TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
2022 (11) TMI 1420
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....xpenditure has been incurred by the appellant for earning exempt income." 4. In ground no. 4, the assessee has raised a connected grievance which we will take up with the above ground of appeal. The said ground is as follows: "That on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Ld. CIT(Appeals) was not justified and grossly erred in confirming the addition of expenditure incurred in relation to earning exempt income in computing Book Profit u/s 115JB without appreciating the fact that no such expenditure had been debited to the Profit & Loss A/c in the relevant assessment year." 5. So far as these grievances of the assessee are concerned, it is sufficient to take note of the fact that so far as this assessment year is concerned, it is the first assessment year post insertion of rule 8D and as is the settled legal position in this regard, rule 8 D is to be applied for computing the disallowance. To that extent, our decisions for the preceding assessment years will not hold good. However, since the assessee has not used any borrowed funds, no amount shall be disallowed under rule 8 D in respect of the interest. On this issue, Hon'ble jurisdictional High Court h....
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....nd ground no. 4 is thus allowed. 8. In ground no. 2, the assessee has raised the following grievance: "That on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Ld. CIT (Appeals) was not justified and grossly erred in not allowing exclusion of Education Cess on Income Tax, Dividend Distribution Tax and Fringe Benefit Tax aggregating to Rs. 27,66,52,424/- in computing total income under the normal provisions of the Act." 9. Learned counsel, however, submits that the assessee does not wish to press this grievance, and this ground of appeal, therefore, may be dismissed as not pressed. The prayer is accepted. The ground of appeal is dismissed as not pressed. 10. Ground no 2 is thus dismissed in the terms indicated above. 11. In ground no. 3, the assessee has raised the following grievance: "That on the facts and circumstances of the case, the Ld. CIT(Appeals) was not justified and grossly erred in not allowing deduction of leave encashment claimed on provision basis amounting to Rs. 25,00,85,597/ -." 12. Learned counsel for the assessee fairly submits that the issue now stands covered against the assessee, and deduction on a provision basis is indeed ....
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....machal Pradesh Government Schemes are concerned, learned CIT(A) noted that the scheme does not specifically mention such objects and simply provide for the eligibility. In the absence of a specific mention of the purpose, the CIT(A) held that these subsidies are required to be treated as revenue receipts in nature. None of the parties is satisfied and both the parties are in appeal before us- the assessee is aggrieved of the receipts on account of HP and Rajasthan State Government sales tax subsidy schemes being treated as revenue in nature, and the Assessing Officer is aggrieved of the relief being granted by the CIT(A) in respect of other sales tax exemption and remissions being treated as capital receipts in nature. 6. Learned representatives fairly agree that materially identical issues have come up for our consideration in the assessment year 2005-06, and whatever we decide for the assessment year 2005- 06 will follow mutatis mutandis in this assessment year as well. 7. Vide our order dated 31st October 2022, accepting the plea of the assessee and rejecting the plea of the revenue, we have held as follows: 5. The relevant material facts, so far as ne....
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....al receipts in nature, and exempt from tax as such, the amounts aggregating to Rs 39,36,21,956 are revenue in nature, and to that extent the Assessing Officer was justified in including the same in taxable income. None of the parties is satisfied. While the assessee is aggrieved of the amount of Rs 39,36,21,956 being included in his taxable income, the Assessing Officer is aggrieved of the learned CIT(A)‟s granting relief of Rs 130,57,12,796. Both parties are in appeal before us. 6. We have heard the rival contentions, perused the material on record, and duly considered the facts of the case in the light of the applicable legal position. 7. We find that the learned CT(A) has, in his elaborate analysis, primarily followed the Special Bench decision in the case of DCIT Vs Reliance Industries Ltd [(2004) 88 ITD SB 273 (Mum)]. Upon analysis of this decision, he has noted that „for deciding the nature of subsidy, whether capital or revenue, what should be seen and examined is the purpose for which the subsidy has been given, and not the timing of the subsidy or the manner in which it has been given to the industry‟, as is also held by Hon‟ble Su....
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.... decision of the Calcutta and Punjab High Court, the Tribunal has committed an error in reversing the view taken by CIT (Appeals) so far as Tax Appeal No.226 of 2010 is concerned, wherein the CIT (A), after discussing the evidence has held in favour of the department. In this regard, he has relied upon the decision of High Court of Bombay in the case of CIT v. Reliance Industries Ltd. [2010] 8 taxmann.com 218/[2011] 339 ITR 632, wherein it is held that object of subsidy being to set up new units in backward area is a capital receipt and another decision of High Court of Calcutta in the case of CIT v. Chhindwara Fuels [2001] 114 Taxman 707/[2000] 245 ITR 9, wherein it is held that subsidy in the form of refund of sales-tax received after commencement of production cannot be treated as capital receipt. 8. On the other hand, Mr. Soparkar, learned counsel appearing for the respondent contended that so far as Tax Appeal No.226 of 2010 is concerned, after discussing the evidence on record, the Tribunal has followed earlier decision and discussed the issue in detail in para 54 and 55 of its decision, which reads as under:- "54. Per contra, the learned D.R. Supported the ....
