Tax Tribunal: Unsold flats as stock in trade not taxable as house property income

The Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeals, holding that income from unsold flats held as stock in trade should not be taxed under the head of income from house property. The decision was based on the distinction between properties owned for business purposes and those held as stock in trade, favoring a construction benefiting the taxpayer in cases of ambiguity in taxing provisions. The Tribunal referenced precedents and statutory provisions to support its conclusion, setting aside the CIT(A)'s order and ruling in favor of the assessee for both assessment years.

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Issues:
Appeal against the order of CIT(A) confirming the computation of deemed rental income under section 22 of the Income Tax Act for unsold flats held as stock in trade in completed projects.

Analysis:
The appeals filed by the assessee challenge the CIT(A)'s decision confirming the AO's computation of deemed rental income under section 22 of the Act for unsold flats held as stock in trade. The AO estimated the annual letting value (ALV) of unsold flats based on the area and rate per square foot, resulting in taxable income under the head of income from house property. The assessee contended that properties held as stock in trade lose their character as properties owned by the assessee, citing conflicting views of High Courts. Notably, the Gujarat High Court held that income from properties held as stock in trade is business income, not house property income, while the Delhi High Court took the opposite view. The Tribunal referred to various precedents and emphasized that properties held as stock in trade should not be assessed under the head of income from house property.

The Tribunal analyzed the statutory provisions and previous judgments to conclude that properties held as stock in trade by a developer should not be assessed as income from house property. It highlighted the distinction between properties owned for business purposes and those held as stock in trade. Relying on the principle that a construction favoring the taxpayer should be adopted in case of ambiguity in taxing provisions, the Tribunal favored the view that income from unsold flats held as stock in trade should not be taxed under the head of income from house property. The Tribunal referenced multiple cases and decisions supporting this interpretation, ultimately setting aside the CIT(A)'s order and allowing the assessee's appeal in both assessment years.

In light of the above analysis and legal reasoning, the Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeals for both assessment years, emphasizing that the notional lettable value of unsold flats held as stock in trade should not be brought to tax under the head of income from house property. The decision was based on a thorough examination of statutory provisions, judicial precedents, and the specific circumstances of the case.

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