ITO, Wd-2(3), Kolkata, Kolkata V. M/s Jalan Cement Works Ltd., Kolkata

ITA 761/KOL/2014

• Counselvise Citation: [2017] 128 COUNSELVISE.COM (IT) 1771 (ITAT-KOLKATA)
• Duration Of Justice: 3 year(s) 29 day(s)
• Appeal Type: Income Tax Appeal
• Pronouncement Date: 24-05-2017
• Appeal Filed By: Department
• Order Result: Dismissed
• Bench Allotted: A
• Next Hearing Date: 18-05-2017
• Assessment Year: 2009-2010
• Appeal Filed On: 25-04-2014
• Result in Favour of: Assessee
• Court: TRIBUNAL
• Assessee Lawyers: MIRAJ D SHAH AR SHRI SALLONG
• Keywords: Earning of tax free income
• Section: 143(3); 14A; 115JB

Judgement Text

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL KOLKATA BENCH A KOLKATA BEFORE SHRI P.M.JAGTAP, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER AND SHRI ABY T.VARKEY, JUDICIAL MEMBER ITA NO. 761 /KOL/ 2014 & ASSESSMENT YEAR:2009-10 ITO WARD-2(3), AAYKAR BHWAN, 7 TH FLOOR, P-7, CHOWRINGHEE SQUARE, KOLKATA-69 / V/S . M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LTD., 81, N.S.ROAD, 2 ND FLOOR, ROOM NO202, KOLKATA-700001 [ PAN NO.AAACJ 6788 R ] /APPELLANT .. /RESPONDENT C.O. NO.66/KOL/2014 (A/O ITA NO.761/KOL/2014) ASSESSMENT YEAR:2009-10 M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LTD., 81, N.S.ROAD, 2 ND FLOOR, ROOM NO202, KOLKATA-700001 / V/S . ITO WARD-2(3), AAYKAR BHAWAN, 7 TH FLOOR, P-7, CHOWRINGHEE SQUARE, KOLKATA-69 CO-OBJECTOR .. /RESPONDENT /BY ASSESSEE SHRI MIRAJ D SHAH, AR /BY REVENUE SHRI SALLONG YADEN, ADDL. CIT-DR /DATE OF HEARING 18-05-2017 /DATE OF PRONOUNCEMENT 24-05-2017 /O R D E R PER P.M.JAGTAP, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER:- THIS APPEAL IS PREFERRED BY REVENUE AGAINST THE OR DER OF CIT(APPEALS)-I, KOLKATA DATED 18.12.2013 AND THE SAME IS BEING DISP OSED OF ALONG WITH CROSS OBJECTION (CO) FILED BY THE ASSESSEE BEING CO NO. 66/KOL/2014 . ITA NO.761/KOL/2014 & CO 66/KOL/2014 A.Y. 2009-1 0 ITO WD-2(3) KOL. VS. M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LT D. PAGE 2 2. THE SOLITARY ISSUE INVOLVED IN THE APPEAL OF THE REVENUE RELATES TO THE DELETION BY THE CIT(APPEALS) OF THE DISALLOWANCE OF 46,90,495/- MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER U/S 14A OF THE INCOME TAX ACT, 1961 (HEREI NAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE ACT) TO THE EXTENT OF 38,82,080. 3. THE ASSESSEE IN THE PRESENT CASE IS A COMPANY WH ICH IS ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF DEALING IN SHARES AND FINANCING. THE RETURN OF I NCOME FOR THE YEAR UNDER CONSIDERATION WAS FILED BY IT ON 25.09.2009 DECLARI NG TOTAL INCOME AT NIL UNDER THE NORMAL PROVISIONS OF THE ACT AND BOOK PROFIT AT 3,45,410/- U/S. 115JB OF THE ACT. IN THE SAID RETURN, THE DIVIDEND INCOME OF 18,06,644/- EARNED ON SHARE WAS CLAIMED TO BE EXEMPT BY THE ASSESSEE. HOWEVER, NO DISALLOWANCE ON ACCOUNT OF EXPENDITURE INCURRED IN RELATION TO THE SAID EXEMPT INCOME WAS MADE BY THE ASSESSEE AS REQUIRED BY THE PROVISION OF SEC. 14A OF THE ACT. THE AO, TH EREFORE WORKED OUT SUCH EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE ASSESSEE IN RELATION TO THE EARNING OF EXEMPT INCOME AT 62,16,051/- BY APPLYING RULE 8D OF THE INCOME TAX RULE, 1962. H OWEVER, KEEPING IN VIEW THAT THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE INCURRED BY THE ASSESSEE INCL UDING THE INTEREST WAS ONLY TO THE EXTENT OF 46,96,495/-, THE AO MADE A DISALLOWANCE OF 46,90,495/- U/S. 14A OF THE ACT IN THE ASSESSMENT COMPLETED U/S. 143(3) OF THE ACT VIDE AN ORDER ON 27.12.2011. 