1997 (2) TMI 172 - AT - Income Tax

Tribunal Allows Appeal for Interest Loss on Chits as Legitimate Business Expense

The Tribunal allowed the appeal, overturning lower authorities' decisions and instructing the Assessing Officer to allow the assessee's claim for interest ... Assessment Year, Chit Fund Issues Involved:1. Admission of additional ground on short-term capital loss.2. Justification of CIT(A)'s confirmation of disallowance of interest loss on chits.3. Applicability of the decision in Soda Silicate & Chemical Works v. CIT.4. Relevance of CBDT Circulars and Instructions.5. Principle of mutuality in chit fund business.Issue-wise Detailed Analysis:1. Admission of Additional Ground on Short-term Capital Loss:The assessee filed an application to admit an additional ground for allowing a loss of Rs. 2,57,407 as short-term capital loss. The learned D.R. did not oppose this ground seriously, leading to its admission by the Tribunal.2. Justification of CIT(A)'s Confirmation of Disallowance of Interest Loss on Chits:The main issue in this appeal was whether the CIT(A) was justified in confirming the disallowance of interest loss on chits amounting to Rs. 2,57,407. The assessee, engaged in the chit fund business, had debited a sum of Rs. 2,63,032 on account of interest loss on chits in the profit and loss account. The Assessing Officer disallowed this claim, reasoning that the loss was sustained from self-business and was not incidental to business, referencing the decision in Soda Silicate & Chemical Works v. CIT. The CIT(A) upheld this disallowance, stating that the loss was not incidental to the business of running chit funds and that the assessee's participation in chits of other companies was not a business necessity.3. Applicability of the Decision in Soda Silicate & Chemical Works v. CIT:The assessee argued that the facts of their case were distinguishable from those in Soda Silicate & Chemical Works. The assessee was a chit fund company engaged in organizing and participating in chit groups, unlike the assessee in Soda Silicate & Chemical Works, which was not in the business of contributing to chit funds. The assessee contended that the loss incurred was through competitive bidding and was a normal business expenditure. The Tribunal noted that the chit business was run as a business proposition by the assessee, and the loss incurred was incidental to the business.4. Relevance of CBDT Circulars and Instructions:The assessee cited CBDT Circular dated 25-3-1993 and Instruction No. 1175 dated 16-5-1978, which allowed losses incurred due to participation in a chit group as business expenditure if the amount received was utilized for business purposes. The Tribunal acknowledged that these instructions were binding and clarified that the loss incurred by the assessee was allowable as business expenditure, as the conditions in the CBDT Instruction were fulfilled.5. Principle of Mutuality in Chit Fund Business:The Tribunal referred to the decision in Muthoot M. George Chits (India) Ltd., where it was held that the principle of mutuality did not apply to private limited companies engaged in chit fund business. The Tribunal found that the assessee, a private limited company, was engaged in the business of chits, both by organizing its own chit groups and participating in others. The loss incurred was through competitive bidding and was a business loss. The Tribunal concluded that there was no mutuality between the subscribers and the assessee, and the loss incurred was allowable as business expenditure.Conclusion:The Tribunal allowed the appeal, quashing the orders of the authorities below and directing the Assessing Officer to allow the claim of the assessee regarding the interest loss on chits. The Tribunal found the assessee's case distinguishable from Soda Silicate & Chemical Works and upheld the applicability of CBDT Circulars and Instructions, confirming that the loss incurred was a business loss.