2022 (12) TMI 927

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

...."], for the assessment year 2015-16. 2. In its appeal, the assessee has raised the following grounds:- "That the impugned order passed by the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) (CIT(A)"), is bad in law and is liable to be set aside. 2. That the Assessing Officer ("AO") and CIT(A) erred in law and on facts in disallowing the payments made by the Appellant towards marketing expenses to EIH Ltd and The Lalit Golf & Spa Resort Goa. 3. That the CIT(A) erred in upholding the AO's conclusion that the Appellant failed to prove the genuineness of the aforesaid expenses. 4. That the AO/CIT(A) ought to have appreciated the evidence adduced by the Appellant demonstrating the genuineness of the transactions with EIH Ltd and The Lalit Golf....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

....ssessee was asked to submit the names and addresses of the parties to whom the aforesaid amount was paid. To verify the genuineness of the aforesaid payment, information was called under section 133(6) of the Act. Initially, in respect of 5 parties, the notice issued under section 133(6) of the Act was returned unserved. However, subsequently, 3 out of 5 aforesaid parties filed their response to the notices issued under section 133(6) of the Act. Ultimately, only two parties, namely, M/s EIH Ltd and The Lalit Golf and Spa Resort failed to respond to the notices issued under section 133(6) of the Act. In respect of the payment made to the aforesaid 2 parties, the assessee filed the extract of Company's bank account statements evidencing the ....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

....further submitted that both the entities are well-known Hotel chains in India and therefore it cannot be assumed that the assessee's transaction of payment of marketing expenditure to these entities is not genuine merely because these entities failed to respond to the notice issued under section 133(6) of the Act. 7. On the other hand, the learned Departmental Representative vehemently relied upon the orders passed by the lower authorities. 8. We have considered the rival submissions and perused the material available on record. During the year, the assessee incurred marketing expenditure of Rs. 2,17,52,924 which was debited to the profit and loss account. The said payment was made by the assessee to 17 entities in respect of various even....