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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

ITAT Explains Tax Implications Of Foreign ESOPs to Expat Employees In India


Dear Subscriber,

 

The following important judgement is available for download at itatonline.org.

ACIT vs. Robert Arthur Keltz (ITAT Delhi)

ESOP to expatriate employee of foreign company not chargeable for period he was outside India even if ESOP was vested and exercised in India

The assessee, an employee of M/s UTIO, USA, was granted "employee stock options" of 34000 shares on 9.01.2004 when he was outside India. The assessee was deputed to the India liaison office on 01.04.2006 and the stock options vested on 09.01.2007 when he was in India. The assessee exercised the stock options on 01.02.2007, when he was still in India. The AO held that as the assessee was in India on the date of vesting and exercise of the stock options, the entire benefit thereof was assessable as a perquisite in his hands. However, the CIT(A) held that as the employee had been in India for only for a part of the time of the vesting period, only a proportionate stock option benefit, which is attributable to the period spent in India accrued to the employee and was chargeable to tax in India. On appeal by the department to the Tribunal HELD:

If a part of the activity done by the assessee-employee has no relation to any India specific job or activity it is not chargeable to tax in India. On facts, the assessee was in India only for a short period i.e. 1.4.2006 onwards. Prior to that, he has not done any service connected with any activity in India. Accordingly, as the assessee has not rendered service in India for the whole grant period, only such proportion of the ESOP perquisite as is relatable to the service rendered by the assessee in India is taxable in India (Sumit Bhattacharya 112 ITD 1 (SB) referred)


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Editor,

 

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Latest:

CIT vs. Vector Shipping Services (P) Ltd (Allahabad High Court)

S. 40(a)(ia) disallowance applies only to amounts "payable" as of 31st March and not to amounts already "paid" during the year. Merilyn Shipping (SB) approved


Section 40(a)(ia) TDS Disallowance For Amounts Already Paid During The Year: High Court

 

Dear Subscriber,

 

The following important judgement is available for download at itatonline.org.

CIT vs. Vector Shipping Services (P) Ltd (Allahabad High Court)

S. 40(a)(ia) disallowance applies only to amounts "payable" as of 31st March and not to amounts already "paid" during the year. Merilyn Shipping (SB) approved

The assessee engaged Mercator Lines Ltd to perform ship management work on behalf of the assessee for which it paid an amount of Rs. 1.17 crore. The assessee claimed that the amount paid by it to Mercator was a 'reimbursement of salaries' and that as Mercator had deducted TDS on the payments made by it to the employees, the assessee was not required to deduct TDS. The AO disagreed and disallowed the entire payment u/s 40(a)(ia). The Tribunal upheld the assessee's claim and held that no TDS was required to be deducted on a reimbursement. It also relied on Merilyn Shipping and Transport Ltd 136 ITD 23 (SB) where it was held that s. 40(a)(ia) applied only to amounts that were "payable" as at the end of the year and not to amounts that had already been "paid" during the year. On appeal by the department, HELD dismissing the appeal:

The revenue cannot take any benefit from the observations made by the Special Bench of the Tribunal in Merilyn Shipping and Transport Ltd 136 ITD 23 (SB) to the effect that s. 40 (a) (ia) was introduced by the Finance Act, 2004 w.e.f. 1.4.2005 with a view to augment the revenue through the mechanism of tax deduction at source. S. 40(a)(ia) was brought on the statute to disallow the claim of even genuine and admissible expenses of the assessee under the head 'Income from Business and Profession' in case the assessee does not deduct TDS on such expenses. The default in deduction of TDS would result in disallowance of expenditure on which such TDS was deductible. On facts, tax was deducted as TDS from the salaries of the employees paid by Mercator Lines and the circumstances in which such salaries were paid by Mercator Lines for the assessee were sufficiently explained. It is to be noted that for disallowing expenses from business and profession on the ground that TDS has not been deducted, the amount should be payable and not which has been paid by the end of the year.

Contrast with the view in Crescent Export Syndicate (Cal) & Sikandarkhan N. Tunvar (Guj). But see Vegetable Products 88 ITR 192 (SC) where it was held that in the case of doubt the view in favour of the assessee should be followed

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Latest:

ITO vs. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ITAT Mumbai)

S. 195 TDS: Application for refund of TDS due to cancellation of contract with non-resident can be made vide s. 154 application


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

ITAT Bar Resolution On Measures To Tackle Alleged Corruption In ITAT

Dear Subscriber,

ITAT Bar Resolution On Measures To Tackle Alleged Corruption In ITAT

The ITAT Bar Association has passed an important resolution in which it has offered objective and practical suggestions on how to tackle the menace of alleged corruption in the ITAT


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Latest:

ESOP: Being Used As A Double Edged Sword By The Department


ESOP: Being Used As A Double Edged Sword By The Department

Dear Subscriber,

ESOP: Being Used As A Double Edged Sword By The Department

The authors have carefully studied the recent landmark judgement of the Special Bench in Biocon Ltd on the deductibility of ESOPs in the hands of the employer and identified several important aspects in it. They argue that the Department is wrong in adopting the "double edged sword" stand of taxing ESOPs in the hands of the employee while denying a deduction to the employer.


A pdf version of the article is available for download. 


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Editor,

 

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Latest:

BIOCON Biopharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd vs. ITO (ITAT Bangalore)

S. 195(2) TDS: AO has no power to issue Nil TDS certificate


Section 195(2) TDS: AO Has No Power To Issue Nil TDS Certificate: ITAT Bangalore

Dear Subscriber,

 

The following important judgement is available for download at itatonline.org.


