SAMARTH LIFTERS P.LTD, THANE V. ADDL CIT RG 3, THANE

ITA 1781/MUM/2015

• Counselvise Citation: [2017] 126 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 7955 (ITAT-MUMBAI)
• Duration Of Justice: 2 year(s) 8 month(s) 13 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 08-12-2017
• Appeal Filed By: Assessee
• Order Result: Allowed
• Bench Allotted: E
• Assessment Year: 2011-2012
• Appeal Filed On: 26-03-2015
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: V JUSTIN
• Assessee Lawyers: SUBODH RATNAPARAKHI
• Keywords: Depreciation
• Section: 143(3); 32

Judgement Text

, , IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL E , BENCH MUMBAI BEFORE SHRI R.C.SHARMA, AM & SHRI RAM LAL NEGI , JM ./ ITA NO. 1781 / MUM/20 1 5 ( / ASSESSMENT YEAR : 2011 - 12 ) SAMARTH LIFT ERS PVT. LTD. OPP. ANAND NAGAR, OCTROI NAKA, NAYAN BUILDING, NEXT TO MAA NIKETAN SCHOOL, EASTER EXPRESS HIGHWAY KOPRI, THANE (W), PIN 400 603 VS. ADDL. CIT, RANGE - 3, THANE 6 TH FLOOR, ASHAR I.T.PARK, ROAD NO.16Z, WAGALE IND. ESTATE, THANE (W) PIN - 40 0604 ./ ./ PAN/GIR NO. : AACCS6646K ( / APPELLANT ) .. ( / RESPONDENT ) /ASSESSEE BY : SHRI SUBODH RATNA PARAKHI /REVENUE BY : SHRI V. JUSTIN / DATE OF HEARING : 07.11 .2017 / DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT 08 . 12 . 2017 / O R D E R PER R.C.SHARMA (A.M) : THIS IS AN APPEAL FILED BY THE ASSESSEE AGAINST THE ORDER OF CIT(A) - 2 MUMBAI, DATED 16.01.2015 , FOR THE ASSESSMENT YEAR 20 1 1 - 12 , IN THE MATTER OF ORDER PASSED U/S. 143(3) OF THE I.T. ACT. 2. THE ONLY GRIEVANCE OF ASSESSEE RELATES TO DISALLOWANCE OF DEPRECIATION ON CRAWLER CRANES AND DOZERS @ 30%. 3. RIVAL CONTENTIONS HAVE BEEN HEARD AND RECORD PERUSED. ITA NO 1781/M/2015 2 4. THE FACTS IN BRIEF ARE THAT THE ASSES SEE IS ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING VEHICLES LIKE CRAWLER CRANES, DOZERS ETC. ON HIRE . DURING THE COURSE OF SCRUTINY ASSESSMENT THE AO DISALLOWED THE DEPRECIATION TO THE EXTENT OF RS.9,18,44,052/ - HOLDING THAT CRAWLER CRANES AND DOZERS WERE PLANT AND MACHINERY ENTITLED FOR DEPRECIATION @ 15% AND NOT @ 30% AS CLAIMED BY THE ASSESSEE. THE ASSESSEE HAS CLAIMED THESE VEHICLES TO BE MOTOR LORRIES USED IN THE BUSINESS OF RUNNING THEM ON HIRE AND THEREFORE ENTITLED FOR HIGHER DEPRECIATION. THE HONBLE CIT(A) HAS CONFIRMED THE DISALLOWANCE. 5. AT THE OUTSET LEARNED AR PLACED ON RECORD THE ORDER OF ITAT, MUMBAI BENCH IN ASSESSEES OWN CASE IN ITA NO.430/M/2002 DATED 20.12.2004 FOR THE A.Y.1998 - 99 WHEREIN TRIBUNAL HAS ALLOWED HIGHER DEPRECIATION @ 40% (TH EN PREVAILING RATE) HOLDING CRANES TO BE MOTOR VEHICLES AND NOT PLANT AND MACHINERY. IT WAS FURTHER SUBMITTED THAT THE REVENUE HAD FILED APPEAL BEFORE THE HONBLE HIGH COURT BUT REQUESTED FOR WITHDRAWAL AND THEREFORE THE HONBLE HIGH COURT DISMISSED THE A PPEAL. THE ORDER OF THE HONBLE TRIBUNAL GRANTING HIGHER DEPRECIATION ON CRANES IN THE ASSESSEE S OWN CASE THEREFORE BECAME FINAL. COP IES OF THE RELEVANT ORDERS ARE ALSO PLACED ON RECORD. 6. WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THE ORDERS TO THE AUTHORITIES BELOW AS WEL L AS THE ORDER OF ITAT AND HONBLE HIGH COURT WHEREIN APPEAL FILED BY THE REVENUE IS DISMISSED AS WITHDRAWN. ON MERITS, AS PER ENTRY III(3)(II) OF PART A OF APPENDIX I TO I.T.RULES 1962, MOTOR BUSES, MOTOR LORRIES AND MOTOR TAXIES USED IN A BUSINESS OF RU NNING THEM ON HIRE ARE ENTITLED FOR ITA NO 1781/M/2015 3 DEPR ECIATION @ 30%. (NEW APPENDIX IT APPEARS AT PG. NO. 82 TO 89 OF COMPENDIUM SEPARATELY SUBMITTED). FROM THE RECORD WE FOUND THAT T HE ASSESSEE OWNS SEVERAL TRANSPORT VEHICLES WHICH ARE GIVEN ON HIRE AND IN RESPECT OF WHICH DEPRECIATION IS CLAIMED @ 30% AS PER THE ABOVE REFERRED ENTRY. CRAWLER CRANES AND DOZERS ARE PART OF SUCH TRANSPORT VEHICLES, IN RESPECT OF WHICH DEPRECIATION IS CLAIMED @ 30%. THE LD. AO/HONBLE CIT(A) HAVE HELD CRAWLER CRANES / DOZERS TO BE PLAN T & MACHINERY ENTITLED FOR DEPRECIATION @ 15% AND NOT MOTOR VEHICLES ENTITLED FOR DEPRECIATION @ 40%. 7. SO FAR AS NATURE OF ASSETS IS CONCERNED WE FOUND THAT A CRAWLER CRANE IS A CRANE HAVING A POWER PLANT LIKE A MOTOR VEHICLE WHICH RUNS MOSTLY ON A DIESE L ENGINE WHICH SUFFICIENT POWER / TORGUE AND OTHER FEATURES OF A MOTOR VEHICLE LIKE COOLING SYSTEMS, STARTER, RADIATOR, THROTTLE WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL TANK CAPACITY. NORMALLY, THE CRAWLER CRANE HAS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM, BOOM HOISTING SYSTEM, LOAD HOIST SYSTEM, SWING SYSTEM, ENCLOSED OR OPEN CAB WITH LOWER STRUCTURE OPERATING ON A CRAWLER BELT. THE CRAWLER CRANE IS CAPABLE OF MOVING ON ITS OWN ACCORD ON SURFACE AREAS. A DOZER IS A CONTINUOUS TRACKED TRACTOR TYPE VEHICLE USED TO MOVE LARGE QUANTITIES OF SAND, R UBBLE ETC. FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. A DOZER ALSO HAS ENGINE WITH REGULAR POWER PLANT TO HELP IT MOVE ON ITS OWN ACCORD ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER. 8. AS PER OUR CONSIDERED VIEW REGISTRATION IS NOT MANDATORY FOR CLAIMING DEPRECIATION. THE TERM MOTOR VEHICLE H AS NOT BEEN DEFINED UNDER THE INCOME TAX ACT 1961. ACCORDINGLY, WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE ITA NO 1781/M/2015 4 DEFINITION OF THE SAID TERM AS CONTAINED IN SEC. 2(28) OF THE MOTOR VEHICLES ACT 1988. THE TERM MOTOR VEHICLE AS PER THE SAID ACT READS AS UNDER. SEC.2(28) MOTOR V EHICLES, OR VEHICLE MEANS ANY MECHANICALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE ADOPTED FOR USE UPON ROADS WHETHER THE POWER OF PROPULSION IS TRANSMITTED THERETO FROM AN EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL SOURCE AND INCLUDES A CHASSIS TO WHICH A BODY HAS NOT BEEN ATTACHED AND A TRAILER ; BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE A VEHICLE RUNNING UPON FIXED RAILS OR A VEHICLES OF A SPECIAL TYPE ADAPTED FOR USE ONLY IN A FACTORY OR IN ANY OTHER ENCLOSED PREMISES OR A VEHICLE HAVING LESS THAN 4 WHEELS FITTED WITH ENGINE CAPACITY OF NOT EXCEEDING TWENTY FIVE CU BIC CENTIMETRES. 9. THE TERM USED IN ABOVE DEFINITION IS OF A MECHANICALLY PROPELLED VEHICLE ADAPTED FOR USE UPON ROAD......... THUS, IF A VEHICLE IS CAPABLE OF BEING RUN ON ROAD (ADAPTED) THEN IT IS SUFFICIENT TO CATEGORIZE SUCH VEHICLE AS A MOTOR VEH ICLE. (COPY OF RELEVANT PAGE OF MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988 IS ENCLOSED AT PG NO.90&90 OF PAPER BOOK SO FILED BEFORE US ). REGISTRATION OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACT, 1988 IS NOT THE REQUIREMENT FOR CLAIMING HIGHER DEPRECIATION. APPENDIX I OF IT RULES OR SECTION 32 OF THE I.T.ACT 1961 DOES NOT MANDATE THAT A VEHICLE SHOULD BE REGISTERED UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988 FOR CLAIMING HIGHER DEPRECIATION. 10. THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF I.C.D.S. LTD. VS. CIT, 350 ITR 0527 (SC) (2013) HAS HELD THAT DEPRECIATION U/S.32 COULD NOT BE DENIED FOR THE REASON THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE ITA NO 1781/M/2015 5 ASSESSEE UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACT. SIMILAR VIEW IS TAKEN BY THE JURISDICTIONAL HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF CIT VS. DILIP SINGH SARDARS INGH BAGGA, 201 ITR 0995 (BOMBAY HIGH COURT)(1994). 11. ACCORDINGLY, RELIANCE OF THE AO/HON. CIT (A) OF CRAWLER CRANES / DOZERS NOT HOLDING PERMANENT REGISTRATION UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988 IS MISPLACED FOR DECLINING HIGHER CLAIM OF DEPRECIATION. 1 2. THE CRAWLER CRANES / DOZERS WERE NOT PERMANENTLY REGISTERED UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988 DUE TO THE FACT THAT THESE VEHICLES THROUGH CAPABLE ARE NOT PILED ON PUBLIC ROADS. THE VEHICLES ARE DEPLOYED IN PORT / FACTORY PREMISES AND THEREFORE DO NOT REQUIRE PERMANENT REGISTRATION UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988. IN THE COURSE OF ASST. P ROCEEDINGS, IT WAS FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CRAWLER CRANES WERE NOT REGISTERED WITH ROAD TRANSPORT AUTHORITIES DIRECTLY, IN CERTAIN STATES, IT WAS REQ UIRED TO PAY VEHICLE TAX BY OBTAINING TEMPORARY PERMIT FOR THE PERIOD OF ITS OPERATION IN THE STATE. THE LD. AO UNFORTUNATELY HAS ASSUMED SUCH PAYMENTS TO BE IN THE NATURE OF TEMPORARY ENTRY TAX. THE TRANSPORT VEHICLES IN GUJARAT ARE GOVERNED OF BOMBAY M OTOR VEHICLE TAX ACT 1958 WHICH EXTENDS TO THE WHOLE STATE OF GUJARAT. THE FEES PAID FOR TEMPORARY PERMITS ISSUED BY GUJARAT MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT PERMITTED OPERATION OF THE CRAWLER CRANES ON PUBLIC ROADS ALSO FOR THE GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME. THE ASSUMPT ION MADE BY THE LD.AO THAT SUCH FEES ARE SOME SORT OF ENTRY TAX IS FACTUALLY IN - CORRECT. THE COPES OF RTO TAX PAID RECEIPTS FOR CRAWLER CRANES TO OPERATE IN GUJARAT ARE AT PG NOS. 12 TO 18 OF PAPER BOOK. A CERTIFICATE FROM GOVT. APPROVED RTO CONSULTANT, M/S.SAMA AUTO ITA NO 1781/M/2015 6 CONSULTANT EXPLAINING THE NATURE OF TAX PAID APPEARS AT PG. NO.19 OF PAPER BOOK. IT IS THUS THE CASE THAT UNDER THE BOMBAY VEHICLE TAX ACT, 1958, THE CRAWLER CRANES OWNED BY THE APPELLANT ARE RECOGNISED AS HEAVY MOTOR VEHICLES. 13. THE LD. A O IN THE A SSTT. ORDER HAS FURTHER DISCUSSED THE TYPE OF WORK CARRIED OUT BY CRANES AND ARRIVED AT THE CONCLUSION THAT CRANES UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACT COULD NOT BE TERMED AS MOTOR LORRY ENTITLED FOR DEPRECIATION @ 30%. IN THE SAID RE GARDS, WE OBSERVE THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE EACH AND EVERY TYPE OF VEHICLE IN THE DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE. DUE TO RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION, THE VARIOUS TYPES OF MACHINES USED IN TRANSPORT BUSINESS ARE INCREASING DAY AFTER DAY WITH EACH MACHINE