DCIT 12(2)(2), MUMBAI V. HATHWAY & CABLE & DATACOM LTD., MUMBAI

ITA 3061/MUM/2019

• Counselvise Citation: [2021] 109 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 5296 (ITAT-MUMBAI)
• Duration Of Justice: 1 year(s) 8 month(s) 13 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 22-01-2021
• Appeal Filed By: Department
• Order Result: Dismissed
• Bench Allotted: H
• Assessment Year: 2013-2014
• Appeal Filed On: 09-05-2019
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Department Lawyers: GURBINDER SINGH
• Keywords: Competent authority; Condonation of delay
• Section: 22; 6

Judgement Text

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL MUMBAI BENCH H , MUMBAI BEFORE SHRI RAJESH KUMAR , ACCOUNTANT MEMBER AND SHRI PAVAN KUMAR GADALE, JUDICIAL MEMBER ITA NO. 3061/MUM/2019 : A.Y : 2013 - 14 DY. COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX 12(2)(2), MUMBAI. ( APPELLANT) VS. M/S. HATHWAY CABLE AND DATACOM LIMITED, 4 TH FLOOR, RAHEJAS, CORNER OF MAIN AVENUE & V.P. ROAD, SANTA CRUZ (W), MUMBAI 400064. PAN : AAACC6814B (RESPONDENT) APPELLANT BY : SHRI GURBINDER SINGH RESPONDENT BY : NONE (WITHDRAWAL LETTER DATED 14.01.2021) DATE OF HEARING : 21/01/2021 DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT : 22 /01/2021 O R D E R PER RAJESH KUMAR, AM : THIS APPEAL BY REVENUE IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE ORDER OF LEARNED COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) - 20, MUMBAI (IN SHORT THE CIT(A)) PERTAINING TO ASSESSMENT YEAR 2013 - 14. 2. NONE WAS PRESENT FOR THE ASSESSEE. HOWEVER, THE LEARNED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ASSESSEE HAS FILED A LETTER DATED 14.01.2021 STATING THAT THE ASSESSEE HA S OPTED FOR SOLUTION OF DISPUTE UNDER THE VIVAD SE VISHWAS SCHEME. THE LEARNED DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE DID NOT OBJECT TO THE SAME. 2 ITA NO. 3061 /MUM/20 19 M/S. HATHWAY CABLE AND DATACOM LTD. 3 . WE NOTE THAT IN A SIMILAR SITUATION, HON'BLE MADRAS HIGH COURT HAS IN AN APPEAL IN THE CASE OF M/S. NANNUSAMY MOHAN (HUF) VS ACIT VIDE ORDER DATED 16.10.2020 HELD AS U NDER : - 3. THE LEARNED COUNSEL FOR THE APPELLANT / ASSESSEE, ON INSTRUCTIONS, SUBMITTED THAT THE APPELLANT / ASSESSEE INTENDS TO AVAIL THE BENEFIT OF VIVAD SE VISHWAS SCHEME (VVS SCHEME FOR BREVITY) AND IN THIS REGARD, THE ASSESSEE IS TAKING STEPS TO F ILE THE APPLICATION / DECLARATION IN FORM NO. I. 4. IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY FOR THIS COURT TO DECIDE THE SUBSTANTIAL QUESTIONS OF LAW FRAMED FOR CONSIDERATION ON ACCOUNT OF CERTAIN SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENTS. THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ENACTED THE DIRECT TAX VI VAD SE VISHWAS ACT, 2020 (ACT 3 OF 2020) TO PROVIDE FOR RESOLUTION OF DISPUTED TAX AND FOR MATTERS CONNECTED THEREWITH OR INCIDENTAL THERETO. THE ACT OF THE PARLIAMENT RECEIVED THE ASSENT OF THE PRESIDENT ON 17 TH MARCH 2020 AND PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE OF INDIA ON 17 TH MARCH 2020. 5. IN TERMS OF THE SAID ACT, THE ASSESSEE HAS BEEN GIVEN AN OPTION TO PUT AN END TO THE TAX DISPUTES, WHICH MAY BE PENDING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS EITHER BEFORE THE FIRST APPELLATE AUTHORITY OR BEFORE THE TRIBUNAL OR BEFORE THE HIGH COURT OR BEFORE THE HON'BLE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA. UNDER SECTION 2(J) DISPUTED TAX HAS BEEN DEFINED. IN TERMS OF SECTION 3, WHERE A DECLARANT MEANS A PERSON, WHO FILES A DECLARATION UNDER SECTION 4 ON OR BEFORE THE LAST DATE FILES A DECLARATION TO THE DESIGNATED AUTHORITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 4 IN RESPECT OF TAX ARREARS, THEN, NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING CONTAINED IN THE INCOME TAX ACT OR ANY OTHER LAW FOR THE TIME BEING IN FORCE, THE AMOUNT PAYABLE BY THE DECLARANT SHALL BE DETERMI NED IN TERMS OF SECTION 3(A - C) THEREUNDER. 