BIOCON Biopharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd vs. ITO (ITAT Bangalore)

S. 195(2) TDS: AO has no power to issue Nil TDS certificate

The assessee entered into a Joint Venture agreement with CIMAB SA, Cuba, to set up a JVC in India. It was agreed that CIMAB would provide technology to the JVC in consideration for which it would be allotted 49% of the equity capital of the JVC. The assessee filed an application u/s 195(2) claiming that the technology was not chargeable to tax in India and that the shares should be permitted to be allotted without TDS. The AO passed an order u/s 195(2) in which he accepted the assessee's contention that no TDS was required to be deducted on the allotment of shares. However, later the AO took the view that the allotment of shares in consideration of the technology transfer was chargeable to tax and that the assessee was in default u/s 195 & 201. This was upheld by the CIT(A). Before the Tribunal the following issues arose: (i) whether u/s 195(2) the AO has the jurisdiction to issue a certificate that no tax need be deducted at source, (ii) whether s. 195(1) applies where payment is made in kind and not in money terms & (iii) whether the consideration (in the form of shares) for technology transfer can be said to be "transfer of a capital asset" outside India so as to be exempt from tax? HELD by the Tribunal:

(i) S. 195(2) presupposes that the person responsible for making the payment to a non-resident is in no doubt that tax is payable in respect of the some part of the amount to be remitted to a non-resident, but is not sure as to what should be portion so taxable or is not sure as to the amount of tax to be deducted. Consequently, in an application made u/s 195(2), the AO cannot assume jurisdiction to hold that the entire payment is not chargeable to tax and the payer need not deduct tax at source. As the AO had no power u/s 195(2) to hold that no tax is deductible at source, the order passed by him holding that no tax is deductible at source on the technology transfers is non est in law. As there is no estoppel against the law, the assessee cannot take advantage of such an order (GE India Technology Centre 327 ITR 456 (SC) referred)

(ii) The argument that s. 195(1) does not apply to a case where shares are allotted is not acceptable because the expression "any other sum chargeable under the provisions of the Act" in s. 195(1) has to be read in conjunction with the words "at the time of credit of such income …. in cash … or by any other mode". Thus payment in terms of the money is not the only mode contemplated u/s 195(1) of the Act. The use of the expression "or by any other mode" makes the intention of the legislature clear that s. 195(1) applies even to cases where payment is made otherwise than by money.

(iii) The definition of "royalty" in Explanation 2 to s. 9(1)(vi) excludes consideration which would be income of the recipient chargeable under the head 'capital gains'. For application of the above exclusion clause, it is necessary that (a) technical know-how should be a capital asset in the hands of CIMAB, (b) the said technical know-how should be capable of being transferred and should have been transferred by CIMAB, (c) the machinery provisions viz., the computation of capital gain as given in s. 48 should be capable of being applied & (d) the transfer of technical know-how should have taken place outside India. On facts, the assessee has not shown that the transfer of technical know-how took place outside India. Further, the terms make it clear that there was no transfer of the know-how by CIMAB to the assessee but the assessee had a mere right to use the know-how, though the nomenclature used in the Agreement is 'transfer of technology'. Consequently, the consideration for the know-how constitutes "Royalty" under Explanation 2(iv) to s. 9(1)(vi).


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Latest:

Contribution Of The ITAT Hyderabad Bench To The Cause Of Justice

Hon'ble Shri. D. Manmohan, Vice-President (Mumbai Zone)


Section 195 TDS: ITAT Explains Procedure For Refund On Contract Cancellation

Dear Subscriber,

 

The following important judgement is available for download at itatonline.org.

ITO vs. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ITAT Mumbai)

S. 195 TDS: Application for refund of TDS due to cancellation of contract with non-resident can be made vide s. 154 application

The assessee remitted consulting charges/fees to a Taiwan based company called 'Scandinavian Health Ltd' on which it did not deduct tax at source u/s 195. The AO passed an order u/s 201 & 201(1A) by which he held the assessee to be in default. The assessee filed an application u/s 154 in which it pointed out that the agreement with the Taiwanese company had been subsequently cancelled and that there was no obligation to deduct TDS as per the CBDT's Circular No.7 of 2007 dated 23.10.2007. The AO rejected the application on the ground that there was no mistake apparent from the record. On appeal, the CIT (A) upheld the claim and directed the AO to verify whether the conditions laid down in Circular No. 7 of 2007 for a refund of tax already collected had been satisfied. The department filed an appeal before the Tribunal claiming that there was no apparent mistake in the AO's order and that the CIT(A) had admitted new evidence without granting any opportunity to the AO. HELD by the Tribunal dismissing the appeal:

Before the CIT(A) the assessee filed copies of various invoices raised on it in pursuance to the contract by the Taiwanese company and also filed copy of credit note issued pursuant to the cancellation of the contract and documents showing inward remittance of the amount earlier paid. The CIT(A) held that the case of the assessee is covered by sub-clause (b) of clause 2 of Circular No. 7 dated 23.10.2007 and clause 2(b) of Circular No. 790 dated 20.04.2000. In para 2.1 of Circular 7 dated 23.10.2007, it is clearly provided that once the amount already remitted in pursuance of a contract has been refund back to the remitted after cancellation of the contract, no income accrues to the non-resident. It is also provided in the circular that the amount of tax paid u/s195 can be refunded to the deductor with prior approval of the CCIT. The detailed procedure is provided in the said circular and certain pre-conditions are to be satisfied, suitable undertaking from the deductor has to be obtained before the refund can be issued. It is also specified that refund can be given only if the non-resident has not filed any return and the time limit for filing of return has already expired. It was held that as the contract has been cancelled and the money has been received back, no tax is payable by the non-resident assessee. The CIT (A) directed the AO to verify that the conditions laid down in Circular No.7 of 2007 have been satisfied. There is no infirmity in the order of the CIT(A) and it cannot be said that AO was not allowed any opportunity as he has to verify the details before granting any refund of tax if any.