CARRY ING OUT A PARTICULAR TYPE OF ACTIVITY IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER. THESE MACHINES DO NOT FIND DIRECT REPRESENTATION IN THE DEPRECIATION SCHEDULE. IN SUCH SITUATION, THE FUNCTIONAL SIMILARLY WITH THE NATURE OF ACTIVITY PERFORMED BY THE LISTED MACHINE HAS T O BE DONE TO DETERMINE UNDER WHAT CATEGORY A PARTICULAR MACHINE WOULD FALL. 14. WE ALSO FOUND THAT CBDT VIDE INSTRUCTION NO.617 DATED 13.09.1973 HAS EVEN INCLUDED FORKLIFT IN THE CATEGORY OF MOTOR VEHICLE ENTITLED FOR HIGHER DEPRECIATION OF 30%. THE HON . SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF CHAIRMAN RAJASTHAN STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORP AND OTHER - VS - SANTOSH AND OTHERS 7 SCC 94 (SC)(2013) HAVE ANALYZED THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM MOTOR VEHICLE TO HOLD EVEN A TRACTOR TO BE MOTOR VEHICLE AS IT IS CAPABLE OF BEING ADAP TED TO RUN ON PUBLIC ROADS. ITA NO 1781/M/2015 7 15. THIS ISSUE OF CRANES BEING ENTITLED FOR DEPRECIATION AS A MOTOR LORRY HAS BEEN EXAMINED IN SEVERAL JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS INCLUDING IN THE APPELLANTS OWN CASE FOR A.Y.1998 - 99. THE DECISIONS RELIED UPON ARE AS UNDER. (I) DCIT VS. SAMARATH LIFTERS PVT. LTD., ITA NO.430/M/02 , HON . MEMBERS G BENCH ITAT, MUMBAI DATED 20.12.2004 FOR A.Y.1998 - 99. (II) CIT VS. SAMARTH LIFTERS PVT. LTD., ITA NO.127 OF 2006 (BOMBAY HIGH COURT) DATED 15.12.2008 DISMISSAL OF APPEAL FOR A.Y.1998 - 99. (III) SHETHIA ER ECTORS & MATERIALS HANDLERS PVT. LTD., ITA NO.7254/MUM/97, HON. MEMBERS, A BENCH, ITAT MUMBAI DATED 08.01.2001. (IV) DCIT VS. MITESH L. SHETHIA, ITA NO.2638/MUM/1999, HON. MEMBERS SMC - IV BENCH ITAT, MUMBAI DATED 14.02.2001 (THE ISSUE OF CRAWLER CRANE IS COV ERED HERE). (V) CROWN HIRING VS. ITO, ITA NO.3799/BOM/1991, HON. MEMBERS, C BENCH ITAT, MUMBAI DATED 09.02.1998. (VI) GUJCO CARRIERS VS. CIT, 256 ITR 0050 GUJARAT (2002) (VII) SANCO TRANS LTD. VS. ACIT, 61 ITD 0317 MADRAS (1997) (THAT CRAWLER CRANE IS A VEHICLE AND NOT PLANT & MACHINERY IS DECIDED). (VIII) CIT VS. GALORD CONSTRUCTIONS, 190 TAXMAN 0406 (KERALA)(2010) (IX) SANGHVI MOVERS (P) LTD. VS. DCIT, 110 ITD 001 (PUNE) (2008) (X) FIS LOGISTIC P. LTD. VS. ACIT, 61 SOT 24 (KOLKATA ) (2014). ITA NO 1781/M/2015 8 (XI) ANSARI HOLDING & INVESTMENT (P) LTD. VS. DCI T, 12 SOT 0438 (HYDERABAD)(2007). (XII) JOHN ENERGY LTD. VS. DCIT, 154 ITD 0451 (AHMEDABAD)(2015) (XIII) CHAIRMAN RAJASTHAN STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORP. & OTHERS - VS SANTOSH & OTHERS, 7 SCC 94 (SC) (2013) 16. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERING JUDICIAL PRONO UNCEMENTS AS QUOTED ABOVE WE DO NOT FIND ANY MERIT IN ACTION OF LOWER AUTHORITIES FOR DECLINING HIGHER CLAIM OF DEPRECIATION AT 30% ON CRAWLER CRANES AND DOZERS. 1 7 . IN THE RESULT, APPEAL OF THE ASSESSEE IS ALLOWED . O RDER PRONOUNCED IN THE OPEN COURT ON TH IS 08 .12. 201 7 . S D/ - ( RAM LAL NEGI ) SD/ - ( R.C.SHARMA ) / JUDICIAL MEMBER / ACCOUNTANT MEMBER MUMBAI ; DATED 08 . 1 2 . 2017 MP / COPY OF THE ORDER FORWARDED TO : / BY ORDER, / ( ASSTT. REGISTRAR) , / ITAT, MUMBAI 1. / THE APPELLANT 2. / THE RESPONDENT. 3. ( ) / THE CIT(A), MUMBAI. 4. / CIT 5. , , / DR, ITAT, MUMBAI 6. / GUARD FILE. //TRUE COPY//