2000 (8) TMI 74 - HC - Income Tax

Excluding Lean Season Service Charges from Business Profits for Tax Deductions

Commissioner Of Income-Tax Versus KK. Doshi And Co.

The High Court of Bombay ruled that service charges earned during a lean season were not linked to export activities and should be excluded from business ... Export, Special Deduction Issues Involved:The judgment addresses the issue of whether service charges constitute business income for computing export profits under section 80HHC of the Income-tax Act.Summary:The High Court of Bombay heard two appeals concerning the treatment of service charges in calculating export profits under section 80HHC. The Department argued that service charges should be excluded as they did not relate to export activities. The assessee contended that service charges were part of their business income. The court found that the service charges earned during a lean season were not linked to export activities and should be de-linked from business profits for calculating the deduction under section 80HHC.The court analyzed the legislative intent behind section 80HHC, emphasizing the need for profits to be directly derived from export activities. It discussed the formula for computing export profits and highlighted the amendments made to prevent distortion in calculating deductions. Referring to a Supreme Court judgment, the court emphasized the requirement of a direct nexus between profits and export activities. It concluded that the service charges did not have a direct nexus with export activities and, therefore, the assessee was not entitled to claim a deduction under section 80HHC.In light of the above analysis, the court set aside the Tribunal's judgment and allowed both appeals with costs.