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Latest:

ITAT Bar Resolution On Measures To Tackle Alleged Corruption In ITAT


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Saturday, July 27, 2013

ITR VOL 355 PART 4 AND ITR (TRIB) VOL 25 PART 3


 

INCOME TAX REPORTS (ITR)--PRINT AND ONLINE EDITION

ONLINE EDITION

SUBJECT INDEX TO CASES REPORTED

High Courts

Business expenditure --Deduction only on actual payment--Year in which expenditure is allowable--Effect of section 43B--Mercantile system of accounting--Liability incurred and amount actually paid in accounting year--Amount legally due in following year--Amount deductible--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 43B-- Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd. v. CIT (Cal) . . . 177

----Disallowance--Deduction only on actual payment--Tax, cess or duty actually not paid in year of account--Amounts deposited by assessee in Central excise personal ledger account in terms of Central Excise Rules to cover duty liability against clearances of goods--Assessee bound by Rules to keep account in respect of each excisable product--Amount remaining outstanding in personal ledger account at end of year--Part of duty liability--Not disallowable--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 43B-- CIT v . Maruti Suzuki India Ltd . (Delhi) . . . 187

----Disallowance--Provision for warranties--No disallowance could be made--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 37-- CIT v . Maruti Suzuki India Ltd . (Delhi) . . . 187

Refund --Interest on excess refund received by assessee--Law applicable--Effect of insertion of Explanation 2 to section 234D--Refund granted prior to 1-6-2003 but proceedings for assessment completed after 1-6-2003--Interest payable by assessee--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 234D-- CIT v . Indian Oil Corporation Ltd .
(Bom) . . . 198

 

PRINT EDITION

ITR Volume 355 : Part 4 (Issue dated : 29-7-2013)

SUBJECT INDEX TO CASES REPORTED IN THIS PART

HIGH COURTS

Appeal to High Court --Competency of appeal--Effect of section 268A--Tax effect less than monetary limit prescribed by CBDT--Conflicting stands by assessee before Assessing Officer and Tribunal--Appeal not maintainable--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 260A, 268A-- CIT v . Jugal Kishore Mahanta (Gauhati) . . . 432

----Powers of High Court--Power to frame additional question of law--High Court has power to frame additional question of law during hearing--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 260A-- CIT v . Indo Gulf Fertilizers Ltd. (All) . . . 437

Business expenditure --Disallowance--Excessive or unreasonable payments--Tribunal finding assessee did purchases at prevailing market rates and seller incurred certain expenditure in engaging personnel in office and other operations--Section 40A(2) had no application--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 40A(2)-- CIT v . Vijay M. Mistry Construction Ltd . (Guj) . . . 498

----Excess provision under heads â€Å“consultancy charges and professional fees†--Allowable--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 37-- CIT v . Armour Consultants P. Ltd .
(Mad) . . . 418

----Scientific research--Assessee requesting two companies to make payments on its behalf in view of shortage of funds--Revenue not disputing fact or disproving by them--Companies obtaining receipts in their name but claiming no deduction--Assessee paying amounts subsequently to those two companies--Assessee cannot be denied deduction--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 35(1)(ii)-- CIT v . Armour Consultants P. Ltd.
(Mad) . . . 418

Capital gains --Capital asset--Cost of acquisition--Capital asset acquired by assessee under gift--Indexed cost of acquisition--To be with reference to year in which previous owner acquired asset and not year in which assessee acquired asset--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 2(42A), Expln. 1(i)(b), 48-- CIT v . Manjula J. Shah (Bom) . . . 474

----Capital asset--Exclusion--Agricultural land--Meaning of--Effect of section 2(14)(b)--Land within specified distance from local limit of municipality--Not agricultural land--Gains on transfer of land--Capital gains tax leviable--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 2(14)(b), 45--General Clauses Act, 1897, s. 3(31)-- CIT v. Smt. Rani Tara Devi
(P&H) . . . 457

Capital or revenue expenditure --Expenses towards designing and lay out, temporary partition and construction for making leased business premises functional--Revenue expenditure--Income-tax Act, 1961-- CIT v. Armour Consultants P. Ltd .
(Mad) . . . 418

Charitable purpose --Charitable trust--Registration--Test of genuineness of activity not a ground for refusal of registration--Genuineness of objects to be tested--Registration not to be rejected on ground trust has not yet commenced charitable or religious activity--Commissioner satisfied with objects of trust for subsequent year--Refusal of registration for preceding year not justified--Exemption from application of income received by way of donation--To be decided when return is filed--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 12AA-- Hardayal Charitable and Educational Trust v. CIT (All) . . . 534

Deduction of tax at source --Commission--Scope of section 194H--Difference between sale and agency--Sale of stamp paper to licensed vendors under U. P. Stamp Rules, 1942--Sale--Tax not deductible at source on discount on such sales--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 194H-- Chief Treasury Officer v. Union of India (All) . . . 484