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.... sought to be relied upon by learned advocate for the appellant are not applicable in the facts of the present case. In the case of Birla VXL Ltd. (supra), this Court has observed as under:- '12. It can thus be straightaway seen that the benefit, though computed in terms of the Sales Tax liability in the hands of the recipient, the same was not mean to give any benefit on day-to-day functioning of the business, or for making the industry more profitable. The principle aim of the scheme was to cover the capital outlay already made by the assessee in undertaking special modernization of its existing industry. 13. In a recent decision dated 28th January 2013 in Tax Appeal No. 450 of 2012 and connected appeals, we had an occasion to examine the nature of incentives received by the assessee from the State Government in the form of entertaining tax waiver for setting up multiplexes. In such context, we had in wake of the revenues contention that the receipt was revenue in nature, held and observed as under : "From the provisions of the said scheme, it clearly emerges that the subsidy though computed in terms of sales tax deferment or waiver, in essence it w....
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.... entitlement was related to percentage of fixed capital investment. 8. It is undoubtedly true that such subsidy was computed in terms of sales tax deferment and necessarily therefore, would accrue to an industry only once the commercial production commences. However, this by itself would not be either a sole or concluding factor. In case of Sahney Steel and Press Works Ltd. and others v. Commissioner of Income-tax reported in 228 ITR 253, the Apex Court held and observed that the character of the subsidy in the hands of the recipient whether revenue or capital will have to be determined, having regard to the purpose for which the subsidy is given. The source of find is quite immaterial. If the purpose is to help the assessee to set up its business or complete a project the monies must be treated as having been received for capital purposes. Such But if monies are given to the assessee for assisting him in carrying out the business operations and given after the satisfaction of the conditions of commencement of production, such subsidy must be treated as assistance for the purpose of the trade." 11. He also submitted that in view of above decisions, these appeals m....
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....rs and Chemicals Ltd., reported in 306 ITR 392, wherein the incentive conferred under that scheme were two fold. First, in the nature of higher free sale sugar quota and second, in allowing the manufacturer to collect Excise duty on sale price on the free sale sugar in excess of the normal quota, but to pay to the Government only the Excise duty payable on the price of levy sugar. The Hon‟ble Supreme Court in para 14 of its decision had held that "character of receipt of subsidy has to be determined with respect to the purpose for which the subsidy is given. The point of time at which the subsidy is paid is not relevant. The source is immaterial. The form of subsidy is immaterial." In fact, the Hon‟ble Supreme Court while rendering this decision had duly considered its earlier decision in the case of Sahney Steel and Press Works Ltd., reported in 228 ITR 253 and had absolutely no quarrel with that judgement. Rather, it concurred with the decision rendered in Sahney Steel and Press Works Ltd., case. In this regard, it would be relevant to reproduce the operative portion of the decision of Hon‟ble Supreme Court in the case of Ponni Sugars and Chemicals Ltd., as unde....
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....y docks was 'an aid to the construction of dry dock and not an operational subsidy'. 17. This precisely is the question raised in this case. By no stretch of imagination can the subsidies whether by way of refund of sales tax or relief of electricity charges or water charges can be treated as an aid to setting up of the industry of the assessee. As we have seen earlier, the payments were to be made only if and when the assessee commenced its production. The said payments were trade for a period of five years calculated from the date of commencement of production in the assessee's factory. The subsidies are operational subsidies and not capital subsidies. 5.3.6. Yet another decision was rendered by Hon‟ble Supreme Court in the case of CIT vs. Chapalkar Brothers reported in 400 ITR 279 which held that where the object of respective subsidy schemes of State Government was to encourage development of multiple theatre complexes, incentives would be held to be capital in nature and not revenue receipts. The relevant operative portion of the judgment is reproduced hereunder:- 18. After discussing the judgment in Sahney Steel & Press Works Ltd.&....
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....e was that since the average occupancy in cinema theatres has fallen considerably and hardly any new theatres have been started in the recent past, the concept of a Complete Family Entertainment Centre, more popularly known as Multiplex Theatre Complex, has emerged. These complexes offer various entertainment facilities for the entire family as a whole. It was noticed that these complexes are highly capital intensive and their gestation period is quite long and therefore, they need Government support in the form of incentives qua entertainment duty. It was also added that government with a view to commemorate the birth centenary of late Shri V. Shantaram decided to grant concession in entertainment duty to Multiplex Theatre Complexes to promote construction of new cinema houses in the State. The aforesaid object is clear and unequivocal. The object of the grant of the subsidy was in order that persons come forward to construct Multiplex Theatre Complexes, the idea being that exemption from entertainment duty for a period of three years and partial remission for a period of two years should go towards helping the industry to set up such highly capital intensive entertainment centers....
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....0 with 451-453 of 2012 dated 28/01/2013 also had an occasion to consider the very same issue in dispute before us. In this case also, the Revenue had taken a specific argument that since subsidy would be received only once unit goes for production, subsidy would be revenue nature. The Hon‟ble Gujarat High Court referred to the relevant subsidy scheme noted that concession was capped @125% of fixed capital investment and could be availed within 9 years. The Hon‟ble Gujarat High Court after considering the decision of Hon‟ble Supreme Court both in the case of Sahney Steel and Press Works Ltd., and Ponni Sugars and Chemicals referred to supra had held as under:- "7. From the provisions of the said scheme, it clearly emerges that the subsidy though computed in terms of sales tax deferment or waiver, in essence it was meant for capital outlay expended by the assessee for set up of the unit in case of a new industrial unit and for expansion and diversification of an existing unit. As noted, such subsidy was available only to a new industrial unit or a unit undertaking expansion or diversification. Fixed capital investment has been defined as to include various ....
