1991 (2) TMI 67 - HC - Wealth-tax

Court deems intangible additions as assets for wealth-tax assessment, ruling against assessee in favor of Revenue.

The High Court held that intangible additions made in the income-tax assessment for the same year should be considered assets for wealth-tax assessment on ... Assets, Net Wealth, Wealth Tax, Wealth Tax Act Issues:Interpretation of whether intangible additions made in income-tax assessment can be considered tangible assets for wealth-tax assessment.Analysis:The case involved a dispute regarding the inclusion of certain intangible additions made by the Income-tax Officer in the income-tax assessment of an assessee for the year 1974-75, in the wealth-tax assessment of the same year. The Wealth-tax Officer added these intangible assets to the wealth of the assessee based on the income-tax assessment. The Appellate Assistant Commissioner deleted one item but included the rest in the net wealth of the assessee. Subsequently, the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal held that these additions were not tangible assets on the valuation date and should not be included in the wealth-tax assessment.The main argument raised by the Revenue was based on the decision in Anantharam Veerasinghaiah and Co. v. CIT [1980] 123 ITR 457, where the Supreme Court discussed 'intangible' assets and emphasized that such additions constitute undisclosed income and have a concrete existence, making them assets for wealth-tax assessment. The Revenue contended that if these intangible additions are part of the real income, they should be considered assets on the valuation date under the Wealth-tax Act. On the other hand, the assessee argued that these intangible additions were not tangible assets on the relevant valuation date.The High Court analyzed the precedents, including the decision in Annamma Paul Perincherry v. CWT [1973] 88 ITR 204, and the subsequent approval of the same by the Supreme Court in CWT v. J. K. Cotton Manufacturers Ltd. [1984] 146 ITR 552. These cases dealt with the presumption of intangible additions made in income-tax assessments being available as assets on later valuation dates. However, the High Court distinguished those cases from the present situation, where intangible additions were made in the income-tax assessment for the same year and treated as assets on the valuation date for wealth-tax assessment.Ultimately, the High Court held that the intangible additions made in the income-tax assessment for the same year should be considered assets for wealth-tax assessment on the relevant valuation date. The court relied on the principle that if these intangible assets are available to the assessee like other book profits, they constitute assets under the Wealth-tax Act. Therefore, the court answered the question referred in the negative, against the assessee and in favor of the Revenue, affirming the inclusion of intangible additions as assets for wealth-tax assessment.