Housing project --Special deduction--Computation--Interest on delayed payment by purchasers--Balance due from contractors and suppliers--Part of income derived from development of housing project--Entitled to deduction--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 80-IB(10)-- CIT v. Pratham Developers (Guj) . . . 507

Income from undisclosed sources --Assessee proving purchase and existence of crane--No claim of cost of crane in return and no debit in profit and loss account--No addition could be made in respect of purchase price--No material to show crane not in existence--Depreciation not disallowable--Income-tax Act, 1961-- CIT v . Vijay M. Mistry Construction Ltd. (Guj) . . . 498

----Disallowance on account of inflated purchases--Question of fact--Tribunal enhancing disallowance to twenty-five per cent. of cash withdrawals--No interference--Income-tax Act, 1961-- CIT v. Vijay M. Mistry Construction Ltd . (Guj) . . . 498

Interpretation of taxing statutes --Principle of ejusdem generis-- CIT v . Smt. Rani Tara Devi (P&H) . . . 457

----Proviso-- CIT v. Indo Gulf Fertilizers Ltd . (All) . . . 437

Offences and prosecution --Deduction of tax at source--Company--Failure to deposit tax deducted at source to credit of Central Government--Dismissal of complaint for failure by Income-tax Officer to produce documents before trial court within reasonable time--Documents in judicial custody in some other case--Prosecution case to be decided on the merits--No prejudice caused to accused if original complaint restored--Direction to restore complaint--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 276B, 278B-- P. Jayanandan, Income-tax Officer v . Sri Ramakrishna Steel Industries Ltd . (Mad) . . . 528

Search and seizure --Block assessment--Powers of Assessing Officer and Appellate Tribunal--Assessing Officer or Tribunal cannot consider validity of search--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 158BC-- CIT v. Dr. A. K. Bansal (Individual) (All) . . . 513

Words and phrases --Meaning of â€Å“deemed†and â€Å“satisfied†-- CIT v. Indo Gulf Fertilizers Ltd . (All) . . . 437

 

SECTIONWISE INDEX TO CASES REPORTED IN THIS PART

General Clauses Act, 1897 :

S. 3(31) --Capital gains--Capital asset--Exclusion--Agricultural land--Meaning of--Effect of section 2(14)(b)--Land within specified distance from local limit of municipality--Not agricultural land--Gains on transfer of land--Capital gains tax leviable-- CIT v. Smt. Rani Tara Devi (P&H) . . . 457

Income-tax Act, 1961 :

S. 2(14)(b) --Capital gains--Capital asset--Exclusion--Agricultural land--Meaning of--Effect of section 2(14)(b)--Land within specified distance from local limit of municipality--Not agricultural land--Gains on transfer of land--Capital gains tax leviable-- CIT v. Smt. Rani Tara Devi (P&H) . . . 457

S. 2(42A), Expln. 1(i)(b) --Capital gains--Capital asset--Cost of acquisition--Capital asset acquired by assessee under gift--Indexed cost of acquisition--To be with reference to year in which previous owner acquired asset and not year in which assessee acquired asset-- CIT v . Manjula J. Shah (Bom) . . . 474

S. 12AA --Charitable purpose--Charitable trust--Registration--Test of genuineness of activity not a ground for refusal of registration--Genuineness of objects to be tested--Registration not to be rejected on ground trust has not yet commenced charitable or religious activity--Commissioner satisfied with objects of trust for subsequent year--Refusal of registration for preceding year not justified--Exemption from application of income received by way of donation--To be decided when return is filed-- Hardayal Charitable and Educational Trust v. CIT (All) . . . 534

S. 35(1)(ii) --Business expenditure--Scientific research--Assessee requesting two companies to make payments on its behalf in view of shortage of funds--Revenue not disputing fact or disproving by them--Companies obtaining receipts in their name but claiming no deduction--Assessee paying amounts subsequently to those two companies--Assessee cannot be denied deduction-- CIT v . Armour Consultants P. Ltd.
(Mad) . . . 418

S. 37 --Business expenditure--Excess provision under heads â€Å“consultancy charges and professional fees†--Allowable-- CIT v . Armour Consultants P. Ltd .
(Mad) . . . 418

S. 40A(2) --Business expenditure--Disallowance--Excessive or unreasonable payments--Tribunal finding assessee did purchases at prevailing market rates and seller incurred certain expenditure in engaging personnel in office and other operations--Section 40A(2) had no application-- CIT v . Vijay M. Mistry Construction Ltd .
(Guj) . . . 498

S. 45 --Capital gains--Capital asset--Exclusion--Agricultural land--Meaning of--Effect of section 2(14)(b)--Land within specified distance from local limit of municipality--Not agricultural land--Gains on transfer of land--Capital gains tax leviable-- CIT v. Smt. Rani Tara Devi (P&H) . . . 457

S. 48 --Capital gains--Capital asset--Cost of acquisition--Capital asset acquired by assessee under gift--Indexed cost of acquisition--To be with reference to year in which previous owner acquired asset and not year in which assessee acquired asset-- CIT v . Manjula J. Shah (Bom) . . . 474

S. 80-IB(10) --Housing project--Special deduction--Computation--Interest on delayed payment by purchasers--Balance due from contractors and suppliers--Part of income derived from development of housing project--Entitled to deduction-- CIT v. Pratham Developers (Guj) . . . 507