4. AGAINST THE ORDER PASSED BY U/S. 143(3), AN APPE AL WAS PREFERRED BY ASSESSEE BEFORE CIT(APPEALS) DISPUTING THE DISALLOWANCE MAD E BY THE AO U/S. 14A OF THE ACT. DURING THE COURSE OF APPELLATE PROCEEDINGS BEFORE C IT(APPEALS) A DETAILED SUBMISSION WAS MADE BY THE ASSESSEE IN SUPPORT OF ITS CASE ON THE ISSUE OF DISALLOWANCE U/S 14A OF THE ACT WHICH WAS FORWARDED BY THE CIT(APPEALS) TO THE AO FOR HIS COMMENTS. IN THE REMAND REPORT SUBMITTED TO THE CIT(APPEALS), TH E AO OFFERED HIS COMMENTS ON THE SUBMISSION MADE BY THE ASSESSEE AND WHEN THE SAID R EMAND REPORT WAS CONFRONTED BY CIT(APPEALS) THE ASSESSEE, COUNTER COMMENTS WERE AL SO OFFERED BY ASSESSEE. KEEPING IN VIEW THE SUBMISSION MADE BY THE ASSESSEE AS WELL AS THE MATERIAL AVAILABLE ON RECORD INCLUDING REMAND REPORT SUBMITTED BY THE AO AND THE COUNTER COMMENTS OFFERED BY THE ASSESSEE, CIT(APPEALS) PROCEEDED TO DECIDE THE ISSUE RELATING TO THE DISALLOWANCE U/S. 14A OF THE ACT VIDE PARA-3.3 AND 3.3.1 OF HIS IMPUGNED ORDER WHICH READ AS UNDER:- ITA NO.761/KOL/2014 & CO 66/KOL/2014 A.Y. 2009-1 0 ITO WD-2(3) KOL. VS. M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LT D. PAGE 3 3.3 THE SUBMISSIONS OF THE APPELLANT AND ITS REJOI NDER TO THE REMAND REPORT OF THE AO HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED. IT IS SEEN THAT THE IS SUE IS REGARDING THE COMPUTATION OF DISALLOWANCE U/S. 14A READ WITH RULE -8D. IT IS SEEN THAT THE APPELLANT HAS PLACED RELIANCE ON THE DECISION OF KO LKATA TRIBUNAL IN RESPECT OF NON-COMPUTATION OF DISALLOWANCE UNDER RULE-14A IN R ESPECT OF SHARES HELD AS STOCK IN TRADE. IT HAS HOWEVER BEEN HELD IN DCIT, C IR-6, KOLKATA VS- GULSHAN INVESTMENT CO. LTD AFTER CONSIDERING THE DECISION O F THE SPECIAL BENCH IN DAGA CAPITAL BY THE JURISDICTIONAL ITAT THAT 9. SO FAR AS THE CASE BEFORE US IS CONCERNED AS WI LL BE CLEARLY DISCERNIBLE FROM THE OBSERVATIONS OF THE LEARNED CIT(A) EXTRACT ED EARLIER IN THIS ORDER, LEARNED CIT(A) HAS UPHELD DISALLOWANCE UNDER SECTION 14A IN RESPECT OF EVEN INDIRECT EXPENDITURE, BUT HE HAS ME RELY HELD THAT THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 8D DO NOT COME INTO PLAY IN THIS CASE AS THE SHARES ARE NOT HELD AS INVESTMENTS . AS LEARNED COUNSEL RIGHTLY CONTENDS THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 8D CAN NEVER BE APPLIED IN A CAS E WHERE EXEMPT INCOME YIELD ASSETS ARE NOT HELD AS INVESTMENTS, AN D THAT THE RELATED ASSET, I.E. SHARES, HAVING BEEN HELD AS STOCK IN TR ADE ALL ALONG, THERE IS NO OCCASION TO INVOKE RULE 8D. THERE IS NO INFIRMITY I N THIS APPROACH, CANVASSED BY THE ASSESSEE. QUITE TO THE CONTRARY OF WHAT LEARNED DEPARTMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE PERCEIVES TO BE ADVANTA GEOUS TO THE ASSESSING OFFICER, IN CASE THE APPLICATION OF RULE 8D WAS TO BE UPHELD, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO DISALLOWANCE AT ALL SINCE NOT ONLY THAT NO INVESTMENTS WERE HELD BY THE ASSESSEE, ADMITTEDLY T HERE ARE NO DIRECT EXPENSES ARE INCURRED ON EARNING OF THE DIVIDENDS A ND AS SUCH IN ALL THE THREE SEGMENTS OF DISALLOWANCE UNDER RULE 8D(2) I.E . 