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.... basis of the quantum of investment in capital and, therefore, receipt of such subsidy was on capital account and not on revenue account. It was also urged in that case that subsidy granted on the basis of refund of sales tax on raw materials, machinery and finished goods were also of capital nature as the object of granting refund of sales tax was that the assessee could set up new business or expand his existing business. The contention of the assessee in that case was dismissed by the Tribunal and, therefore, the assessee had come to this Court by way of a special leave petition. It was held by this Court on the facts of that case and on the basis of the analyses of the Scheme therein that the subsidy given was on revenue account because it was given by way of assistance in carrying on of trade or business. On the facts of that case, it was held that the subsidy given was to meet recurring expenses. It was not for acquiring the capital asset. It was not to meet part of the cost. It was not granted for the production of or bringing into existence any new asset. The subsidies in that case were granted year after year only after setting up of the new industry and only after commenc....
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....can be clearly seen that the entire purpose of granting tax exemption was for giving the boost to the terrorism sector. This was to be achieved by attracting higher investment in areas with tourism potential. In order to achieve such purpose, exemption from various taxes as may be applicable was granted. It is true that the exemption was to be computed in terms of tax otherwise payable by the industry. However, the purpose of such exemption was to meet with the capital outlay already undertaken by the assessee. This clearly comes out from various provisions of the scheme. For example, the scheme was applicable only to the new project or to a existing project provided investment in fixed capital or capacity was increased atleast by 50%.Thus, the very eligibility for seeking exemption was linked with new investment being made in fixed capital. Further though the scheme envisaged a certain period spanning for 5 to 10 years during which such exemption could be availed depending on the category of the unit, such exemption would cease the moment the total incentives touched 100% of the eligible capital investments. In other words, the upper limit of total incentive which the unit could r....
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....and in law the assessee company is justified in its claim that the sales-tax incentive allowed to it during the previous year in terms of the relevant Government order constitutes capital receipt and is not to be taken into account in the computation of total income?" The Hon‟ble Tribunal for Asst Years 1984-85 and 1985-86 had held the sales tax exemption to be capital in nature as the same was given for industrial development of the backward districts as well as generation of employment. However, the matter was referred to the Special Bench as it was alleged that the decision for AY 1985-86 was virtually overruled by subsequent decision of the Mumbai Tribunal in the case of Bajaj Auto Ltd (ITA No. 49 and 1101 of 1991). The Special Bench held that the decision of Bajaj Auto has not overruled the decision of Hon‟ble Mumbai Tribunal for AY 1985-86 on the following basis: i)There cannot be any question of overruling the decision of one Bench by another bench of equal strength as it would be contrary to the established norms of judicial system in the country. ii) Even on merits it cannot be said that the Tribunal has laid out more stress ....
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....rse the decision of the Special Bench and accepted the same. When that appeal was further challenged by the Revenue before the Hon‟ble Supreme Court, the Hon‟ble Supreme Court remitted the matter back to the Hon‟ble Bombay High Court. Accordingly, he argued that the decision of Special Bench was never reversed by the Hon‟ble Supreme Court as stated by the ld. Special Counsel for the Revenue and accordingly still is a good law and therefore a binding precedent on this Division Bench. In fact, in assessee‟s own case for A.Y.2001-02 in ITA No.778 of 2015 dated 18/12/2018 before the Hon‟ble Jurisdictional High Court, wherein the question Nos. c & d was exactly on this point. For the sake of convenience, the question Nos. c & d raised by the Revenue before the Hon‟ble Jurisdictional High Court is reproduced hereunder:- "(c) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Tribunal was justified in restoring the issue of taxability of the sale tax exemption benefit of Rs.58 crores availed by the assessee to the file of the Assessing Officer for deciding afresh after considering the decision of the Special Bench o....
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....rises and thereby confirmed the judgment of the Tribunal. It was pointed out that against this judgment of the High Court, the Department had approached the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court had held that a question of law did arise. The Supreme Court framed a question and placed the matter back before the High Court. We are informed that this appeal is still pending. 4. On the other hand, learned Counsel for the assessee firstly contended that the Tribunal had merely remanded the issue back to the Assessing Officer. In earlier orders, the Revenue had approached the Court against the similar orders of the Tribunal. The High Court on two occasions, in the order dated 27.09.2016 and 22.11.2016 passed in Income Tax Appeal Nos. 475 of 2014 and 102 of 2014 respectively had not entertained the challenge of the Revenue. In any case, it was contended that the facts on record are available and the Tribunal has merely asked the Assessing Officer to take a decision on the assessee's contention. 5. As long as the material exists on record, a contention raised by the assessee for the first time before the Tribunal, cannot be barred. So much is clear from series of judgme....
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....Bench still holds the field and is a good law. The entire contentions raised by the ld. Special Counsel for the Revenue in this regard are hereby dismissed. 5.4.5. Further, we find that the Co-ordinate Bench of Ahmedabad Tribunal in the case of ACIT vs. Genus Electrotech Ltd., reported in 72 taxmann.com 101 had an occasion to consider the fact of Special Bench decision in a more elaborate manner. The relevant operative portion is reproduced hereunder:- "11. We find that so far as the Special Bench decision of this Tribunal in the case of Reliance Industries Ltd. (supra) is concerned, it still holds the field. All that has happened, as a result of Hon'ble Supreme Court's decision dated 9th September 2011, is that Hon'ble Bombay High Court has now admitted the question "whether, on the facts and circumstances of the case, the Hon'ble Tribunal was right in holding that sales tax exemption was a capital receipt" and will, in due course though, adjudicate on this legal issue. To that extent, Hon'ble Bombay High Court's order dated 15th April 2009, to the extent of declining to admit this question, stands reversed. However, the decision of the Sp....