S. 158BC --Search and seizure--Block assessment--Powers of Assessing Officer and Appellate Tribunal--Assessing Officer or Tribunal cannot consider validity of search-- CIT v. Dr. A. K. Bansal (Individual) (All) . . . 513

S. 194H --Deduction of tax at source--Commission--Scope of section 194H--Difference between sale and agency--Sale of stamp paper to licensed vendors under U. P. Stamp Rules, 1942--Sale--Tax not deductible at source on discount on such sales-- Chief Treasury Officer v. Union of India (All) . . . 484

S. 260A --Appeal to High Court--Competency of appeal--Effect of section 268A--Tax effect less than monetary limit prescribed by CBDT--Conflicting stands by assessee before Assessing Officer and Tribunal--Appeal not maintainable-- CIT v . Jugal Kishore Mahanta (Gauhati) . . . 432

----Appeal to High Court--Powers of High Court--Power to frame additional question of law--High Court has power to frame additional question of law during hearing-- CIT v . Indo Gulf Fertilizers Ltd. (All) . . . 437

S. 268A --Appeal to High Court--Competency of appeal--Effect of section 268A--Tax effect less than monetary limit prescribed by CBDT--Conflicting stands by assessee before Assessing Officer and Tribunal--Appeal not maintainable-- CIT v . Jugal Kishore Mahanta (Gauhati) . . . 432

S. 276B --Offences and prosecution--Deduction of tax at source--Company--Failure to deposit tax deducted at source to credit of Central Government--Dismissal of complaint for failure by Income-tax Officer to produce documents before trial court within reasonable time--Documents in judicial custody in some other case--Prosecution case to be decided on the merits--No prejudice caused to accused if original complaint restored--Direction to restore complaint-- P. Jayanandan, Income-tax Officer v . Sri Ramakrishna Steel Industries Ltd . (Mad) . . . 528

S. 278B --Offences and prosecution--Deduction of tax at source--Company--Failure to deposit tax deducted at source to credit of Central Government--Dismissal of complaint for failure by Income-tax Officer to produce documents before trial court within reasonable time--Documents in judicial custody in some other case--Prosecution case to be decided on the merits--No prejudice caused to accused if original complaint restored--Direction to restore complaint-- P. Jayanandan, Income-tax Officer v . Sri Ramakrishna Steel Industries Ltd . (Mad) . . . 528

ITR'S TRIBUNAL TAX REPORTS (ITR (TRIB)) -- PRINT AND ONLINE EDITION

 

ONLINE EDITION

SUBJECT INDEX TO CASES REPORTED

Business expenditure --Disallowance--Payments liable to deduction of tax at source--Payment to foreign company for advertising services rendered through search engine--Business profits--Foreign company having no permanent establishment in India--Payment not taxable in India and no tax deductible at source--Payment allowable--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 9(1)(vi), 40(a)(i)-- Pinstorm Technologies P. Ltd. v. ITO (Mumbai) . . . 146

Non-resident --Taxability in India--Permanent establishment--Assessee entering into three contracts in India--Duration of each contract less than 9 months--No permanent establishment of assessee in India--Assessee not taxable in India--Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between India and Mauritius, arts. 5, 7 -- Deputy CIT v. J. Ray McDerrmott Eastern Hemisphere Ltd. (Mumbai) . . . 141

PRINT EDITION

Volume 25 : Part 3 (Issue dated : 29-7-2013)

SUBJECT INDEX TO CASES REPORTED

Business expenditure --Assessee having arrangements with suppliers for purchasing a predetermined number of parts and components--Compensation paid to vendors for deficiency in lifting contracted quantum--Compensation related to purchase of raw material, which was to become a part of running stock of assessee--Revenue expenditure and allowable-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

----Fines and penalties--Penalty paid under Central excise and service tax law--Nothing to show payments were not for infringement of law--Payments to be disallowed--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 37, Expln. -- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

Business loss --Provision towards doubtful advances written off as irrecoverable--Nothing to prove actual write-off--Mere provision in accounts not equivalent to write-off--Addition rightly made-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

Capital gains --Cost of acquisition--Cost of improvement--Small construction consisting of two rooms made of hollow bricks--No evidence of making any improvement after purchase--No mention of existing house in sale deed--No deduction for cost of improvement to be allowed--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 48-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

----Long-term capital gains--Exemption--Purchase of residential house--House must be inhabitable--Unit should have had basic amenities like a place for cooking, toilet and bathroom, approach road within plot--No evidence of grant of electricity or telephone or water connection--Exemption cannot be granted--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 54F-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

Capital or revenue expenditure --Software purchases--Disallowance as capital expenditure restricted pursuant to direction of Dispute Resolution Panel--Proper--Depreciation to be allowed-- Sandoz P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT (Mumbai) . . . 347

----Subsidy received under scheme clearly mentioning that it was given as special incentive for boosting mega investments in State--Capital receipt-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

Cash credits --Burden of proof--Is on assessee to prove genuineness of transaction and capacity of creditor--Merely establishing their identities and creditworthiness to some extent--Not sufficient--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 68-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

Deduction of tax at source --Failure to deduct tax--Lease premium paid in four instalments--Is capital expenditure not falling under section 194-I--No liability to deduct tax--Not a case of default by assessee--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 194-I-- ITO v. Indian Newspapers Society (Delhi) . . . 377

----Failure to deduct tax--Notice under sections 201 and 201(1A) by Assessing Officer for not deducting tax at source on lease premium--Period of limitation under section 201(3)--Finding by Commissioner (Appeals) that order passed beyond period of limitation--Proper--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 194-I, 201(1A)-- ITO v. Indian Newspapers Society (Delhi) . . . 377

