ACIT, New Delhi V. Smt. Sonali Pathak, New Delhi

ITA 2499/DEL/2014

• Counselvise Citation: 249920114 RSA 2014
• Duration Of Justice: 1 year(s) 4 month(s) 24 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 17-09-2015
• Appeal Filed By: Department
• Order Result: Dismissed
• Bench Allotted: SMC 1
• Next Hearing Date: 17-09-2015
• Assessment Year: 2003-2004
• Appeal Filed On: 23-04-2014
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: SARABHJIT SINGH
• Keywords: Retrospective amendment; Tax effect

Judgement Text

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL DELHI BENCH SMC - 1 , NEW DELHI BEFORE SH. N. K. SAINI, AM ITA NO. 2499 /DEL/201 4 : ASSTT. YEAR : 2003 - 04 ACIT, CENTRAL CIRCLE - 8, ROOM NO. 356, ARA CENTRE, E - 2, JHANDEWALAN, NEW DELHI VS SMT. SONALI PATHAK, 15, PUSA ROAD, NEW DELHI - 110005 (APPELLANT) (RESPONDENT) PAN NO. A KEPP0168N ASSESSEE BY : SH . SALIL AGARWAL , CA REVENUE BY : SH. SARABHJIT SINGH , DR DATE OF HEARING : 17 .0 9 .2015 DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT : 17.09 .2015 ORDER THIS APPEAL BY THE DEPARTMENT IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE ORDER DATED 29.01.2014 OF LD. CIT (A) - XXXII , NEW DELHI . 2 . DURING THE COURSE OF HEARING, THE LEARNED COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE AT THE VERY OUTSET STATED THAT THE TAX EFFECT IN THIS APPEAL IS LESS THAN RS.4,00,000/ - , THEREFORE, THE DEPARTMENT OUGHT NOT TO HAVE FILED THIS APPEAL IN VIEW OF THE CIRCULAR ISSUED BY THE CBDT AND THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN SECTION 268A OF THE INCOME TAX ACT, 1961 (HEREINAFTER TO BE REFERRED AS THE ACT). ITA NO.2499 /DEL /2014 SONALI PATHAK 2 3 . ON THE OTHER HAND , THE LD. D.R., ALTHOUGH SUPPORTED THE ORDER OF THE ASSESSING OFFICER, BUT COULD NOT CONTROVERT THIS FACT THAT TAX EFFECT IN THIS APPEAL IS LESS THAN RS.4,00,000/ - . 4 . AFTER CONSIDERING THE SUBMISSIONS OF THE LD. D.R. AND THE MATERIAL ON RECORD, IT IS NOT ICED THAT SECTION 268A HAS BEEN INSERTED BY THE FINANCE ACT, 2008 WITH RETROSPECTIVE EFFECT FROM 01/04/99. THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN SECTION 268A READ AS UNDER: 268A. (1) THE BOARD MAY, FROM TIME TO TIME, ISSUE ORDERS, INSTRUCTIONS OR DIRECTIONS TO OTH ER INCOME - TAX AUTHORITIES, FIXING SUCH MONETARY LIMITS AS IT MAY DEEM FIT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF REGULATING FILING OF APPEAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE BY ANY INCOME - TAX AUTHORITY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER. (2) WHERE, IN PURSUANCE OF THE ORDERS, INSTRUCTIONS OR DIRECTIONS ISSUED UNDER SUB - SECTION (1), AN INCOME - TAX AUTHORITY HAS NOT FILED ANY APPEAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE ON ANY ISSUE IN THE CASE OF AN ASSESSEE FOR ANY ASSESSMENT YEAR, IT SHALL NOT PRECLUDE SUCH AUTHORITY FROM FILING AN APP EAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE ON THE SAME ISSUE IN THE CASE OF (A) THE SAME ASSESSEE FOR ANY OTHER ASSESSMENT YEAR; OR ( B ) ANY OTHER ASSESSEE FOR THE SAME OR ANY OTHER ASSESSMENT YEAR. ITA NO.2499 /DEL /2014 SONALI PATHAK 3 (3) NOTWITHSTANDING THAT NO APPEAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE HAS BEEN FILED BY AN INCOME - TAX AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO THE ORDERS OR INSTRUCTIONS OR DIRECTIONS ISSUED UNDER SUB - SECTION (1), IT SHALL NOT BE LAWFUL FOR AN ASSESSEE, BEING A PARTY IN ANY