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....bservations on this issue, as we are alive to the fact that Hon'ble jurisdictional High Court, in Tax Appeal No 358 of 2012, has admitted appeal against the decision of this Tribunal in Ajanta's Manufacturing Ltd. case (supra) and all these issues will now come up for consideration of Their Lordships. The fact that appeal is admitted does not, as we have stated earlier as well, does not affect the binding nature of the judicial precedents. There is no dispute before us that the scheme under which the sales tax and excise duty subsidy are given to this assessee are the same as in the case of Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd. (supra). All the material facts being the same, there is no reason to take any other view of the matter than the view so taken by the coordinate bench. We must, therefore, uphold the conclusions arrived at by the Commissioner (Appeals), which are in consonance with the Special Bench decision in the case of Reliance Industries Ltd. (supra) and coordinate bench decision in the case of Ajanta Manufacturing Ltd. (supra), and decline to interfere in the matter." (emphasis supplied by us) 5.4.6. In view of the above, no fault could be attributed on t....
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....a Ltd [(2014) 369 ITR 717 (Bom)] but yet the appeal has been filed because the revenue has challenged the correctness of the said judgment. That very approach is simply erroneous because it is only elementary in law that the mere pendency of the appeal, against a binding judicial precedent, in a higher judicial forum does not dilute, curtail or otherwise narrow down its binding nature. As long as the binding judicial precedent holds good in law, as it does unless it is upturned or reversed by a higher judicial forum, it binds the lower judicial forums. That apart, even otherwise, the view taken by the Hon'ble Bombay High Court in Sulzer's case (supra) now stands approved and confirmed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of CIT Vs Balakrishna Industries Limited [(2017) 88 taxmann.com 273 (SC)] wherein Their Lordships have, inter-alia, observed as follows: ........The main judgment is dated 05.12.2014 which was rendered in a batch of appeals with the leading case known as 'The CIT v. Sulzer India Ltd. [2015] 54 taxmann.com 161/229 Taxman 264/[2014] 369 ITR 717 (Bom.). It is this judgment which has been followed in other cases. Therefore, for the sake of convenience,....
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.... the assessment. This was challenged by the assessee before the Tribunal. In view of the difference of opinion of the two coordinate Benches on this issue, a special Bench was constituted. The special Bench decided the case in favour of the assessee and allowed the appeal. As mentioned above, it is this judgment, which has been upheld by the High Court as well and in these circumstances, the Revenue is in appeal before us. 7. A glimpse of the facts taken note of, shows that the assessee herein had collected the sales tax in the sum of Rs. 7,52,01,378/-. As per the Scheme floated by the Government of Maharashtra, for those assessees who set up their industries in the backward area, the sales tax liability was deferred for a period of 7 years and, thereafter, it can be paid over a period of 7 years under the Deferral Scheme of 1983 and over a period of 6 years under the Deferral Scheme of 1988. However, under the Scheme of 1988, the Government of Maharashtra promoted premature or payment of deferral sales tax at Net Present Value (NPV). 8. In the meantime, section 38 of the Sales Tax Act was amended which provides that where the NPV of deferred tax as may be prescri....
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....f the opinion that the exercise undertaken by the Government of Maharashtra in terms of the amendment made to the Bombay Sales Tax Act and noted above, may relieve the Assessee of his obligation, but that is not by way of obtaining remission. The worth of the amount which has to be remitted after 7 to 12 years has been determined prematurely. That has been done by find out its NPV. If that is the value of the money that the State Government would be entitled to receive after the end of 7 to 12 years, then, we do not see how ingredients of sub section (1) of section 41 can be said to be fulfilled. The obligation to remit to the Government the Sales Tax amount already recovered and collected from the customers is in no way wiped out or diluted. The obligation remains. All that has happened is an option is given to the Assessee to approach the SICOM and request it to consider the application of the Assessee of premature payment and discharge of the liability by finding out its NPV. If that was a permissible exercise and in terms of the settled law, then, we do not see how the Assessee can be said to have been benefited and as claimed by the Revenue. The argument of Mr. Gupta is not th....
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....(1) of the Act could not be fulfilled in this case. 24. In view of these discusssions, as also bearing in mind the entirety of the case, we approve the conclusions arrived at by the learned CIT(A), and decline to interfere in the matter. 25. Ground no. 2 is thus dismissed. 26. In ground no.3, the Assessing Officer has raised the following grievance: "On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Id. CIT(A) erred in exclusion of excise duty incentive availed by the assessee, aggregating to Rs. 85,36,33,618/- in computing its total income by treating it as capital." 27. Learned representatives fairly agree that whatever we decide in the assessee's crossappeals for the assessment year 2006-07, which was heard along with these appeals, will mutatis mutandis in this assessment year as well. Vide our order dated 31st October 2022, and dealing with the same issue on the admittedly same set of facts, we have decided this issue in favour of the assessee, and observed, inter alia, as follows: 17. So far as this grievance of the assessee is concerned, the relevant material facts are like this. During the course of assessment proceedings, the A....