Exemption --Export of computer software--Loss incurred by one unit--Assessee entitled to deduction in respect of profits of eligible units and set-off of loss sustained by other unit against normal business income--Provisions of section 14A not attracted--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 10B, 14A-- Sandoz P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT (Mumbai) . . . 347

International transaction --Arm's length price--Failure by assessee to report brand promotion exercise as international transaction--Transaction coming to notice of Transfer Pricing Officer only during proceedings before him--Transfer Pricing Officer can consider such transaction--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 92CA(2B), 92E-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

----Arm's length price--Determination--Assessee, wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.A. company licensed to manufacture motor vehicles using technical know-how supplied by it--Assessee to pay royalty in consideration of grant of licence--Licensed products, motor vehicles, to carry logo--Department not showing what normal sales if normal advertising and sales promotion expenditure alone was incurred would have been and additional sales on account of excess advertising and sales promotion expenditure expenses--Not entitled to say there was separate brand building arising out of normal sales and arising out of additional sales--Nothing to show assessee incurred advertising and sales promotion expenditure over and above that by similarly placed other companies having no associated enterprise dealings--U. S. A. company not charging assessee royalty for use of its logo--Artificial split on marketing intangible in nature of brand building unwarranted--Objective criteria of excess advertising and sales promotion expenditure incurred by assessee when compared to its competitors not having a foreign brand or logo--Addition considering one per cent. of sales as brand development fee justified--Discounts given under schemes of sales promotion, remuneration to sales consultants, expenses incurred for customer survey, to be excluded from advertising and sales promotion expenditure--Sales expenditure, which had no connection with building of logo but directly in connection with sales to be excluded--Comparable domestic cases not using foreign brand alone to be considered--Transfer Pricing Officer to identify set of comparables--Both assessee as well as the U. S. A. company benefitted from product development expenditure incurred--U.S.A. company and assessee separate legal entities having separate legal existence--50 per cent. of advantage derived on account of product development spending to be treated as enuring to assessee and balance 50 per cent. to U.S.A. company--Income-tax act, 1961, ss. 92C(1), (2), prov., (3), 92CA-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

----Arm's length price--Determination--Most appropriate method--Transfer Pricing Officer adopting cost plus method but not taking second and third steps in determination of gross profit mark-up and applying it to results--Order not void ab initio--"Bright line" test applied by Transfer Pricing Officer falls within method prescribed--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 92C--Income-tax Rules, 1962, r. 10B(1)(c)-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

----Arm's length price--Determination--Selection of comparables--Transfer Pricing Officer selecting four comparables along with CRISIL--Dispute Resolution Panel selecting two comparables and computing new arithmetic mean--Exclusion of leading company as too large--One comparable company alone to be taken--Benefit of five per cent. variation not available where only one comparable chosen--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 92C(2)-- IIML Asset Advisors Ltd. v. Assistant CIT (Mumbai) . . . 369

----Arm's length price--Determination--Transactional net margin method--Assessee operating in four different independent segments--Submitting segmental accounts for each operation--Each segment to be considered with corresponding comparables after proper functions, assets and risks analysis--Weighted average method of arriving at profit margin not proper--Adjustment on entire turnover of assessee including transactions with non-associated enterprises not proper--No discussion in Transfer Pricing Officer's order why comparables of assessee were rejected or why other comparables accepted--Adjustments on reimbursements of expenditure part of segments already considered--Double addition--Order of Transfer Pricing Officer with consequential orders of Assessing Officer and Dispute Resolution Panel set aside and matter remanded to Assessing Officer for fresh transfer pricing analysis-- Sandoz P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT (Mumbai) . . . 347

----Arm's length price--Determination--Transfer Pricing Officer selecting eight comparables--Tribunal accepting only one of eight comparables for preceding year--For this year also, one comparable alone to be taken--Operating profit to cost ratio to be accordingly modified--Benefit of plus or minus five per cent. adjustment not available where only one comparable chosen--No facts brought by assessee for quantification of risk adjustment--No adjustment to be allowed--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 92CA(3)-- General Atlantic P. Ltd. v. Assistant CIT (OSD) (Mumbai) . . . 389

----Definition--Assessee, wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.A. company licensed to manufacture motor vehicles using technical know-how supplied by it--assessee to pay royalty in consideration of grant of licence--Licensed products, motor vehicles, to carry logo--Total ownership and control exercised by U. S. A. company over assessee--Inference that advertising and sales promotion expenses incurred based on a corporate plan of U. S. A. company--International transaction for creating and improving marketing intangible comprised in logo by assessee for and on behalf of U.S.A. company--Transaction of brand building rightly treated as an international transaction--Income-tax Act, 1961, s. 92F(v)-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

Method of accounting --Valuation of closing stock--Increase on account of unutilised Modvat--Corresponding opening stock of that year to be increased-- Sandoz P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT (Mumbai) . . . 347

Rectification of mistakes --Return of income--Omission to claim exemption not a case of incorrect claim--Assessing Officer has no power under section 154 to correct return--Rectification application not maintainable--Income-tax Act, 1961, ss. 143(1), 154-- Jhansi Development Authority v. Deputy CIT (Agra) . . .338

Words and phrases --â€Å“Residential house"-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

SECTIONWISE INDEX TO CASES REPORTED IN THIS PART

Income-tax Act, 1961 :

