and aircrafts, other than those used by the assessee for commercial purpose
5. cash in hand in excess of rupees fifty thousand.
 
          Deemed assets include those assets that are not owned by the asssessee on the valuation date but he was a prior owner to the asset and continues to derive benefits from it. By virtue of section 4 of the Wealth Tax Act, the following are deemed to be assets of the assessee
a)      assets transferred by the assessee to his/her spouse otherwise than for adequate consideration.
b)      assets transferred under revocable transfers.
c)      assets transferred to son's wife otherwise than for adequate consideration
d)     interest of partner in a partnership firm.
e)      Where a gift of money from one person to another person is made by means of entries in the books of accounts maintained by the persons making the gift, the value of such gift shall be liable to be included in computing the net wealth of persons making the gift unless he proves to the assessing officer that money of such gift has actually been delivered.
f)       The holder of an impartiable estate shall be deemed to be the individual owner of all the properties comprised in the estate.
g)      Property held by a person in part performance of a contract.
 
 
Exempted Assets
          Exempted assets are those assets that are not to be included in the net wealth of the assessee and on which he is not required to pay any wealth tax. Exempted assets are enumerated in section 5 of the Wealth Tax Act and they are mentioned below:
  1. Any property used by an assessee under a trust or other legal obligation or for any public purpose of charitable or religious nature in India is totally exempt from tax. However this rule is subject to certain special provisions. The following business assets held by an assessee under a trust for any public or charitable religious trust are exempt from tax –
a)     where the business is carried on by a trust wholly for public religious purposes and the business consists of printing and publications of books or the business is of a kind notified by the central government on this behalf in the official gazette.
b)    the business is carried on by an institution wholly for charitable purpose and the work in connection with the business is mainly carried on by the beneficiaries of the institution.
c)     the business is carried on by an institution, fund or a trust referred to in clause 23B or 23C of section 10 of the Income Tax Act.
Any other business assets of a public charitable or religious trust are not exempt. Similarly where any property is held under a trust for any public purpose of a charitable or religious nature in India, tax shall be leviable upon and recoverable from the trustee or manager of the trust in respect of the property held by him if the trust forfeits exemption by reason of any of the following factors mainly –
(i)                            any part of the trust's property or any income of the trust, including income by way of voluntary contributions, is used or applied directly or indirectly for the purpose of any person referred to in section 13(3) of the Income Tax Act e.g. the settler, the trustee, their relatives etc. ; or
(ii)                         any funds of the trusts are invested or deposited or any shares in a company are held by the trusr in contravention of the investment pattern for trust funds laid down in the section 11(5) of the Income Tax Act.
  1. The interest oh the assessee in the coparcenary property of the Hindu Undivided Family of which he is a member.
  2. Any one building in the occupation of a ruler, being a building which immediately before the commencement of Constitution(26th Amendment) Act 1971 was his official residence by virtue of a declaration by the central government.
  3. Jewellery in possession of a former ruler of a princely state, not being his personal property which has been recognised as his heirloom by the central government before 1st April 1957 or by the board after that date, is totally exempt from tax subject to the fulfilment of the following conditions-
a)     the jewellery shall be permanently kept in India and shall not be removed outside India except for a purpose and period approved by the board.
b)    that reasonable step are taken for keeping the jewellery substantially in its original shape.
c)     that reasonable facilities shall be allowed to any office of the government, authorised by the board in this behalf to examine the jewellery a and when necessary.
  1. Exemption is available in the case of an assessee who is a person of Indian origin or a citizen of India who was ordinarily residing in a foreign country and on leaving such country, such person has returned to India with the intention of permanently residing in India. Exemption is available to him for seven successive assessment years for
a)     Money brought by him to India
b)    Value of assets brought by him to India
c)     Money standing to the credit of such person in a Non Resident External account in any bank in India on the date of his return to India.
d)     The value of assets acquired by him out of money brought by him to India or out of money in NRE A/c within 1 year prior to the date of his return and at any time thereafter.
 
 
Due date of filing Return of Wealth is 30th September. Under Section 17B assessees are liable to pay interest along with the tax amount. Interest is charged at the rate of 1 % per month from the due date till the date of filing.
As mentioned earlier wealth tax is charged at the flat rate of 1% on the net wealth exceeding rupees fifteen lakhs. As per section 44C net wealth is rounded off to the nearest multiple of one hundred and as per section 44D wealth tax is rounded off to the nearest rupee.

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here is a list of some important provisions and their effective dates.