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....nce the Assessing Officer himself also accepts that the object and purpose of the excise exemption scheme are to promote the industry is set up, or being subjected to substantial expansion, in the backward areas, it cannot be open to the revenue even to suggest that the object and purpose of the scheme are to promote industries in backward areas. The Assessing Officer had declined the relief on a technical ground about at what stage the receipts materialize, whether post-production or preproduction. That test, as is the settled legal position now, is no longer a relevant test. What is material is as to what is the purpose of the scheme in question, and a call about the object and purpose of the scheme is to be taken in a holistic manner and on the basis of the scheme on an overall basis. The approach adopted by the learned CIT(A) was not only legally incorrect but wholly superficial. The following observations by Hon'ble jurisdictional High Court, in the case of PCIT Vs Welspun Steel Limited [(2019) 103 taxmann.com 436 (Bom)] are relevant in this regard: 6. Having heard the learned Counsel for the parties on this question, we notice that, the Government of Gujarat Sales Ta....
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....ance, the purpose tests for grant of subsidy should be applied. It was concluded as under:- "Applying the aforesaid test contained in both Sahney Steel as well as Ponni Sugars, we are of the view that the object, as stated in the statement of objects and reasons, of the amendment ordinance was that since the average occupancy in cinema theatres has fallen considerably and hardly any new theatres have been started in the recent past, the concept of a complete family entertainment centre, more popularly known as multiplex theatre complex, has emerged. Those complexes offer various entertainment facilitate for the entire family as a whole. It was noticed that these complexes are highly capital intensive and their gestation period is quite long and therefore, they need Government support in the form of incentives qua entertainment duty. It was also added that Government with a view to commemorate the birth centenary of late Shri V. Shantaram decided to grant concession in entertainment duty to multiplex theatre complexes to promote construction of new cinema houses in the State. The aforesaid object is clear and unequivocal. The object of the grant of the subsidy was in order ....
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....3 ITR 591/52 Taxman 18. The Court noted that, the subsidy was granted by the Government for development of industries in back-ward areas. It was not part of the actual cost of plant or machinery. The Court, therefore, held that it could not have been deducted towards costs of acquisition. The Court held as under:- "We have carefully considered the provisions relating to the grant of cash subsidy under the schemes framed by the Central Government and the State Government. The Central Government as well as the State Government noticed that areas specified as backward areas and tribal areas were undeveloped or under-developed. Entrepreneurs were not willing to set up industries in such undeveloped or under-developed areas. The industries were concentrating only in urban areas. In other words, rapid urbanization was taking place. So far as the State of Gujarat is concerned, there was rapid industrial growth in cities like Baroda, Ahmedabad and Surat resulting in strain on municipal services. Urbanization created several problems such as pollution, growth of slums etc . It was also necessary to have balanced growth of industry in different regions. However, as pointed out above....
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....ry purchased by an industrial unit etc. were to be taken into account while computing the value of fixed assets for the purposes of subsidy. In other words, it was the value of the fixed assets which formed the basis for computation of subsidy to be granted under the scheme. Subsidy, in our opinion, did not meet the cost of the fixed assets directly or indirectly. Under the scheme of the Central Government or the scheme of the State Government, cash subsidy was quantified by determining the same at a specified percentage of the value/ cost of the fixed assets. Therefore, as observed above, the basis adopted for determining the cash subsidy with reference to the cost or value of fixed assets was only a measure for quantifying the subsidy and it could not be said that the subsidy was given for the specific purpose of meeting any portion of the cost of the fixed assets. The subsidy was granted to compensate the entrepreneur for the hardship and inconvenience which he might encounter while setting up industries in backward areas."' 11. Similar issue came up for consideration again before the Gujarat High Court in CIT v. Swastik Sanitary Works Ltd. [2006] 286 ITR 544. It was a ....
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....ng grievance: "On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Id. CITIA) erred in allowing of Community Welfare Expenses to the tune of Rs. 2,24,00,224/-". 31. This is a legacy issue and pertains to the expenditure incurred for community welfare as the factories of the assessee are concerned in backward areas and the expenditure is incurred for the smooth functioning of the business. Right from the assessment years 1988-89 to 1994-95, the coordinate benches have allowed appeal of the assessee on this point, and from the assessment years 1995-96 to 2004-05, in which the first appellate authority has deleted similar disallowance, the coordinate benches have rejected the grievances of the Assessing Officer, against the reliefs so granted by the CIT(A). Learned Departmental Representative does not dispute this position but relies upon the stand of the Assessing Officer nevertheless. 32. We see no reasons to take any other view of the matter than the view so taken by the coordinate benches all along. The same is the stand of the coordinate benches for the three immediately preceding assessment years as well. Respectfully following the decisions of the c....
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....the relief granted by the learned CIT(A) and decline to interfere in the matter. 41. Ground no. 6 is thus dismissed. 42. In ground no.7, the Assessing Officer has raised the following grievance: "On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Id. CIT(A) erred in allowing Mines Prospecting Expenses amounting to Rs. 85,18,084." 43. To adjudicate on this grievance, it is sufficient to take note of the fact that the expenditure in question is incurred on identifying the nature of deposits of limestone at various sites to plan mining operations, that the AO has made the addition even as he took note of the Tribunal decisions on the said issue, in favour of the assessee in its own cases, but added that the views of the Tribunal has not attained finality, and that the CIT(A) gave relief on the ground that as the Assessing Officer has not challenged the relief granted by the Tribunal, the matter has attained finality. No material has been brought before us to dislodge the findings of the learned CIT(A). In any event, even going by the observations of the Assessing Officer, the matter is squarely covered, in favour of the assessee, by decisions of the co....
