1965 (12) TMI 148 - HC - Income Tax

Court upholds disallowance of excessive director remuneration under Income-tax Act

Nund And Samonta Company Private Ltd. Versus Commissioner of Income-Tax, Bihar And Orissa.

The court upheld the disallowance of Rs. 11,436 from the remuneration paid to the managing director and deputy managing director of a private limited ... - Issues Involved:1. Application of Section 10(4A) of the Income-tax Act, 1922.2. Disallowance of Rs. 11,436 out of the remuneration paid to the managing director and deputy managing director.3. Legitimacy of the remuneration paid to the directors in relation to the company's needs and benefits.4. Interpretation of 'allowance' under Section 10(4A).5. Substantial interest of directors in the company.Detailed Analysis:1. Application of Section 10(4A) of the Income-tax Act, 1922The primary issue was whether Section 10(4A) of the Income-tax Act, 1922, applied to the assessee's case, leading to the disallowance of Rs. 11,436 out of the remuneration paid to the managing director and deputy managing director. The Tribunal had applied this section, and the court examined whether this application was correct.2. Disallowance of Rs. 11,436 Out of the Remuneration PaidThe assessee, a private limited company engaged in mica mining, claimed a deduction of Rs. 66,106 as remuneration paid to its managing director and deputy managing director. The Income-tax Officer allowed Rs. 54,670 based on the average remuneration paid over the preceding three years, disallowing Rs. 11,436 under Section 10(4A). This disallowance was upheld by the Appellate Assistant Commissioner and the Tribunal.3. Legitimacy of the Remuneration Paid to the DirectorsThe Tribunal and the income-tax authorities considered the remuneration paid to the directors as excessive and unreasonable, given the legitimate needs of the company and the benefits derived from the directors' services. The court referenced a previous case (Miscellaneous Judicial Case No. 1005 of 1961) where similar issues were addressed, emphasizing that the power under Section 10(4A) must be exercised with reference to the company's legitimate needs and benefits.The Income-tax Officer's grounds for disallowance included:- Lack of known qualifications of the directors meriting high remuneration.- Non-binding nature of previous allowances on the department.- Comparison with Section 309 of the Indian Companies Act, 1956, which, although not applicable to private companies, provided guidance on reasonable remuneration percentages.4. Interpretation of 'Allowance' Under Section 10(4A)The court analyzed whether the term 'allowance' in Section 10(4A) included remuneration paid to directors. The Tribunal rejected the assessee's argument that 'allowance' did not cover directors' remuneration. The court noted that Section 10(4A) restricts allowances in respect of remuneration to directors if deemed excessive or unreasonable by the Income-tax Officer, aligning with the legitimate business needs and benefits to the company.5. Substantial Interest of Directors in the CompanyThe assessee argued that Section 10(4A) did not apply as neither director had a substantial interest in the company as defined in Section 2(6C)(iii). The court clarified that the term 'substantial interest' governed 'person' and not 'director,' meaning the provision applied to directors irrespective of their substantial interest. The Tribunal's interpretation that remuneration to directors could be scrutinized under Section 10(4A) was upheld.ConclusionThe court concluded that the Tribunal was correct in applying Section 10(4A) to the assessee's case. The disallowance of Rs. 11,436 was justified based on the grounds provided by the Income-tax Officer, which were not arbitrary or capricious. Both parts of the question referred to the court were answered in favor of the department and against the assessee, with no order as to costs.