 INCOME TAX
Sl. No.
With effect from
Subject
1.
01.04.2011
Amendment to Section 44AA – Maintenance of Accounts
2.
01.04.2011
Amendment to Section 44AB – Audit of Accounts
3.
01.04.2011
Section 44AD Substituted – Presumptive Income
4.
01.04.2011
Amendment to Section 44AE – Income from goods Transport.
5.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 50C – Value of Capital asset transferred
6.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 56 – Transactions without consideration of more than Rs. 50,000/-
7.
01.04.2003
Amendment to Section 80A – Deductions
8.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 80G – Charitable Institutions
9.
01.04.2008
Amendment to Section 80IA – Power Generation
10.
01.04.2000
Section 80IB – Tax Holiday
11.
01.10.2009
Section 90 Substituted – DTAA –
12.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 92C – Transfer Pricing – Arm's Length Price
13.
01.04.1998
Amendment to Section 115JA – Deemed Income
14.
01.04.2001
Amendment to Section 115JB
15.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 131 – Discovery, Inspection etc – "Dispute Resolution Panel" included
16.
01.06.1994
Amendment to Section 132 – Search and Seizure – Additional Commissioner Empowered
17.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 139A – PAN – "Quarterly" removed
18.
01.04.1989
Amendment to Section 147 – Reassessment – Scope enhanced
19.
01.10.2009
Section 194C Substituted – TDS – Payment to Contractors
20.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 194I – TDS – Rent
21.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 200 – Quarterly Returns gone – Periodicity to be prescribed
22.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 201 – TDS failure
23.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 203A – Quarterly Statement is no more quarterly
24.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 206A & 206C – Quarterly to unspecified period
25.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 246A – Dispute Resolution Panel
26.
01.10.2009
Amendment to Section 253 – Appeal to ITAT – Dispute Resolution Panel
27.
01.06.2007
Amendment to Section 271 – Concealment of Income
28.
01.04.1988
Amendment to Section 271B – Provisional Attachment
29.
01.10.2009
Substitution of Section 282 – Service of Notice – Courier and Email recognized
30.
01.10.2010
New Section 282B – Allotment of Document Identification Number
31.
01.10.2009
New Section 293C – Power to Withdraw approval

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Monday, December 7, 2009

ITAT (DEL) : Allowability of expenditure on modification and renovation of a building before commencement of business

Allowability of expenditure on modification and renovation of a building before commencement of business


Expenditure incurred on modification and renovation of a building before commencement of business is neither allowable under section 30(a)(ii) nor section 37.

ITAT, DELHI BENCH 'G', DELHI

Punj Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.
v.
ITO

ITA NO. 3425(Del) of 2009

OCTOBER 23, 2009

RELEVANT EXTRACTS :

** ** ** ** ** **

6. We have heard both the parties and gone through the material available on record. The assessee company was incorporated on 5th October. 2005 with the object to carry on business of restaurant and hotels etc. The company entered into agreement on 10th October. 2005 with M/s. Aggarwal Motels P. Ltd. [AHPLJ for a period of 18 months to manage and operate their AHPL business of hotel and bar which they were carrying on for the several years under the name and style as "Tavern on the Greens". The assessee also entered into supplementary agreement for the purpose of management and operation of the existing restaurant and bar with certain modifications and renovations for a period of 18 months by investing a sum of Rs.50.00,000/- to be subscribed by the assessee company from its own resources to provide a new look to the existing set up of therestaurant and bar of AHPL and to run the said business in conducive manner, but under the new name and style as "Climax Tavern on the Greens". In terms of these two agreements the revenue from the said business is to be shared between the parties. Therefore, according to assessee the expenditure had been incurred as business expenditure. There no dispute that expenditure has been incurred on repairs and renovation of the hotel building by the assessee under the terms of the "supplementary agreement". Under section 30(a)(ii) of IT Act. 1961 in respect repairs of a premises, used for the purposes of the business or profession, the amount paid by him on account of current repairs to the premises shall be allowed as deduction. The Explanation to section 30 clarifies that the amount paid on account of current repairs referred to in subclause (ii) of clause (a) of section 30 shall not include any expenditure in the nature of capital expenditure. The provisions of section 30 will be pressed into operations only when the premises are used for the purposes of business or profession. In the instant case the assessee company was incorporated on 5lh Oct. 2005 entered into agreements on 10.10.2005 forthe purpose of management and operation of the existing restaurant and bar of AHPL. Certain modifications and renovations to the restaurant and bar building were to be carried out by investing a sum of Rs.50.00.000/- to be subscribed by the assessee from its own funds. Hence the assessee as a matter of fact contributed capital of Rs 50,00,000/- in order to participate in the profit of joint venture. Thus the assessee had incurred the expenditure on modifications and renovations before start of the business of management of hotel and restaurant. It is a different matter that the said contribution was utilised tor the purposes of modifications and renovation of the building so as to make it conducive to the business requirements of running restaurant and bar from clause 5 of the agreement dated IOth October, 2000. We find that the assessee was to complete the renovation and decoration within 30 days from the date of receipt of the possession of the building. Further grace period of 15 days was allowed in case due to any reason therenovation could not be completed within the stipulated period of 30 days. From these facts it is clear that the business of management and operation ot the restaurant and bar commenced after the renovation of the building was over. Hence the contribution made by the assessee is a capital investment brought into the business of joint venture, which was spent by the assessee on modifications and renovations of the building, as per the agreements entered into between the parties before actual commencement of business activities of management and operation of the restaurant.