S. 10B --Exemption--Export of computer software--Loss incurred by one unit--Assessee entitled to deduction in respect of profits of eligible units and set-off of loss sustained by other unit against normal business income--Provisions of section 14A not attracted-- Sandoz P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT (Mumbai) . . . 347

S. 14A --Exemption--Export of computer software--Loss incurred by one unit--Assessee entitled to deduction in respect of profits of eligible units and set-off of loss sustained by other unit against normal business income--Provisions of section 14A not attracted-- Sandoz P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT (Mumbai) . . . 347

S. 37, Expln. --Business expenditure--Fines and penalties--Penalty paid under Central excise and service tax law--Nothing to show payments were not for infringement of law--Payments to be disallowed-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 48 --Capital gains--Cost of acquisition--Cost of improvement--Small construction consisting of two rooms made of hollow bricks--No evidence of making any improvement after purchase--No mention of existing house in sale deed--No deduction for cost of improvement to be allowed-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

S. 54F --Capital gains--Long-term capital gains--Exemption--Purchase of residential house--House must be inhabitable--Unit should have had basic amenities like a place for cooking, toilet and bathroom, approach road within plot--No evidence of grant of electricity or telephone or water connection--Exemption cannot be granted-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

S. 68 --Cash credits--Burden of proof--Is on assessee to prove genuineness of transaction and capacity of creditor--Merely establishing their identities and creditworthiness to some extent--Not sufficient-- Smt. Usharani Kalidindi v. ITO (Hyderabad) . . . 409

S. 92C --International transactions--Arm's length price--Determination--Most appropriate method--Transfer Pricing Officer adopting cost plus method but not taking second and third steps in determination of gross profit mark-up and applying it to results--Order not void ab initio--"Bright line" test applied by Transfer Pricing Officer falls within method prescribed-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 92C(1), (2), prov., (3) --International transactions--Arm's length price--Determination--Assessee, wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.A. company licensed to manufacture motor vehicles using technical know-how supplied by it--Assessee to pay royalty in consideration of grant of licence--Licensed products, motor vehicles, to carry logo--Department not showing what normal sales if normal advertising and sales promotion expenditure alone was incurred would have been and additional sales on account of excess advertising and sales promotion expenditure expenses--Not entitled to say there was separate brand building arising out of normal sales and arising out of additional sales--Nothing to show assessee incurred advertising and sales promotion expenditure over and above that by similarly placed other companies having no associated enterprise dealings--U. S. A. company not charging assessee royalty for use of its logo--Artificial split on marketing intangible in nature of brand building unwarranted--Objective criteria of excess advertising and sales promotion expenditure incurred by assessee when compared to its competitors not having a foreign brand or logo--Addition considering one per cent. of sales as brand development fee justified--Discounts given under schemes of sales promotion, remuneration to sales consultants, expenses incurred for customer survey, to be excluded from advertising and sales promotion expenditure--Sales expenditure, which had no connection with building of logo but directly in connection with sales to be excluded--Comparable domestic cases not using foreign brand alone to be considered--Transfer Pricing Officer to identify set of comparables--Both assessee as well as the U. S. A. company benefitted from product development expenditure incurred--U.S.A. company and assessee separate legal entities having separate legal existence--50 per cent. of advantage derived on account of product development spending to be treated as enuring to assessee and balance 50 per cent. to U. S. A. company-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 92C(2) --International transactions--Arm's length price--Determination--Selection of comparables--Transfer Pricing Officer selecting four comparables along with CRISIL--Dispute Resolution Panel selecting two comparables and computing new arithmetic mean--Exclusion of leading company as too large--One comparable company alone to be taken--Benefit of five per cent. variation not available where only one comparable chosen-- IIML Asset Advisors Ltd. v. Assistant CIT (Mumbai) . . . 369

S. 92CA --International transactions--Arm's length price--Determination--Assessee, wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.A. company licensed to manufacture motor vehicles using technical know-how supplied by it--Assessee to pay royalty in consideration of grant of licence--Licensed products, motor vehicles, to carry logo--Department not showing what normal sales if normal advertising and sales promotion expenditure alone was incurred would have been and additional sales on account of excess advertising and sales promotion expenditure expenses--Not entitled to say there was separate brand building arising out of normal sales and arising out of additional sales--Nothing to show assessee incurred advertising and sales promotion expenditure over and above that by similarly placed other companies having no associated enterprise dealings--U. S. A. company not charging assessee royalty for use of its logo--Artificial split on marketing intangible in nature of brand building unwarranted--Objective criteria of excess advertising and sales promotion expenditure incurred by assessee when compared to its competitors not having a foreign brand or logo--Addition considering one per cent. of sales as brand development fee justified--Discounts given under schemes of sales promotion, remuneration to sales consultants, expenses incurred for customer survey, to be excluded from advertising and sales promotion expenditure--Sales expenditure, which had no connection with building of logo but directly in connection with sales to be excluded--Comparable domestic cases not using foreign brand alone to be considered--Transfer Pricing Officer to identify set of comparables--Both assessee as well as the U. S. A. company benefitted from product development expenditure incurred--U.S.A. company and assessee separate legal entities having separate legal existence--50 per cent. of advantage derived on account of product development spending to be treated as enuring to assessee and balance 50 per cent. to U. S. A. company-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 92CA(2B) --International transaction--Arm's length price--Failure by assessee to report brand promotion exercise as international transaction--Transaction coming to notice of Transfer Pricing Officer only during proceedings before him--Transfer Pricing Officer can consider such transaction--Income-tax Act, 1961, Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 92CA(3) --International transactions--Arm's length price--Determination--Transfer Pricing Officer selecting eight comparables--Tribunal accepting only one of eight comparables for preceding year--For this year also, one comparable alone to be taken--Operating profit to cost ratio to be accordingly modified--Benefit of plus or minus five per cent. adjustment not available where only one comparable chosen--No facts brought by assessee for quantification of risk adjustment--No adjustment to be allowed-- General Atlantic P. Ltd. v. Assistant CIT (OSD) (Mumbai) . . . 389