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....77,470 and Rs.2,41,30,615. The WDV of these machineries as on 1-4-2006 was Rs.24,51,920/- and Rs.1,81,50,266/- respectively. The Assessee availed of additional depreciation @ 20% on the original cost of the machinery at Rs.5,95,494/- and Rs.48,26,123/- respectively in AY 2006-07. In AY 2007-08 also the Assessee claimed additional depreciation at 20% of the original cost viz., Rs.5,95,494 and Rs.48,26,123 respectively in all depreciation totaling Rs.54,21,617/-. 26. According to the AO, the deduction u/s.32(1)(iia) of the Act is granted only to "new" plant and machinery and once depreciation is granted in the 1st year in which the machinery is installed or put to use, the machinery ceases to be a new machinery and therefore additional depreciation cannot be allowed. The plea of the Assessee however was that Section 32(1)(iia) of the Act merely provides that further to the normal depreciation at the prescribed rates, an additional depreciation shall be allowed to the assessee at the rate of 20% on new plant and machinery acquired and installed after 31-03-2005. However, the period the period during which such additional depreciation shall be allowed is not specified in the A....
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.... (no.2) Act, 1980 w.e.f. 1-4-1981 reads thus (the sub-section existed upto 31-3-1988 and was deleted thereafter): "(iia) in the case of any new machinery or plant (other than ships and aircraft) which has been installed after the 31st day of March, 1980 but before the 1st day of April, 1985, a further sum equal to one-half of the amount admissible under clause (ii) (exclusive of extra allowance for double or multiple shift working of the machinery or plant and the extra allowance in respect of machinery or plant installed in any premises used as a hotel) in respect of the previous year in which such machinery or plant is installed or, if the machinery or plant is first put to use in the immediately succeeding previous year, then in respect of that previous year :" Sec.32(1)(iia) of the Act as reinserted by finance (No.2) Act, 2002 w.e.f. 1-4-2003, reads thus: '(iia) in the case of any new machinery or plant (other than ships and aircraft), which has been acquired and installed after the 31st day of March, 2002, by an assessee engaged in the business of manufacture or production of any article or thing, a further sum equal to fifteen per cent of the ac....
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....ar in which such additional depreciation should be allowed and also there is no restriction with regard to the additional depreciation being allowed only on the written down value and therefore the additional depreciation even in the second and subsequent years have to be allowed on the original cost of the Asset. These are evident from a plain reading and literal construction of the relevant statutory provisions. 30. The CIT(A) after considering the aforesaid scheme and history of the provisions of Sec.32(1)(iia) of the Act, deleted the addition made by AO observing as follows :- "I have considered the submissions of the Ld. A/R and find substance in the contention of the Appellant. On a conjoint reading of the provisions of section 32(1)(iia) inserted by Finance (No. 2) Act, 1980 and reinserted by Finance Act, 2002 it is evident that the said sections specifically restricted the allowability of additional depreciation in the year of installation of P&M. However, in the section 32(1)(iia) amended vide Finance Act, 2005 Legislature had omitted the proviso wherein it was provided that such depreciation could be claimed only in the initial assessment year. This bein....
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....-04-81 and was applicable till AY 1987-88. The clause was subsequently re-introduced vide Finance Act, 2002 w.e.f. 01-04-03. On perusal of clause (iia) to Sec. 32(1) as existed during the aforesaid period, it could be seen that the legislature conferred the benefit of additional depreciation only in the first AY when the asset was installed and first put to use. However vide Finance Act, 2005, clause (iia) to Sec. 32(1) was amended w.e.f. 01-04-06 wherein the condition of claiming additional depreciation only in the initial AY was deleted. It was submitted that since the specific condition for claim of additional depreciation in one year has been done away with, it should be construed as the intention of the legislature to allow additional depreciation in subsequent years as well. Reliance was placed on the following decisions wherein it has been held that a fiscal statute shall have to be interpreted on the basis of the language used therein and not de hors the same. Even if there is a casus omissus, the defect can be remedied only by legislation and not by judicial interpretation :- - Orissa State Warehousing Corpn. v. CIT [1999] 103 Taxman 623/237 ITR 589 (SC) ....
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....ion that at the time of acquisition or installation the machinery or plant should be new. Going by the legislative history of the relevant provision, we are of the view that the condition for allowing additional depreciation only in the initial assessment year ceased to exist as and from 01-04-2006. The plain language of the section warrants such an interpretation. We therefore uphold the order of CIT(A) and dismiss ground No.3 raised by the revenue. 47. On both the aspects thus, the matter is covered, in favour of the assessee, by binding judicial precedents. Respectfully following the same, we approve the conclusions arrived at by the learned CIT(A) and decline to interfere in the matter. 48. Ground no. 8 is thus dismissed. 49. In ground no.9, the Assessing Officer has raised the following grievance: "On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the ld. CIT(A) erred in allowing the addition made by AO at Rs.9,07,21,098/- in respect of unutilized CENVAT credit on last day of accounting year to the closing stock by invoking provisions of section 145A." 50. Learned representatives fairly agree that this issue is covered, in favour of the assesse....