7. Now we will examine whether expenditure incurred will be allowable as current repairs u/s 30(a)(ii) of the Act. The expression used in section 30(a)(ii) and in section 31(i) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 is 'current repairs' and not mere 'repairs'. It has been held by Hon'ble Bombay High Court in New Shorrock Spg. & Mfg. Co. Ltd. v. CIT [1956] 30 ITR 338 that the expression 'current repairs' means expenditure on buildings, machinery, plant or furniture which is not forthe purpose of renewal or restoration but which is not lor the purpose of preserving or maintaining an already existing asset and which does not bring a new asset into existence or does not give to the assessee a new or different advantage They are such repairs as are attended to as and when need arises and that the question when a building, machinery, etc. requires repairs and when the need arises must be decided not by any academic or theoretical test but by the test of commercial expediency. The test evolved in New Shorrock Spg. & Mfg. Co. Ltd/s case (supra) is the most appropriate one having regard to the context in which the said expression occurs. Hon'ble Supreme Court in Ballinml Naval Kishore v. CIT [1997] 224 ITR 414 (SC) applied the test evolved in New Shorrock Spg & Mfg. Co, Ltd.*s case (supra) by holding as under:

"In our opinion the test involved by Chagh C.J., in New Shorrock Spinning *" Manufacturing Co. Ltd 's case [1956}30 ITR 338 (Bom) is the most appropriate Q*e having regard to the context in whidtijkhe said expression occurs. It has also been followed by a majority of the High Courts in India. We respect fully accept and adopt the test.

Applying the aforesaid test, if we look at die facts of this case, it will he evident thai what the assessee did was not mere repairs hut a totalrenovation of the theatre. New machinery, new furniture, new sanitary fittings and new electrical wiring were installed besides extensively repairing the structure oj the budding. By no stretch of imagination, can it be said that the said repairs qualify as "current repairs" within the meaning of section l()(2)(v). It was a case of totalrenovation and has rightly been held by the High Court to he capital in nature. Indeed, the finding of the High Court is that as against the sum of Rs. I ~MOO for which the assessee had purchased the factory in 193?. the expenditure incurred in the relevant accounting year was in the region of Rs. I,20.000."

From the judicial pronouncements referred to above it is clear that expenditure which is not for the purpose of renewal or restoration and which does not bring a new asset into existence or does not give to the assessee a new or different advantage will be allowable as deduction. . Therefore the expenditure onmodifications and renovations of the building cannot be allowed as current repairs u/s 30(a)(ii) of IT Act, 1961.



8. In the case before us the facts of the case are some what different. In this case as discussed above the assessee renovated and modified the building, the bar room, VIP area etc. to suitthe business requirement of joint venture for which the assessee was to incur expenditure from its sources and not from the funds of the joint venture . Therefore the expenditure incurred by the assessee was capital expenditure in its own hands. The expenditure was incurred before actualcommencement of business activities. The things would have been different had the expenditure been incurred by AHPL during the course normal business activities and assessee had shared the profits from operation of business ofrestaurant and bar . At the best in view of provisions of Explanation to section 32(1) of the Act any capital expenditure incurred on construction or onrenovation or extension of. or improvement to the building in respect of which the assessee holds a lease or other right of occupancy for the purposes ofthe business or profession the assessee will be entitled to deduction u/s 32 of the Act, as if the said structure or work is a building owned by the assessee. Therefore the entire expenditure will constitute capital expenditure in the hands of assessee.

9. It has also been contended that the assessee had not taken the premises on lease and the expenditure was incurred on joint venture formed by the assessee with the owner with an intention to run the business of restaurant and bar and share the profit of joint venture and hence the expenditure was incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of business. This contention of the assessee in our view is also not correct. There is no dispute that actual operation of restaurant and bar took place after modification and renovation of the building to suit the business requirements was over. Hence the expenditure was not incurred during the course of actual operations of business activities. Hon'ble Madras High court in the case of A.Y.S. Paisutha Nadar v. CIT [1962] 46 ITR 1041 (Mad.) had held that section 10(2)(xv) of the Indian income-tax Act, 1922 [section 30(a)(ii) of 1961 Act.] relating to expenditure laid out or expended wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the assessee's business, clearly indicated that the expenditure should relate to a business which is already in existence and not one that is to come into existence in the future. Hence the expenditure incurred on modifications and renovations of the building cannot be treated to have been incurred during the course of business wholly and exclusively for the purposes of business and cannot be allowed as deduction u/s 37 of the Act.

10. From above discussion it is clear that expenditure incurred on modification and renovation is neither allowable under section 30(a)(ii) or section 37 of the Act. The assessing officer had rightly treated the expenditure capital in nature and had allowed the deduction under section 32( 1) of the Act. We accordingly uphold the order of CIT(A).

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Sunday, December 6, 2009

DIGEST OF CASE LAWS (OCTOBER 2009)

DIGEST OF CASE LAWS (OCTOBER 2009)

(Compiled by Ajay Singh, Paras Savla, Rahul Hakani, Sujeet Karkala and Rangesh Banka, Advocates)

(JOURNALS REFERRED)

32 SOT, 120 ITD, 124 TTJ, 182 - 183 Taxman, 28 DTR, 212 Taxation, 317 ITR, TLR, VOL 39, 225 CTR

1) Accounting- Change of method – s. 5 & s.145

There being genuine difficulties compelling assessee to change over from mercantile to cash system of  accounting as regards to interest income, the change was bonafide hence the CIT(A) and the tribunal  were justified in setting aside the order of AO rejecting the change.

Asst CIT v. Coromandal Investment (P) Ltd. [(2009) 225 CTR (Guj) 313]

2) Accrual of income - sales tax refund- s 4, s. 41 (1).

