1999 (3) TMI 37 - HC - Income Tax

Court affirms deduction of commission to Kanakia family members under joint agency agreement

The High Court upheld the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal's decision to allow the deduction of commission claimed by the assessee, emphasizing the ... Reference, Business Expenditure, Commission Issues:- Deduction of commission claimed by the assessee- Justification of allowing the deduction by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal- Evidence of services rendered for procuring business- Disallowance of commission paid to Asha Y. Kanakia- Acceptance of joint agency agreement- Legal infirmity in the Tribunal's decisionDeduction of Commission Claimed by the Assessee:The case involved a petition by the Commissioner of Income-tax seeking a direction to the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal regarding the deduction of commission claimed by the assessee. The assessee, a partnership firm, filed a return showing income and claimed a deduction for commission paid on certain sales. The Assessing Officer disallowed the deduction, leading to a series of appeals and ultimately the Tribunal accepting the assessee's claim.Justification of Allowing the Deduction by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal:The Tribunal allowed the deduction of commission paid by the assessee to Asha Y. Kanakia, despite the disallowance by the Assessing Officer. The Tribunal based its decision on the fact that all three members of the Kanakia family, including Asha Y. Kanakia, had confirmed the receipt of commission. Additionally, the joint agency agreement between the assessee-firm and the Kanakia family members supported the legitimacy of the payments.Evidence of Services Rendered for Procuring Business:The Tribunal found that the commission payments were made in connection with procuring orders for the assessee-firm. Statements from the manager of the assessee-firm and the managing partner of a buyer confirmed that the Kanakia family members, including Asha Y. Kanakia, were actively involved in securing orders for the supply of goods. The Tribunal also noted that the recipients declared the commission as income in their tax returns, further supporting the legitimacy of the payments.Disallowance of Commission Paid to Asha Y. Kanakia:Initially, the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) disallowed the commission paid to Asha Y. Kanakia, citing her lack of awareness of the transactions. However, the Tribunal overturned this decision after considering the joint agency agreement, the confirmation of receipt of commission, and the commercial expediency of the payments made to all three members of the Kanakia family.Acceptance of Joint Agency Agreement:The Tribunal highlighted the joint agency agreement reached between the assessee-firm and the Kanakia family members for the sale of power presses. This agreement, signed by all three family members, supported the legitimacy of the commission payments made to them for procuring orders on behalf of the assessee-firm.Legal Infirmity in the Tribunal's Decision:The High Court, upon reviewing the facts and findings of the Tribunal, concluded that the decision did not suffer from any legal infirmity. Consequently, the Court dismissed the petition, indicating that no question of law arose from the Tribunal's order.In conclusion, the judgment upheld the Tribunal's decision to allow the deduction of commission claimed by the assessee, emphasizing the importance of the joint agency agreement, evidence of services rendered, and the commercial expediency of the payments made to the Kanakia family members.