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....does not arise in this case as the jurisdictional facts have not been pleaded by the Revenue. In fact Tribunal while affirming the order of the first appellate authority noted that the first appellate authority had deleted the addition made by the assessing officer under section 14-A of the Act by observing that the interest-free fund available with the respondent - assessee was far in excess of the advance given. Tribunal further noted that the Revenue does not dispute the said finding and relying on the decision of this Court in CIT v. Reliance Utilities & Power Ltd. [2009] 178 Taxman 135/313 ITR 340, affirmed the deletion made by the first appellate authority 7. We have perused the decision of this Court in Reliance Utilities & Power Ltd. (supra) wherein it has been held that if there are funds available with the assessee, both, interest-free and overdraft and/ or loans taken, then a presumption would arise that investments would be out of the interest-free funds generated or available with the assessee if the interest-free funds were sufficient to meet the investments. In the facts of that case, it was noted that the said presumption was established considering the fin....
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....e observations. 65. Ground no. 3 is thus dismissed. 66. In ground no. 4, the assessee has raised the following grievance: "On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Ld. CIT(A) was not justified and grossly erred in confirming the action of AO in not allowing the claim of expenditure incurred on capital jobs abandoned & written off in the books of accounts amounting to Rs. 5,06,92,076/-." 67. So far as this ground of appeal is concerned, the Assessing Officer has disallowed this claim by observing that "In the tax audit report, the auditor has held that the expenses of Rs 5,06,92,076 debited to P&L account in nature. These expenses were claimed as capital expenditure in the original return filed by the assessee. However, in the revised return, these expenses of Rs 5,04,10,349 have been claimed as revenue expenses. The asssessee has not offered any explanation for the same. Hence these expenses are held to be capital in nature and hereby added back to the total income of the assessee". Aggrieved, the assessee took the matter in appeal before the CIT(A) and gave a detailed explanation but without success. Learned CIT(A) dismissed the plea of t....
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....,98,121/ and Rs 3,74,12,228 respectively which has been written off in the books of accounts is an incidental business loss and hence an allowable deduction. Details of expenditure written off in books is enclosed as Annexure - 114 (Refer Page Nos. 2150 of the W/S). 2.0 In the revised return of income, the appellant has claimed the said expenses as allowable deduction on the premise that the expenses incurred on the said projects /assets written off in the accounts is an incidental business loss in view of the decision of CIT -vs.- Graphite India Ltd (1996) 221 ITR 420 (Cal), Hindustan Aluminum Corporation Ltd -vs.- CIT (1986) 159 ITR 673 (Cal) and Asiatic Oxygen Limited -vs.- CIT (1991) 190 ITR 328 (Cal.) B. Contention of the A.O 1.0 The AO in the order u/s 143(3) disallowed the claim of the appellant without raising any query on the contention that the same is capital in nature. C. Submission 1.0 In this regard, reference can be drawn to provisions of section 37(1) which reads as under: "37. General. (1) Any expenditure (not being expenditure of the nature described in sections 30 to 36 and not being in the nature of ....
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....(Del). In the said case, the assessee is in the business of manufacture of yarn and polyester. The assessee incurred expenditure for expansion of existing business of the assessee. The project was abandoned and expenditure in nature of salary, wages, repairs, maintenance, design and engineering fee, etc. incurred on the proposed unit was allowed as revenue expenditure. Copy of decision is enclosed as Annexure -30(Refer Page Nos. 705-745 of the W/S). Further the Departmental SLP against the said order of High Court has been dismissed by the Hon'ble Apex Court which is reported in CIT -vs.- Indo Rama Synthetics (1) Ltd (2010) 328 ITR 9 (SC). 1.6 Similarly in the case of CIT -vs.- Graphite India Ltd. (1996) 221 ITR 420 (Cal) it has been held that expenditure incurred for payment of fee for a project report which project did not materialize is allowable as revenue expenditure. 1.7 Reference is also drawn to the case of ITO -vs.- Excel Productions (1992) 44 TTI 201 (Coch). The assessee is in the business of production and exhibition of cinematographic films. The assessee incurred expenditure in relation to production of a film. The production of the film was abando....
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....ew project had inextricable linkage with the existing business of the assessee and it was also the fact that no new asset has come to be created by incurring of said expenditure. Therefore, the expenditure cannot be considered to be of capital nature and hence the claim of assessee is allowed as revenue expenditure. 1.12 Reliance is placed on the decision in the case of Excel Industries Ltd -vs.- DCIT (2002) 21 CCH 315 (Mum-Tri) wherein the tribunal held loss incurred on account of project abandoned which was actually extension of existing business is a revenue loss and thus an allowable deduction. D. Prayer 1.0 In view of the aforesaid submissions, the appellant humbly prays before your good self to kindly give necessary direction to the A.O. to allow expenditure incurred or capital jobs abandoned & written off being revenue in nature. 70. The assessee has categorically submitted that the assessee had abandoned its projects at Barh, Bihar (Rs 1,29,98,121) and at Marwa Mandwa, Rajasthan (Rs 3,74,12,228). Learned CIT(A) had no questions on the same or anything to show that these expenses were not incurred on the abandoned project; all he has observed, o....