Once an order of refund of sales tax has been passed, the same has to be treated  notwithstanding pendency of appeal against refund order.  as income

CIT v Beirsdorf (India) Ltd & Anr (2009) 28 DTR (Bom) 188 / (2009) 183 Taxman 178 (Bom)

3) Alternate Dispute Mechanism –u/s. 144C

Parties are advised to resort to Alternate Dispute Resolution Mechanism suggested in s. 144C;  competent authority is directed not to reject the application herein made by the assessee on the ground  that the proposal has come before the cut-off date and to decide the matter notwithstanding the  pendency of the appeal before the CIT (A).

Addl CIT v. HCL Technologies [2009) 225 CTR (SC) 356]

4) Additional Evidence- Rule 46 A.-Power of Tribunal- s 254 (1).

Tribunal confirming the order of CIT (A) without considering the additional evidence which was  crucial. The High court held that the additional evidence goes very root of the matter and a reasonable  approach is needed and not the hyper technical approach adopted by the tribunal hence the matter  remanded to the Tribunal.

Daljieet Kaur v ITO (2009) 212 Taxation 46 (M.P.)

Editorial – See Smt. Prabhavati Shah vs. CIT (1998) 231 ITR 1 (Bom)

5) Agent- Non –resident- s- 163.

The foreign company was in receipt of some income from the assessee, on account of sale of shares.  The Act uses the words “from or through”, instead of the word ‘thorough’ in section 163 (1) (c).Any  person in India from or through whom the non-resident is in receipt of any income directly or indirectly  can be treated as agent of the non-resident.

Utkal Investments Ltd v Asstt .DIT (2009) 120 TTJ 67 (Mum).


6) Appeal - Tribunal – s. 249 (4), 253.

Against the dismissal of appeal by the CIT (A) for non payment of tax as per returned income, appeal  to Tribunal is not maintainable.

Sushil Thomas Abraham v ACIT (2009) 212 Taxation 214 (Ker)

7) Appeal - Tribunal- Fees-s 253 (6).

Total income determined at negative figure, hence fee of Rs.500/- alone payable.

Gilbs Computer Ltd v ITO (2009) 317 ITR 159 (Bom)

Editorial –Andra Pradesh State Electricity Board v ITO (1994) 49 ITD 552 (AP), over ruled.

8) Appeal- Tribunal – Powers- Rectification of Mistake- s. 254 (2), 255.

When the question was pending before the High court, it was not right for the assessee to agitate it  before the Tribunal.  It is for the bench to decide whether there should be joint consideration by members before draft order  finalised. Merely because there was no specific mention of each argument, the order could not be said  to be vitiated by mistake apparent from the record.

Tata Communications Ltd v JCIT (2009) 317 ITR 1 (AT) (Mumbai) (SB) / (2009) 124 TTJ 721

(Mumbai) (SB)

9) Appeal – Tribunal –powers- Direction – 254 (1), 14A.

In the absence of any adverse, finding by the AO against the assessee vis –a-vis applicability of section  14A, Tribunal while accepting the assessee’s contention, was not correct, in recording the direction to  consider the applicability of section 14A, while remanding the matter. 

Topstar Mercantile ( P ) Ltd v Asstt CIT ( 2009 ) 225 CTR (Bom ) 351( 2009 ) 28 DTR ( Bom )  215.

Editorial – see, DCIT vs. Citizen Hotel, ITA No.5371 & 5803/Mum/2005, A.Y. 1999 – 2000 &

2002 – 03, Bench – D, dated 30th January, 2009, (source: www.itatonline org)

10) Appeal – Tribunal – Rule 27

Where the CIT (A) decided the ground of reopening against the assessee but decided the ground of  merits in favour of the assessee, the assessee is entitled, in an appeal by the Revenue before the  Tribunal, to urge, under Rule 27 of the I. T. Rules, that the CIT (A) was wrong in deciding the ground  of reopening against the assessee.

ACIT vs. M/s Triace, ITA No. 2827/Mum/04, A.Y. 1995 – 96, Bench – H, dated 26-11-2007

1) Authorised representative -Resigned Members & Members who retired before 3.6.2009 can   practice before the ITAT- s 288  The Tribunal has inherent jurisdiction to consider whether the parties who are appearing before it are  properly entitled under the law to make appearance;

Such Members who had resigned and terminated their contract of employment with the Government  before confirmation cannot be said to hold any post and there is no question of any conditions of  services being applicable to them after resignation. They cannot be treated as having been “retired”  from service for purposes of Rule 13E and were not disqualified from appearing before the ITAT;

On a plain reading of Rule 13E, it is prospective and applies only to Members who were in service as  of 3.6.2009 or who join service thereafter. It has no application to Members who retired prior to that  date

M/s Concept Creations vs. ACIT, Delhi Special Bench, ITA No. 3370/Del/08 A.Y. 2005-06 dated

15/09/2009.

12) Bad debts - Unilateral writing off sufficient after change of law. S. 36(1)(vii) & 36(2)

Departmental SLP rejected against the Bombay High court where by the High Court dismissed the  departmental appeal in ITA no 383 and 437 of 2008.

CIT v Nelco Ltd S. L. P nos 16373-163 74 of 2009 dt 7- 7-2009. (2009) 317 ITR 6 (ST).

Editorial – See Judgment of Mumbai Tribunal Shri Rahendra Y. Shah v ACIT ITA no 1437/Mum/1999, Bench B dt. 21-9-2006. (Asst year 1992-93)

Judgment of Bombay High Court ITA NO 1000 OF 2007 dt. 10th July 2008. CIT v Rajendra Y. Shah S.L.P. (C) NO 8364 of 2009. Dt 2-4-2009. (2009) 313 ITR (st) 3.