S. 92E --International transaction--Arm's length price--Failure by assessee to report brand promotion exercise as international transaction--Transaction coming to notice of Transfer Pricing Officer only during proceedings before him--Transfer Pricing Officer can consider such transaction-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 92F(v) --International transactions--Definition--Assessee, wholly owned subsidiary of U.S.A. company licensed to manufacture motor vehicles using technical know-how supplied by it--assessee to pay royalty in consideration of grant of licence--Licensed products, motor vehicles, to carry logo--Total ownership and control exercised by U. S. A. company over assessee--Inference that advertising and sales promotion expenses incurred based on a corporate plan of U. S. A. company--International transaction for creating and improving marketing intangible comprised in logo by assessee for and on behalf of U.S.A. company--Transaction of brand building rightly treated as an international transaction-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

S. 143(1) --Rectification of mistakes--Return of income--Omission to claim exemption not a case of incorrect claim--Assessing Officer has no power under section 154 to correct return--Rectification application not maintainable-- Jhansi Development Authority v. Deputy CIT (Agra) . . .338

S. 154 --Rectification of mistakes--Return of income--Omission to claim exemption not a case of incorrect claim--Assessing Officer has no power under section 154 to correct return--Rectification application not maintainable-- Jhansi Development Authority v. Deputy CIT (Agra) . . .338

S. 194-I --Deduction of tax at source--Failure to deduct tax--Lease premium paid in four instalments--Is capital expenditure not falling under section 194-I--No liability to deduct tax--Not a case of default by assessee-- ITO v. Indian Newspapers Society (Delhi) . . . 377

----Deduction of tax at source--Failure to deduct tax--Notice under sections 201 and 201(1A) by Assessing Officer for not deducting tax at source on lease premium--Period of limitation under section 201(3)--Finding by Commissioner (Appeals) that order passed beyond period of limitation--Proper-- ITO v. Indian Newspapers Society (Delhi) . . . 377

S. 201(1A) --Deduction of tax at source--Failure to deduct tax--Notice under sections 201 and 201(1A) by Assessing Officer for not deducting tax at source on lease premium--Period of limitation under section 201(3)--Finding by Commissioner (Appeals) that order passed beyond period of limitation--Proper-- ITO v. Indian Newspapers Society (Delhi) . . . 377

Income-tax Rules, 1962 :

R. 10B(1)(c) --International transactions--Arm's length price--Determination--Most appropriate method--Transfer Pricing Officer adopting cost plus method but not taking second and third steps in determination of gross profit mark-up and applying it to results--Order not void ab initio--"Bright line" test applied by Transfer Pricing Officer falls within method prescribed-- Ford India P. Ltd. v. Deputy CIT, Large Taxpayer Unit (Chennai) . . . 456

 


Section 14A/ Rule 8D Disallowance For Specific Loans: ITAT Chennai

Dear Subscriber,

 

The following important judgement is available for download at itatonline.org.


ACIT vs. Best & Crompton Engineering Ltd (ITAT Chennai)


S. 14A/ Rule 8D: Interest on loans for specific taxable purposes to be excluded

In AY 2009-10, the assessee contended that in computing the disallowance to be made u/s 14A and Rule 8D(2)(ii), the interest on bank loans and term loans taken for specific taxable purposes had to be excluded. The AO rejected the claim though the CIT(A) accepted it. On appeal by the department to the Tribunal, HELD:

Rule 8D(2)(ii) refers to expenditure by way of interest which is not directly attributable to any particular income or receipt. If loans have been sanctioned for specific projects/expansion and have been utilized towards the same, then obviously they could not have been utilized for making any investments having tax-free incomes and have to be excluded from the calculation to determine the disallowance under Rule 8D(2)(ii) (Champion Commercial Co. Ltd (ITAT Kol) followed)

Note: In Champion Commercial Co it was held that though the words in Rule 8D(2)(ii) are rigid, they had to be modified in view of the stand taken by the revenue before the Bombay High Court in Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co 328 ITR 81 that any expenditure by way of interest which is directly attributable to any particular income or receipt would be excluded.

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Regards,

 

Editor,

 

itatonline.org

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Latest:

CBI Press Release And Statement Of ITAT Vice President In Response


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Friday, July 26, 2013

CBDT Instruction On Work Allocation Of Departmental Representatives before ITAT


 

Dear Subscriber,


CBDT Instruction On Work Allocation Of Departmental Representatives before ITAT


Vide Instruction No. 09/2013 dated 22.07.2013 the CBDT has laid down the parameters for allocation of work between CIT(DRs) and Senior DRs for representation of the Department before the ITAT. Details have been given of the matters that can be argued by the CIT(DR) and those that can be argued by the Sr. DR.

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Regards,

 

Editor,

 

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Latest:


CIT vs. Agnity India Technologies (Delhi High Court)

Transfer Pricing: Companies with extreme turnover like Infosys are not comparable