APPEAL OR REFERENCE, TO CONTEND THAT THE INCOME - TAX AUTHORITY HAS ACQUIES CED IN THE DECISION ON THE DISPUTED ISSUE BY NOT FILING AN APPEAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE IN ANY CASE. (4) THE APPELLATE TRIBUNAL OR COURT, HEARING SUCH APPEAL OR REFERENCE, SHALL HAVE REGARD TO THE ORDERS, INSTRUCTIONS OR DIRECTIONS ISSUED UNDER SUB - SECTION (1) AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH SUCH APPEAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE WAS FILED OR NOT FILED IN RESPECT OF ANY CASE. (5) EVERY ORDER, INSTRUCTION OR DIRECTION WHICH HAS BEEN ISSUED BY THE BOARD FIXING MONETARY LIMITS FOR FILING AN APPEAL OR APPLICATION FOR REFERENCE SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN ISSUED UNDER SUB - SECTION (1) AND THE PROVISIONS OF SUB - SECTIONS (2), (3) AND (4) SHALL APPLY ACCORDINGLY. ] 5 . IT IS NOT IN DISPUTE THAT THE BOARD S INSTRUCTION OR DIRECTIONS ISSUED TO THE INCOME - TAX AUTHORITIES ARE BINDING ON THOSE AUTHORITIES, THEREFORE, THE DEPARTMENT OUGHT NOT TO HAVE FILED THE APPEAL IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE SAID PROVISIONS MENTIONED IN SECTION 268A OF THE ACT SINCE THE TAX EFFECT IN THE INSTANT CASE IS LESS THAN THE AMOUNT PRESCR IBED FOR NOT FILING THE APPEAL. ITA NO.2499 /DEL /2014 SONALI PATHAK 4 6 . IT IS NOTICED THAT THE CBDT HAS ISSUED INSTRUCTION NO.5 OF 2014 DATED 10.07.2014, BY WHICH THE CBDT HAS REVISED THE MONETARY LIMIT TO RS. 4,00,000/ - FOR FILING THE APPEAL BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL. 7 . KEEPING IN VIEW THE CBD T INSTRUCTION NO.5 OF 2014 DATED 10.07.2014 AND ALSO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 268A OF INCOME TAX ACT, 1961, I AM OF THE VIEW THAT THE REVENUE SHOULD NOT HAVE FILED THE INSTANT APPEAL BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL. WHILE TAKING SUCH A VIEW, I AM FORTIFIED BY THE F OLLOWING DECISIONS OF HON'BLE PUNJAB & HARYANA HIGH COURT: - 1. CIT V OSCAR LABORATORIES P. LTD (2010) 324 ITR 115 (P&H) 2. CIT V ABINASH GUPTA (2010) 327 ITR 619 (P&H) 3. CIT V VARINDERA CONSTRUCTION CO. (2011) 331 ITR 449 (P&H)(FB) 8 . SIMILARLY THE HON BLE DELHI HIGH COURT IN THE CASE OF CIT V. DELHI RACE CLUB LTD. IN ITA NO.128/2008, ORDER DATED 03.03.2011 BY FOLLOWING THE EARLIER ORDER DATED 02.08.2010 IN ITA NO.179/1991 IN THE CASE OF CIT DELHI - III V. M/S. P.S. JAIN & CO. HELD THAT SUCH CIRCULAR WOULD ALSO BE APPLICABLE TO PENDING CASES. ITA NO.2499 /DEL /2014 SONALI PATHAK 5 9 . FROM THE RATIO LAID DOWN BY THE HON BLE DELHI HIGH COURT, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED IN THE CIRCULARS BY CBDT ARE APPLICABLE FOR PENDING CASES ALSO. THEREFORE, BY KEEPING IN VIEW THE RATIO LAID DOWN IN THE AFORESAID REFERRED TO CASES, I AM OF THE CONSIDERED VIEW THAT INSTRUCTION NO.5/14 DATED 10.07.2014 ISSUED BY THE CBDT ARE APPLICABLE FOR THE PENDING CASES ALSO AND IN THE SAID INSTRUCTIONS, MONETARY TAX LIMIT FOR NOT FILING THE APPEAL BEFORE THE ITAT IS RS . 4.00 LAKHS. 10 . IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, WITHOUT GOING INTO MERITS OF THE CASE, I DISMISS THE APPEAL FILED BY THE REVENUE. 1 1 . IN THE RESULT, APPEAL OF THE REVENUE STAND DISMISSED. (ORDER PRON OUNCED IN THE COURT ON 17/09 /2015). SD/ - (N. K. SAINI) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER DATED: 17/09 /2015 *SUBODH* COPY FORWARDED TO: 1. APPELLANT 2. RESPONDENT 3. CIT 4. CIT(APPEALS) 5. DR: ITAT ASSISTANT REGISTRAR