DCIT v Oman International Bank (2009) 313 ITR 128 (Bom), CIT v Star Chemicals (Bombay) P. Ltd (2009) 313 ITR 126 (Bom).

Matter is referred to special bench in the case of share broker, Shri Shreyas S. Morakhia ITA

No. 3374/M/04. Asst. Year 98-99

13) Business Disallowance - Actual payment- s 43 B.

Under Explanation 3 C, conversion of interest amount in to loan would not be deemed to be regarded  as “actually paid” amount within the meaning of section 43 B.

Eicher Motors Limited v CIT (2009) 315 ITR 312 (MP).

14) Business expenditure – expenses on issue of debentures – S.37

Expenditure incurred on issue of debentures, whether convertible or non convertible is allowable as  revenue expenditure.

S.L.P. CC No.10548/2009 dated 11-08-2009 filed by the department was rejected.  [See CIT vs. Secure Meters Ltd. (2009) 221 CTR 405 (Raj)]

15) Business income –Income from house property- s 22, 28(i).

Assessee running business centre by exploiting property and not merely letting out the property, receipt from such activity be considered as business income and not income from house property.  Harvindarpal Mehata HUF v DCIT (2009) T.L.R. 285. (Mumbai Bench G.)

16) Charitable trust -Registration – S.12A

The tribunal is fully justified in observing that the manner of application of funds and as to whether the  applicant-assessee can claim benefit of exemption in terms of s.11 and 12 is a question which has to be  examined by the AO at the stage when it is urged and not by the CIT when such question is not before  the CIT. The emphasize that while registration is accordance with the provisions of s.12, it is a  condition precedent for claiming the benefits u/s. 11 and 12, a registration itself as per s.12A will not  automatically confer the benefits of s.11 and 12 on a trust, but the trust will get the benefit only on  complying with the requirements of s.11 and 12 which compliance can be examined by the assessee  authority, while processing the return filed by the trust.

Director of Income Tax v. Garden City Education Trust (2009) 28 DTR (Kar) 139

17) Capital receipt-interest and rent- s 4.

Interest and rent receipt from its employees and oustees in dam area had a nature of capital receipt as  the construction process was still on and business activity not started.

{Followed CIT v Bokoro Steel Ltd (1999) 236 ITR 315 (SC)}

CIT v Tehri Hydro Development Corporation. (2009) T.L.R. 456 (Uttarkhand) / 183 Taxman 246  (Uttarkhand)

18) Capital receipt-Interest- s. 4

Assessee’s business having not been set up during the year, its interest income could not be assessed  but had to be set off against cost of assets.

Shapoorji Pallanji Power Co Ltd v ITO (2009) 28 DTR (Mumbai) Trib) 12.

19) Capital Gains – ESOP- s 45, 48.

Assessee having made no payment for exercising the right to purchase shares under ESOP, there was  no cost of acquisition of such shares to the assessee and therefore, amount received on sale of said  shares is not taxable as capital gains, further date of exercise of option and date of sale being the same,  there is no difference between the deemed cost of acquisition and actual price realised by the assessee  and therefore, no amount is chargeable to tax as capital gains.

Bomi S. Billimoria v Asstt CIT (2009) 124 TTJ (Mumbai) 960.

20) Deduction –Hypothetical Tax- s.10(10CC) & S.16

The deduction on account of hypothetical tax liability is made under tax equalization and only reduces  the tax perquisite of the employee and not his income. This aspect of the matter will be relevant in  computation of perquisites when the same are to be computed with reference to the salary of the  employee. the deduction to be made at the stage of computing the tax perquisite and not the basic  salary. There will be no tax impact in this year on account of s. 10 (10CC) in case hypothetical tax is  reduced from tax perquisite instead of being reduced from the basic salary. 

Income Tax Officer v. Lukas Fole [2009 28 DTR (Pune) (Trib) 210]

21) Depreciation- stock exchange membership card- s.32 (1) (ii) (2).

Expression ‘licences’ in s.32 (1) (iii) has to be construed restrictively so as to apply to license relating  to acquisition /user of intellectual property rights and not all licences; further , s.32 (1) (ii)  contemplates is the business or commercial rights relating to intellectual properties and not all  categories of business or commercial rights; depreciation is not therefore allowable on the Bombay  Stock Exchange Membership Card as it does not fall in any of the categories specified in s. 32 (1) (ii)

Commissioner of Income Tax v. Techno Shares & Stocks Ltd & Ors. (2009) 28 DTR 201 (Bom) /

(2009) 225 CTR 337 (Bom) / (2009) 184 Taxman 103 (Bom)

22) Depreciation- Restrictive covenant- s. 32 (1) (iii).

Depreciation on restrictive covenant is not allowable.

Srivatsan Surveyors (P) Ltd v ITO (2009) 32 SOT 268 (Chennai).

Editorial – See ITO vs. Medicorp Technologies India Ltd (2009) 21 DTR 69 / (2009) 30 SOT 506  (Chennai) (Trib).

23) Depreciation- Lease of machinery – User of asset-s 32.

Lease of machinery before end of accounting year, Lessee installing machinery after end of accounting  year is not relevant. The assessee is entitled to depreciation.