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....ion of the Calcutta High Court in the case of Hindustan Aluminium Corporation Ltd. v. CIT (1986) 55 CTR (Cal.) 237: (1986) 159 ITR 673 (Cal) was applicable and following that decision held that the expenditure was allowable as incurred wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the assessee's business. Therefore, the Tribunal deleted the disallowance. The case relied upon by the Tribunal was subsequently followed in the case of Asiatic Oxygen Ltd. v. CIT (1991) 190 ITR 328 (Cal). This Court in the said case reiterated the view taken in Hindustan Aluminium Corporation Ltd.'s case (supra ). According to us, question No. 4 in this reference stands concluded by the aforementioned two decisions. We, accordingly, answer question No. 4 in the affirmative and in favour of the assessee and against the Revenue." 4. Mr. Bajoria further relied on two decisions of the Supreme Court being respectively the decision in CIT v. A. Gajapathy Naidu [1964] 53 ITR 114 and CIT v. Swadeshi Cotton & Flour Mills (P.) Ltd. [1964] 53 ITR 134 (SC). In A. Gajapathy Naidu (supra ) on the question of power of the ITO to relate back an income the apex Court was of the following view: ....
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....ing come into existence-the capital-work-in-progress had to be written off as such." 9. There was no challenge to such finding on facts before the learned Tribunal or even before us. 10. The decision in Delhi Tourism & TDC Ltd. (supra ) is distinguishable on facts in as much as in that case the Delhi High Court had held that the electricity charges for power consumed was a known expenditure and the assessee, on the basis of average, could make a provision for that expenditure in every year of assessment even if no bill was received in a particular year of assessment. 11. Following the judgment in the case of A. Gajapathi Naidu (supra ) the question to be asked is when did the expenditure claimed by way of deduction arise? There would have been no occasion to claim the deduction if the work-in-progress had completed its course. Because the project was abandoned the work-in-progress did not proceed any further. The decision to abandon the project was the cause for claiming the deduction. The decision was taken in the relevant year. It can therefore be safely concluded that the expenditure arose in the relevant year. 71. As mentioned in the extracts from ....
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.... and in law, the Ld. CIT(A) was not justified and grossly erred in confirming the action of AO in not granting the benefit of tax rate of 5% as per Article 10 of India-Mauritius treaty for determining the tax rate on dividend declared." 78. As this issue has been raised for the first time before us, and none of the authorities below had any occasion to deal with the same, while we admit the claim of the assessee for examination on merits, we deem it fit and proper to remit the matter to the file of the Assessing Officer for consideration. 79. Ground no. 6 is thus allowed for statistical purposes in the terms indicated above. 80. In the result, the assessee's appeal is partly allowed in the terms indicated above. 81. We will now take up the appeal filed by the Assessing Officer. 82. In ground no. 1, the Assessing Officer has raised the following grievance: "Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Ld. CIT(A) was right in allowing the appeal of the assessee and holding the sales tax incentives as capital in nature?" 83. While dealing with the same grievance of the Assessing Officer, for the immediately preceding assessm....
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....t year, this issue has been discussed in detail in paragraphs 26 to 29 and decided in favour of the assessee. Respectfully following the views so taken in the immediately preceding assessment year, we uphold the order of the CIT(A) on this issue as well, and decline to interfere in the matter. 90. In ground no.5, the Assessing Officer has raised the following grievance: "Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the disallowance of Community Welfare Expenses?" 91. This is a legacy issue and pertains to the expenditure incurred for community welfare as the factories of the assessee are concerned in backward areas and the expenditure is incurred for the smooth functioning of the business. Right from the assessment years 1988-89 to 1994-95, the coordinate benches have allowed the appeal of the assessee on this point, and from the assessment years 1995-96 to 2004-05, in which the first appellate authority has deleted similar disallowance, the coordinate benches have rejected the grievances of the Assessing Officer, against the reliefs so granted by the CIT(A). Learned Departmental Representative does not dispute this position but relies upon the stand of the Asse....
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....ade this claim only by way of a revised return and that no such claim was originally made by the assessee. It was also noted that the books maintained under the Companies Act also show these expenses as capital expenses, which in an indicative, even if not conclusive, evidence of the expenses being in the nature of capital expenses. The judicial precedents relied upon by the assessee in support of the claim were noted, and left at that, and it was observed that "the assessee is a big company assisted by a battery of lawyers and chartered accountants, but in its original return of income no deduction on account of these expenses uis claimed which amounts to an admission that these expenses are not revenue expenses in nature" and that "this shows that lodging this claim is only an afterthought of the assessee, with no substantial basis". The Assessing Officer also observed that "some of the above expenses are for setting up the business, and not the expansion of the existing ones" though he did not specifically point out any such expenses. The Assessing Office thus proceeded to disallow the entire amount of pre-operative expenses. Aggrieved, assessee carried the matter in appeal befo....
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.... dated 4th January 2017] and by a coordinate bench decision in the case of ACIT Vs JSW Steel Limited [(2019) 112 taxmann.com 55 (Mum)]. Learned Departmental Representative, however, relied upon the stand of the authorities below. 106. We find that a coordinate bench of this Tribunal, in JSW Ltd's case (supra), has inter alia, observed as follows: 47. We further noted that Hon'ble Kolkata High Court, in the case of Pr. CIT v. Ankit Metal & Power Ltd. [2019] 109 taxmann.com 93/266 Taxman 237 Ltd. had considered an identical issue and after considering the decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Apollo Tyres Ltd. (supra) held that when a receipt is not in the character of income as defined under section 2(24) of the I.T. Act, 1961, then it cannot form part of the book profit u/s 115JB of the I.T. Act, 1961. The Hon'ble High court, further observed that sales tax subsidy received by the assessee is capital receipt and does not come within definition of income under section 2(24) of the I.T. Act, 1961 and when, a receipt is not a in the nature of income, it cannot form part of book profit u/s 115JB of the I.T. Act, 1961. The Court, further observed that ....