Tribunal allows appeal, disallows disallowance of contributions to PF and ESI despite post-due date filing.

The Tribunal allowed the assessee's appeal, deleting the disallowance of Rs. 11,44,759. Contributions to PF and ESI made before the due date of filing the return of income under Section 139(1) were held not to be disallowed, despite being made after the due dates prescribed under the respective statutes. The Tribunal relied on precedents and concluded that the disallowance by the Assessing Officer and upheld by the CIT(A) was not justified.

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Issues Involved:
1. Disallowance of employees' contribution to PF and ESI under Section 36(1)(va) read with Section 2(24)(x) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Issue-wise Detailed Analysis:

1. Disallowance of employees' contribution to PF and ESI under Section 36(1)(va) read with Section 2(24)(x) of the Income Tax Act, 1961:

The assessee challenged the disallowance of Rs. 11,44,759/- made by the Assessing Officer (A.O.) due to late payments towards Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees' State Insurance (ESI) under Section 36(1)(va) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The payments were made before filing the return of income under Section 139(1) of the Act, but after the due dates prescribed under the respective statutes. The Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) [CIT(A)] sustained the disallowance.

The assessee contended that the issue was covered by the common order dated 27/09/2021 passed by the ITAT, Jodhpur Bench, in similar cases, where it was held that such contributions, if paid before the due date of filing the return of income under Section 139(1), could not be disallowed.

The Tribunal considered the submissions and perused the material on record. It was noted that identical issues had been adjudicated by various Benches of the ITAT, including the ITAT Kolkata Bench in the case of Harendra Nath Biswas vs. DCIT (ITA No. 186/Kol/2021), where it was held that the amendment brought by the Finance Act, 2021, effective from 01.04.2021, was not retrospective. Therefore, the law laid down by the jurisdictional High Court would apply, and contributions made before the filing of the return of income under Section 139(1) were allowable.

Similarly, the ITAT Hyderabad Bench in the case of Salzgitter Hydraulics Private Ltd vs. ITO (ITA No. 644/Hyd./2020) held that disallowances under Sections 36(1)(va) and 43B were not sustainable if contributions were made before the due date of filing the return of income under Section 139(1), despite being after the due dates prescribed under the respective statutes.

The Tribunal also referred to the decision of the Hon'ble Rajasthan High Court in CIT vs. State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, where it was held that contributions to PF and ESI paid before the due date of filing the return of income under Section 139(1) could not be disallowed under Section 43B or Section 36(1)(va).

Following these precedents, the Tribunal concluded that the disallowance made by the A.O. and sustained by the CIT(A) was not justified. The contributions were made before the due date of filing the return of income under Section 139(1), and thus, the disallowance was deleted.

Conclusion:

The appeal of the assessee was allowed, and the disallowance of Rs. 11,44,759/- was deleted. The Tribunal emphasized that contributions to PF and ESI made before the due date of filing the return of income under Section 139(1) could not be disallowed, even if made after the due dates prescribed under the respective statutes.

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