ITA NO. 7305/MUM/2019 A.Y. 2006 - 07 THE DCIT, CIRCLE 7(1)(2) VS. M/S HINDUJA GROUP LTD. 1 IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL MUMBAI BENCH H MUMBAI BEFORE SHRI RAJESH KUMAR (ACCOUNTANT MEMBER) AND SHRI RAVISH SOOD (JUDICIAL MEMBER) ITA NO. 7305/MUM/2019 [ASSESSMENT YEAR: 2006 - 07] THE DCIT, CIRCLE - 7(1)(2) , ROOM NO. 126 , 1 ST FLOOR, AAYAKAR BHAVAN, M.K. ROAD, MUMBAI 400 020 VS. M/S HINDUJA GROUP LIMITED HINDUJA HOUSE, 171, DR. ANNIE BESANT ROAD, WORLI, MUMBAI - 400018 PAN NO. AAACI3370C REVENUE ASSESSEE REVENUE BY : SHRI GURBINDER SINGH , D.R ASSESSEE BY : SHRI RUTURAJ GURJAR, A.R DATE OF HEARING : 09/06 /2021 DATE O F PRONOUNCEMENT : 09 /06 /202 1 ORDER PER RAVISH SOOD(JM): THE PRESENT APPEAL FILED BY THE REVENUE IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE ORDER PASSED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (APPEALS) - 13 , MUMBAI [FOR SHORT CIT(A)] DATED 05.09.2019 , WHICH IN TURN ARISES FROM THE ORDER PASSED BY THE A.O UNDER SEC.143(3) R.W.S 147 OF T HE ACT, DATED 29.11.2013. 2. CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES (CBDT) VIDE CIRCULAR NO. 17/2019 DATED 08.08.2019 HAS AMENDED CIRCULAR NO. 3/2018 DATED 11.07.2018 FOR FURTHER ENHANCEMENT OF MONETARY LIMIT FOR FILING OF APPEALS BY THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE THE ITAT, HIGH COURTS AND SLPS/APPEALS BEFORE SUPREME COURT AS MEASURES FOR REDUCING LITIGATION. 3. CBDT VIDE CIRCULAR NO. 3/2018 DATED 11.07.2018 HAS SPECIFIED THAT APPEALS SHALL NOT BE FILED BEFORE THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL (ITAT) IN CASES WHERE THE TAX EFFECT DOES NOT EXCEED THE M ONETARY LIMIT OF RS.20,00,000/ - . FOR THIS PURPOSE, TAX EFFECT MEANS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TAX ON THE TOTAL INCOME ASSESSED AND THE TAX THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN CHARGEABLE HAD SUCH TOTAL INCOME BEEN REDUCED BY THE AMOUNT OF INCOME IN RESPECT OF ISSUES AG AINST WHICH APPEAL IS INTENDED TO BE FILED. FURTHER, TAX EFFECT SHALL BE TAXES INCLUDING APPLICABLE SURCHARGE AND CESS. HOWEVER, THE TAX WILL NOT INCLUDE ANY INTEREST THEREON, EXCEPT WHERE CHARGEABILITY OF INTEREST ITSELF IS IN DISPUTE. IN CASE THE ITA NO. 7305/MUM/2019 A.Y. 2006 - 07 THE DCIT, CIRCLE 7(1)(2) VS. M/S HINDUJA GROUP LTD. 2 CHARG EABILITY OF INTEREST IS THE ISSUE UNDER DISPUTE, THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST SHALL BE THE TAX EFFECT. IN CASES WHERE RETURNED LOSS IS REDUCED OR ASSESSED AS INCOME, THE TAX EFFECT WOULD INCLUDE NOTIONAL TAX ON DISPUTED ADDITIONS. IN CASE OF PENALTY ORDER, THE T AX EFFECT WILL MEAN QUANTUM OF PENALTY DELETED OR REDUCED IN THE ORDER TO BE APPEALED AGAINST. AT PARA 13 OF THE ABOVE CIRCULAR, IT HAS BEEN MENTIONED THAT: 13. THIS CIRCULAR WILL APPLY TO SLPS/APPEALS/CROSS OBJECTION/REFERENCES TO BE FILED HENCEFORTH IN SC/HCS/TRIBUNAL AND IT SHALL ALSO APPLY RETROSPECTIVELY TO PENDING SLPS/APPEALS/CROSS OBJECTIONS/REFERENCES. PENDING APPEALS BELOW THE SPECIFIED TAX LIMITS IN PARA 3 ABOVE MAY BE WITHDRAWN/NOT PRESSED. 4. AS A STEP TOWARDS FURTHER MANAGEMENT OF LITIGAT ION, CBDT VIDE CIRCULAR NO. 17/2019 HAS FIXED THE MONETARY LIMIT FOR FILING OF APPEALS BEFORE ITAT AT RS.50,00,000/ - . 5. IN THE INSTANT APPEAL FILED BY THE DEPARTMENT, THE TAX EFFECT INVOLVED IS BELOW THE MONETARY LIMIT OF RS.50,00,000/ - . THE SAID FACT AS WAS BROUGHT TO OUR NOTICE BY T HE LD. COUNSEL FOR THE ASSESSEE WAS CONFRONTED TO THE LD. DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE (DR). 6. BEFORE US, THE LD. DR SUBMITS THAT LIBERTY MAY KINDLY BE GIVEN TO RAISE, AFTER NECESSARY FURTHER VERIFICATION, AND TO SEEK RECALL THE DISMISSAL OF APPEAL AND RESTORATION OF THE APPEAL IN CASE IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT THE APPEAL IS COVERED BY THE EXCEPTIONS. 7. WE AGREE WITH THE ABOVE CONTENTIONS OF THE LD. DR AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THE APPELLANT SHALL BE AT LIBERTY TO POINT OUT THE EXCEP TIONS AND WE WILL TAKE APPROPRIATE REMEDIAL MEASURES IN THIS REGARD. 8. WITH THE ABOVE OBSERVATIONS, THE APPEAL INVOLVING TAX EFFECT OF LESS THAN RS.50,00,000/ - IS DISMISSED. ORDER PRONOUN CED IN THE OPEN COURT ON 09 /06/2021 . SD/ - SD/ - ( RAJESH KUMAR ) (RAVISH SOOD) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER JUDICIAL MEMBER MUMBAI ; DATED: 09 /06/2021 ** *PS: ROHIT ITA NO. 7305/MUM/2019 A.Y. 2006 - 07 THE DCIT, CIRCLE 7(1)(2) VS. M/S HINDUJA GROUP LTD. 3 COPY OF THE ORDER FORWARDED TO : 1. THE APPELLANT 2. THE RESPONDENT. 3. THE CIT(A) - 4. CIT 5. DR, ITAT, MUMBAI 6. GUARD FILE . BY ORDER, //TRUE COPY// (SR. PRIVATE SECRETARY) ITAT, MUMBAI