CIT v Kotak Mahindra Finance Ltd (2009) 317 ITR 236 (Bom)

24) Depreciation allowable even if asset not used at all for entire year – S.32

The assessee, engaged in shipping business, owned a barge which was included in the block of assets.  The barge met with an accident and sank on 6.3.2000 (AY 2000-01). As efforts to retrieve the barge  were uneconomical, the barge was sold on as-is-where-is in May 2001 (AY 2002-03). As the barge  was non-operational and not used for business at all in AY 2001-02, the AO denied depreciation.  On appeal by the assessee, the Tribunal took the view that after the insertion of the concept of “block  of assets” by the T. L. (A) Act, 1988 w.e.f 1.4.1988 individual assets had lost their identity and only  the “block of assets” had to be considered. It was held that the test of “user” had to be applied  upon the block of assets as a whole and not on individual assets. On appeal by the Revenue, the  High Court dismissed the appeal holding that the issue was squarely covered in favour of the assessee  by its earlier judgements in Whittle Anderson 79 ITR 613 and G. N. Agrawal 217 ITR 250.

CIT vs. G. R. Shipping (Bombay High Court), ITA no 598 of 2009, dated 28th july, 2009 Source

25) Deduction -Business expenditure- Disallowance- s 14A, rule 8D.

Disallowance under section 14A, can be made in a year in which no exempt income has been earned or  received by the assessee.

Cheminvest Ltd v ITO ( 2009 ) 124 TTJ ( Del ) (SB ) 577..( 2009), 317 ITR (AT ) 86 (Delhi ) (SB)

Editorial. See, ITO v Daga capital Management P. Ltd (2009) 312 ITR (AT) 1 (Mumbai) (SB)

26) Deduction- Public Provident fund – Limit of one lakh-s 80 C.

Where, amount deposited in PPF Account exceeded Rs.70,000/- prescribed under PPF Scheme ,it was  held that in view of fact that Act was amended by Finance Act ,2005 ,permitting an individual to  deposit maximum of rupees one lakh in any specified scheme , concerned authorities were to be  directed to amend paragraph 3 of PPF Scheme ,1968 in terms of section 80 C and increase maximum  limit of subscription to PPF as per Finance Act, 2005.

M.S.Padmarajaiah v Secretary Department of Finance, Government of Karnataka. (2009) 183

Taxman 209 (Kar).

27) Deduction – Profits and gains from Industrial Undertakings- Duty drawback receipts/Duty entitlement Pass Book – Derived from .s 80 I, 80 IA, 80 IB.   Duty drawback receipts /Duty Entitlement pass Book benefits are on account of statutory provisions in  Customs Act/Scheme(s) framed by Government, therefore profits so derived do not form part of net  profits of elegible industrial undertaking for purposes of sections 80 IB, 80 I and 80 IA.

Liberty India v CIT ( 2009 ) 317 ITR 218 (SC ) / ( 2009 ) 183 Taxman 349 (SC) / ( 2009 ) 28 DTR  (SC ) 73.

28)   Deduction – Profits and gains from infrastructure undertakings – Insurance claim- s 80 IA.

Amount received by Assessee Company from insurance company on account of loss of goods  destroyed by fire should be taken in to account in determining profits and gains of an industrial  undertaking of types specified under section 80 IA.

CIT v Sportking India Ltd (2009) 183 Taxman 312 (Delhi).

29) Deduction- Computation – Eligible industrial units- s 80 a, 80, B (5) & 80 IB.

Loss in one unit can not be set off against of other unit, it is a mandatory to work out the eligible  amount of deduction under various sections of Chapter VI-A, individually and then such aggregate  amounts has to be restricted to the amount of gross total income as computed under section 80 IB (5 ).

Meera Cotton & Synthetic Mills ( P ) Ltd v Asst CIT ( 2009 ) 28 DTR ( Mumbai ) ( Tribe ) 139.

30) Deduction – housing project- percentage completion method. S 80 IB (10).

An assessee developing a housing project and fulfilling all other requirements of section 80 IB (10) can  adopt “project percentage method’ to arrive at the eligible profits for claiming deduction under the said  section. Deduction can not be postponed to alter year ie on completion of project.

B.K.Pate Enterprises v DY CIT (2009) 28 DTR (Pune) (Trib) 451.

31) Deduction – DEPB – s. 80HHC

(i) The argument of the Revenue that DEPB is a post export event and has no relation with the purchase  of goods cannot be accepted. There is a direct relation between DEPB and the customs duty paid  on the purchases. For practical purposes, DEPB is a reimbursement of the cost of purchase to the  extent of customs duty;

(ii) The DEPB benefit (face value) accrues and becomes assessable to tax when the application for  DEPB is filed with the concerned authority. Subsequent events such as sale of DEPB or making  imports for self consumption etc are irrelevant for determining the accrual of the income on account of  DEPB;

(iii) Though s. 28 (iiib) refers to a “cash assistance against exports”, it is wide enough to cover the face  value of the DEPB benefit;

(iv) S. 28 (iiid) which refers to the “profits on transfer of the DEPB” obviously refers only to the  “profit” element and not the gross sale proceeds of the DEPB. If the Revenue’s argument that the sale  proceeds should be considered is accepted there would be absurdity because the face value of the  DEPB will then get assessed in the year of receipt of the DEPB and also in the year of its transfer;

(v) Consequently, only the “profit” (i.e. the sale value less the face value) is required to be  considered for purposes of s. 80HHC.