6. THE FIRST PROVISO TO SECTION 3 STATES THAT IN CASE, WHERE AN APPEAL OR WRIT PETITION OR SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION IS FILED BY THE INCOME TAX AUTHORITY ON ANY ISSUE BEFORE THE APPELLATE FORUM, THE AMOUNT PAYABLE 3 ITA NO. 3061 /MUM/20 19 M/S. HATHWAY CABLE AND DATACOM LTD. SHALL BE ONE - HALF OF THE AMOUNT IN THE TABLE STIPULATED IN SECTION 3 CALCULATED ON SUCH ISSUE, IN SUCH A MANNER AS MAY BE PRESCRIBED. THE SECOND PROVISO DEALS WITH THE CASES, WHERE THE MATTER IS BEFORE THE COMMISSIONER (APPEALS) OR BEFORE THE DISPUTE RESOL UTION PANEL. THE THIRD PROVISO DEALS WITH CASES, WHERE THE ISSUE IS PENDING BEFORE THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL. THE FILING OF THE DECLARATION IS AS PER SECTION 4 OF THE ACT AND THE PARTICULARS TO BE FURNISHED ARE ALSO MENTIONED IN THE SUB SECTIONS OF SECTION 4. SECTION 5 OF THE ACT DEALS WITH THE TIME AND MANNER OF THE PAYMENT AND SECTION 6 DEALS WITH IMMUNITY FROM INITIATION OF PROCEEDINGS IN RESPECT OF OFFENCE AND IMPOSITION OF PENALTY IN CERTAIN CASES. SECTION 9 OF THE ACT DEALS WITH CASES, WHERE T HE ACT 3 OF 2020 WILL NOT BE APPLICABLE. 7. AS OBSERVED, THE ASSESSEE IS GIVEN LIBERTY TO RESTORE THIS APPEAL IN THE EVENT THE ULTIMATE DECISION TO BE TAKEN ON THE DECLARATION TO BE FILED BY THE ASSESSEE UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE SAID ACT IS NOT IN FAVOUR O F THE ASSESSEE. IF SUCH A PRAYER IS MADE, THE REGISTRY SHALL ENTERTAIN THE PRAYER WITHOUT INSISTING UPON ANY APPLICATION TO BE FILED FOR CONDONATION OF DELAY IN RESTORATION OF THE APPEAL AND ON SUCH REQUEST MADE BY THE ASSESSEE BY FILING A MISCELLANEOUS PE TITION FOR RESTORATION, THE REGISTRY SHALL PLACE SUCH PETITION BEFORE THE DIVISION BENCH FOR ORDERS. 8. IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE, WE DIRECT THE APPELLANT / ASSESSEE TO FILE THE FORM NO.I ON OR BEFORE 20.11.2020 AND THE COMPETENT AUTHORITY SHALL PROCESS T HE APPLICATION / DECLARATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACT AND PASS APPROPRIATE ORDERS AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE PREFERABLY WITHIN A PERIOD OF SIX (6) WEEKS FROM THE DATE ON WHICH THE DECLARATION IS FILED IN THE PROPER FORM. ACCORDINGLY, RESPECTFULLY FOL LOWING THE ABOVE AND NOTING THE FACT THAT THE ASSESSEE IS OPTING FOR RESOLUTION OF DISPUTE UNDER VIVAD SE VISHW AS SCHEME IN THE PRESENT APPEAL , WE DISMISS THE APPEAL. 4 ITA NO. 3061 /MUM/20 19 M/S. HATHWAY CABLE AND DATACOM LTD. 4 . THE REVENUE IS GIVEN LIBERTY FOR RESTORATION OF APPEAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH PARAGRAPH 7 OF THE HON'BLE HIGH COURT ORDER AS ABOVE. 5 . IN THE RESULT, THE APPEAL BY THE REVENUE IS DISMISSED . ORDER PRONOUNCED IN THE OPEN COURT ON 2 2 N D JANUARY, 202 1. SD/ - SD/ - ( PAVAN KUMAR GADALE ) JUDICIAL MEMBER (RAJESH KUMAR) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER MUMBAI, DATE : 2 2 N D JANUARY, 20 21 *SSL* COPY TO : 1) THE APPELLANT 2) THE RESPONDENT 3) THE CIT(A) CONCERNED 4) THE CIT CONCERNED 5) THE D.R, H BENCH, MUMBAI 6) GUARD FILE BY ORDER DY./ASSTT. REGISTRAR I.T.A.T, MUMBAI