ICMC Projects Private Limited , Delhi V. ITD , CPC, Bengaluru

ITA 1362/DEL/2021

• Counselvise Citation: [2022] 105 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 7902 (ITAT-DELHI)
• Duration Of Justice: 4 month(s) 20 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 24-02-2022
• Appeal Filed By: Assessee
• Order Result: Allowed
• Bench Allotted: G
• Assessment Year: 2013-2014
• Appeal Filed On: 04-10-2021
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Keywords: TDS
• Section: 234E; 200A; 192

Judgement Text

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL DELHI BENCH ‘G’, NEW DELHI Before Sh. Saktijit Dey, Judicial Member Dr. B. R. R. Kumar, Accountant Member (Through Video Conferencing) Sl. No. ITA/IT(SS)A/ CO No. Appellant Respondent A.Y. Assessee by 1. 1361/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2013-14 None 2. 1362/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2013-14 None 3. 1363/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2013-14 None 4. 1364/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2013-14 None 5. 1365/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2013-14 None 6. 1366/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2013-14 None 7. 1367/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None ITA Nos.1361/Del/2021 & Ors. Cases 2 8. 1368/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 9. 1369/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 10. 1370/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 11. 1371/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 12. 1372/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 13. 1373/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 14. 1374/Del/2021 ICMC Projects Pvt. Ltd., WA-121, 106, Rohini Complex, New Delhi-110092 PAN-AACI7969R ITD, CPC, Bengaluru Karnataka 2014-15 None 15. 749/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. 16. 750/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. ITA Nos.1361/Del/2021 & Ors. Cases 3 New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A 17. 751/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. 18. 752/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. 19. 753/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. 20. 754/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. 21. 755/Del/2021 Industrial Conveyors Pvt. Ltd., C/o Pavan Maheshwari & Co., CA, DP-183, Maurya Enclave Pitampura, New Delhi-110034 PAN-AAACI3306A ACIT(CPC- TDS), Ghaziabad 2013-14 Sh. Sumit Goel, Adv. ITA Nos.1361/Del/2021 & Ors. Cases 4 Revenue by : Shri Umesh Takyar, Sr. DR Date of Hearing: 23.02.2022 Date of Pronouncement: 25.02.2022 ORDER Per Dr. B. R. R. Kumar, Accountant Member: All the above mentioned cases deal with the similar issue involving varying amounts, hence are being adjudicated by a common order. 2. The ACIT/ITD(TDS-CPC) issued notice for payment of late fee u/s 200A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for delay in filing of quarterly TDS statement for fourth quarter for the financial years 2013-14 & for all the quarters of F.Y. 2014-15 and in all the cases for the quarter ending prior to 01.06.2015. 3. The First Appellate Authorities have held that the fee was leviable u/s 200A for filing of returns. 4. The provisions of 200A(1)(c) inserted by the Finance Act 2015 w.e.f. 01.06.2015 reads as under: “200A. (1) Where a statement of tax deduction at source or a correction statement has been made by a person deducting any sum (hereafter referred to in this section as deductor) under section 200, such statement shall be processed in the following manner, namely:— (a) the sums deductible under this Chapter shall be computed after making the following adjustments, namely:— (i) any arithmetical error in the statement; or ITA Nos.1361/Del/2021 & Ors. Cases 5 (ii) an incorrect claim, apparent from any information in the statement; (b) the interest, if any, shall be computed on the basis of the sums deductible as computed in the statement; (c) the fee, if any, shall be computed in accordance with the provisions of section 234E;” 5. In the absence of any machinery provisions to charge the late fee u/s 200A, the issue of levy of fee u/s 234E which was introduced w.e.f. 01.06.2015 has been examined in the context of its applicability whether retrospective or prospective. 6. The Hon’ble Karnataka High Court in case of Fatehraj Singhvi & Ors. vs. UOI & Ors. 2016 (9) TMI 964 is in favour of the assessee holding that the amendments brought in statute w.e.f. 01.06.2015 are prospective in nature and as such, notices issued u/s 200A of the Act for computation and intimation of payment of late filing fee u/s 234E of the Act relating to the period of tax deduction prior to 01.06.2015 was not maintainable. 7. At the same time, the Hon’ble Gujarat High Court in case of Rajesh Kourani vs. UOI (2017) 83 taxmann.com 137 has decided the issue against the assessee. 8. Under these circumstances, we are of the considered view that the decision rendered by Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Vegetable products Limited 88 ITR 192 (SC) pronouncing that, when there are conflicting decisions the view taken in favour of the assessee should be followed is relevant to ITA Nos.1361/Del/2021 & Ors. Cases 6 adjudication of the matter before us. Hence, the impugned order passed by the First Appellate Authorities confirming the late fee levied by the AO u/s 200A read with section 234E in all the cases wherein the defaults were prior to 01.06.2015 is not sustainable in the eyes of law. 9. As a result, the fee levied u/s 234E is hereby ordered to be deleted. 10. In the result, the appeals of the assessee are allowed Order Pronounced in the Open Court on 25/02/2022. Sd/- Sd/- (Saktijit Dey) (Dr. B. R. R. Kumar) Judicial Member Accountant Member Dated: 25/02/2022 * Subodh Kumar, Sr. PS* Copy forwarded to: 1. Appellant 2. Respondent 3. CIT 4. CIT(Appeals) 5. DR: ITAT ASSISTANT REGISTRAR