Topman Exports vs. ITO, Special Bench, ITA No.5769/Mum/2006, A.Y. 2002 – 2003, dated 11th


32) Deduction of tax at source - Income deemed or accrued in India – Fees for Technical Services – S.   9, 195 & 201 Amount paid by assessee to non-resident company for rendering technical services for commissioning of power plant in India did not attract tax liability as the technical services were in the nature of theoretical formulation which could be rendered wholly offshore and outside India ; however, ‘start-up services’ and ‘overall responsibility’ involve executory part of the contract which took place in india and therefore, assessee was required to effect TDS out of remuneration paid towards these services.

Jindal Thermal Power Company Ltd. v. Deputy. Commissioner of Income Tax [2009 225  CTR (Kar) 220]


33) Deduction at source- Leave Travel concession – s, 10 (5), 192.

An employer is under no statutory obligation to collect evidence to show that its employee has actually  utilised amount paid towards leave travel concession /conveyance allowance for purpose of TDS under  section 192.

CIT v ITI Ltd (2009) 183 Taxman 219 (SC)

34) Deduction at source - interest- s 201 (1A).

Since deductee is a Govt undertaking, the taxes may be presumed to have been paid last by due date of  filing of the return of income and therefore the liability of the assessee to pay interest on the amount  which was to be deducted as TDS ends with in due date of filing of the return by the deductee.

CIT v Trans Bharat Aviation (p) Ltd. (2009) 225 CTR (Del) 415

35) Deduction at source – Upfront fees - Liability to deduct tax vis-a-vis year of assessment of year – s.194I   A person who is responsible for paying to a resident any income by way of rent us required to deduct  tax at source u/.s 194 I at the time of credit of such income to the account of the payee even if it is not  the income of the payee previous year in which it is paid; upfront fee paid by assessee to the lessor  which is adjustable against 50% of the annual license fee payable to the lessor was rent and therefore  assessee was required to deduct tax at source u/s. 194I at the time of the credit of such amount.

Tax Recovery Officer v. Bharat Hotels Ltd. [2009 28 DTR (Bang) (Trib) 337]

36) Exemption- encoding and decoding an eligible EOU- s.10B.

Assessee having obtained order from the Development Commissioner stating that the assessee has been  a-bonded and does not enjoy the status of 100 % EOU, and the same having being produced before AO  though not filed before the due date of filling of return as required by s.10 B (8), the assessee has to be  held as opted out of the benefit of s.10B and entitled to carry forward the loss. 

Torry Harris Sea Foods (P) Ltd. v. Dy. Commissioner of Income Tax [2009 28 DTR (Coch) (Trib) 165.

37) Export -Profits of Business – processing / fabrication charges received from other exporters  S.80HHC.   Assessee having allowed deduction u/s. 80HHC in respect of the processing / fabrication charges on  the goods which were ultimately exported by other exporters for whom processing was undertaken by  the assessee , following the earlier decision of the High Court against which no appeal was field special  leave petition is liable to be dismissed.

Southern Sea Food Ltd. V. Jt. Commissioner of Income Tax [2009 28 DTR (SC) 108]

38) Income from House property- Lift Charges- s 22.

Charges received for providing lift service were to be assessed as “income from house property”,  ifuniform service charges are to be collected from every tenant, whether he be in the first floor or top  floor .Mere separate agreement for such collection would not make any difference. 

CIT v Mohan’s Enterprises (2009) 182 Taxman 24 (Ker)

39) Income from other sources- deduction - s 56 & 57.

Assessee Govt of India enterprise doing construction activities and not business activities of earning  interest on deposit .with banks deduction of 2.5% towards administrative cost on the interest income on  short term deposit is proper.

CIT v Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (2009) T.L.R. 456 (Uttarkand)

40) International Transaction-DTAA-India and South Africa-s -9.

Commission being payable to South African Company for services rendered abroad and it having no  fixed place or agent in India, no income could be taxed in India. 

Spahi Projects (P) Ltd, in RE (AAR) (2009) 26 DTR 303 (AAR)

41) International Taxation-Fee for use of satellite is “royalty” under Act & DTAA- s 9 ( 1 )

To constitute “royalty”, it is not necessary that the process should be a “secret process”, nor that that  the instruments through which the “process” is carried on should be in the control or possession of the  payer. The context and factual situation has to be kept in mind to determine that whether the process  was “used” by the payer. The fact that the telecasting companies are enabled to telecast their  programmes by uplinking and downlinking the same with the help of that process shows that they have  “use” of the same. Time of telecast and the nature of programme, all depends upon the telecasting  companies and, thus, they are using that process;

(iii) The consideration paid by telecasting companies to satellite companies is for the purpose of  providing “use of the process” and consequently assessable as “royalty” under the Act and the DTAA.

New skies satellites N. v. vs ADIT (international Taxation), ITA Nos 5385 to 5387/Del/ 2004, A. Y.

2000-01 to 2002-03, Delhi Special Bench, Date of Order - 16th October, 2009.

