2021 (11) TMI 587 - HC - Income Tax

Supreme Court: No royalty tax on software payments to non-residents

M/s. Financial Software and Systems Private Limited Versus Commissioner of Income Tax I, Chennai.

M/s. Financial Software and Systems Private Limited Versus Commissioner of Income Tax I, Chennai. - TMI Issues: Validity of reopening of assessment under Section 147 of the Income Tax Act and liability to deduct Tax at Source for computer software transactions.Analysis:1. Validity of Reopening of Assessment:The Tax Case Appeal challenged the validity of the reopening of the assessment for the Assessment Year 2003-04 under Section 147 of the Income Tax Act. The substantial question of law revolved around whether the Appellate Tribunal was correct in holding the reopening as valid. The Hon'ble Supreme Court's decision in a related case was pivotal in determining the outcome of this issue.2. Liability to Deduct Tax at Source for Computer Software Transactions:The legal issue at hand was whether the assessee was liable to deduct Tax at Source concerning the Computer Software transactions involving procurement from a Non-Resident and subsequent sale in the Indian Market. The Hon'ble Supreme Court's decision in the case of Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellence Private Limited provided crucial guidance in this matter.3. Decision and Rationale:After detailed consideration, the Hon'ble Supreme Court concluded that the amounts paid by resident Indian end-users/distributors to non-resident computer software manufacturers/suppliers did not constitute royalty for the use of copyright in the software. Therefore, such payments did not give rise to any taxable income in India, absolving the persons from the obligation to deduct TDS under Section 195 of the Income Tax Act. This ruling applied across all categories of cases outlined by the Court.4. Impact on Reopening Proceedings:In light of the Supreme Court's decision, the challenge to the reopening proceedings became academic. Despite the Tribunal upholding the validity of the reopening, the Court ruled in favor of the assessee based on the Supreme Court's decision. Consequently, the Tax Case Appeal was allowed, and the reopening was deemed unsustainable in law, aligning with the judgment in the Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellence Private Limited case.5. Conclusion:The judgment favored the assessee, emphasizing the non-applicability of TDS obligations in the context of computer software transactions as per the Supreme Court's interpretation. The Court's decision provided clarity on the legal obligations surrounding such transactions, settling the matter in favor of the assessee and rendering the reopening of assessment invalid.