42) Penalty Concealment- Satisfaction of the Assessing Officer-s 271 (1B), 274, 275.

i.  Section 271 (1B) is not violative of article 14 of the Constitution.

ii.  The position of law both, pre and post amendment is similar, as regards initiation of penalty  proceedings.

iii.  Prima facie satisfaction of the Assessing Officer is a must.

iv.  Satisfaction need not be in respect of each and every disallowances.

v.  Due compliance would be required to be made in respect of the provisions of section 274 and 275 of  the Act.

vi.  The proceedings for initiation of penalty can not be set a side only on the ground that the assessment  order states that ‘penalty proceedings are initiated separately” if otherwise it conforms to the  parameters.

Ms Madhushree Gupta v UOI (2009) 183 Taxman 100 (Delhi)

43) Penalty- Concealment- s 271 (1) (c).

The A.O. has made addition in assessment of items disclosed by assessee in assessment proceedings  and also levied penalty. High court held that penalty is not leviable. The Apex court remanded the  matter to High Court to decide the matter considering the latter judgement of Supreme court UOI v  Rajasthan Spinning and Weaving Processors ( 2008 ) 306 ITR277 (sc ) and UOI v Dharmendra Textile  Processors ( 2008 ) 306 ITR 277 ( SC . )

CIT v Atul Mohan Bindal (2009) 317 ITR 1 (SC.) (2009) 225 CTR (SC) 248. (2009) 28 DTR (SC) 1.

44) Penalty – concealment -No penalty under Expl. 7 to s. 271 (1) (c) for bona fide transfer pricing

adjustments- s 271 (1) (c). 

(i) The question whether the provision for bad debt in respect of sum owed by the parent company is a  matter falling in the ordinary course of trade or whether it is an extraordinary item warranting  exclusion from operational cost is a debatable point on which there can be two opinions. The fact  that the assessee accepted the addition and did not challenge the same will not change this aspect;  Penalty also cannot be imposed unless the party obliged either acted deliberately in defiance of law or  was guilty of conduct contumacious or dishonest, or acted in conscious disregard of its obligation;

The conduct of the assessee was not mala fide or contumacious. The computation claiming exclusion  of the provision for doubtful debts in arriving at comparable profit margins cannot be said to have been  done not in good faith or without due diligence. Accordingly penalty under Expl. 7 to s. 271 (1) (c)  could not be levied.

Dy. CIT vs M/s. Vertex Customer Services (India) Pvt. Ltd., ITA No. 1506/Del/2008, Bench – C,

45) Revision – Erroneous and Prejudicial order-S. 263

AO having taken a plausible view after investigation and proper enquiry, CIT cannot invoke  revisionary power just to substitute his own view; assessment order cannot become erroneous where  queries raised during the assessment proceedings are not recorded in final assessment order.

V.B. Construction (P) Ltd. V. Dy. Commissioner of Income Tax [2009 28 DTR (Kol) (Trib) 84]

46) Revision- On issue not mentioned in show cause notice- 263.

In revision proceedings, Commissioner can not travel beyond reasons given by him for revision in  show cause notice.

Revision is not like reopening of assessment, entire assessment is not opened before the assessing  officer.

Geometric Software Solutions Co .Ltd v Asstt CIT (2009) 32 SOT 428 (Mum).  Editorial-also see CIT v Contimeters Electricals Works P .Ltd (2009) 22 DTR 158 (Delhi).

47) Reassessment- Reasons- s.147, 148.

When notice under section 148 is sustainable on any reasons taken by Assessing Officer, initiation of  reassessment can not be declared as invalid.

M.P.Ramachandran v DY.CIT (2009) 32 SOT 592 (MUM).

48) Reassessment- Change of opinion – s, 147,148.

Where the original assessment is farmed under section 143 (3), and subsequently ,it comes to the  notice, of Assessing Officer ,that still some income chargeable to tax has escaped assessment , he can  get assistance of provisions of section 147, provided it does not amount to change of opinion.

M.P.Ramachandran v DY CIT (2009) 32 SOT 592 (MUM).

49) Search and Seizure- Assessment- s 153 A, 132 A.

For invoking jurisdiction under section 153A, not only warrant of authorisation is to be issued in name  of assessee but also search shall have to be necessarily conducted or in case of requisition under section  132 A, has to be made.

Rajat Tradecom India (P) Ltd v Dy CIT (2009) 120 ITD 48 (Indore)

50) Speculative Loss- derivatives- s 43 (5) (d).

Loss on account of futures and options has to be treated as speculative loss for the asst year 2004-05.  Clause (d) of proviso to section 43 (5) is prospective in nature and is effective from is April 2006.

Shree Capital Services Ltd v Asst CIT ( 2009 ) 124 TTJ ( Kol ) (SB)/ ( 2009 ) 28 DTR (Kol) (SB)  (Trib) 1.

Editorial – See Asst. CIT vs. Shreegopal Purohit (2009) 33 SOT 1 (Mum)

51) Succession to business otherwise than on death – S.170

The term “succession” in s. 170 has a somewhat artificial meaning. The tests of change of ownership,  integrity, identity and continuity of a business have to be satisfied before it can be said that a person  “succeeded” to the business of another;

Even if it is accepted that by a transfer of shares u/s 2(47), there is a transfer in the right to use the  capital assets of the company, still s. 170 is not attracted because there is no “transfer of business”. A  company is a juristic person and owns the business. The share holders are not the owners of the  company. By a transfer of the shares, there is no transfer so far as the company is concerned.

CIT vs. Panchratan Hotels (HP High Court) ITA No 13 of 2004 dated 26-08-2009