8D(2)(I), (II) AND (III), THERE WILL BE ZERO DISALLOWANCE. AS AGAINST THIS ZERO DISALLOWANCE UNDER RULE 8D, THE CIT(A) HAS UPHELD DISALLOWANCE T O THE EXTENT OF RS.1,57,227 IN RESPECT OF INDIRECT EXPENSES ATTRIBU TED TO THE EARNING OF DIVIDENDS, AND IT HAS EVEN THE CASE OF REVENUE THAT THIS DISALLOWANCE FOR INDIRECT EXPENSES IS UNFAIR OR UNREASONABLE. 10. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE DISCUSSIONS, WHILE UPHOLD THE CONCLUSIONS ARRIVED AT BY THE LEARNED CIT(A), WE ALSO MAKE IT C LEAR THAT, IN OUR HUMBLE UNDERSTANDING, THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 14A ARE INDEED ATTRACTED WHETHER OR NOT THE SHARES ARE HELD AS STO CK IN TRADE OR AS INVESTMENTS, EVEN THOUGH THE PROVISIONS OF RULE 8D( 2)(II) AND (III) CANNOT BE INVOKED IN SUCH A CASE, AND EVEN THOUGH THE PROV ISIONS OF RULE 8D(2)(I) ARE MUCH NARROWER IN SCOPE THAN THE SCOPE OF SECTION 14A SIMPLICTOR. ACCORDINGLY THE FOLLOWING POSITION EMERGES FROM THI S DECISION- I) WHILE SECTION 14A WILL STILL APPLY IN THE CASES WHE THER SHARES ARE HELD AS STOCK-IN-TRADE OR AS INVESTMENTS, RULE 8D(2 )(II) AND (III) OF 1962 RULES CAN ONLY BE APPLIED IN THE SITUATION S IN WHICH SHARES ARE HELD A INVESTMENTS, THEREFORE THIS RULE WILL NOT HAVE ANY APPLICATION WHEN THE SHARES ARE HELD AS STOCK-I N-TRADE . ITA NO.761/KOL/2014 & CO 66/KOL/2014 A.Y. 2009-1 0 ITO WD-2(3) KOL. VS. M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LT D. PAGE 4 II) HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE APPLICATION OF R ULE 8D(2)(I) WHICH REFERS TO THE AMOUNT OF EXPENDITURE DIRECTLY RELATING TO INCOME WHICH DOES NOT FORM PART OF TOTAL INCOME I.E. IN A CASE WHERE SHARES ARE HELD AS STOCK-IN-TRADE AND NOT AS INVESTMENTS, DISALLOWANCE UNDER RULE 8D IS RESTRICTED TO THE EXP ENDITURE DIRECTLY RELATABLE TO EARNING OF EXEMPT INCOME. THEREFORE, FOLLOWING THE DECISION OF KOLKATA TRIBUN AL IN THE CASE OF DCIT, CIR- 6, KOLKATA -VS- GULSHANA INVESTMENT CO. LTD, IT I S HELD THAT THE SHARES FORMING PART OF STOCK IN TRADE ARE NOT TO BE INCLUDED FOR T HE PURPOSE OF COMPUTATION OF DISALLOWANCE EXPENDITURE U/S. 14A READ WITH RULE-8D (2)(II) AND (III). THEREFORE THE SHARES HELD AS STOCK IN TRADE I.E OF PLETHICO P HARMACEUTICALS LTD AND SHARON BIO MEDICINES LTD ARE NOT TO BE CONSIDERED W HILE COMPUTING THE DISALLOWANCE UNDER THESE RULES. HOWEVER EXPENDITURE IS STILL DISALLOWABLE IN RESPECT OF SHARES HELD A STOCK IN TRADE UNDER RULE 8D(2)(I) I.E. DIRECT EXPENSES RELATABLE TO EARNING OF SHARES, THE AO IS ACCORDING LY DIRECTED TO RESTRICT THE DISALLOWANCE TO SUCH DIRECTLY RELATABLE EXPENSES. 3.3.1 FURTHER WITH RESPECT TO THE EXEMPT INCOME ON SHARES OF M/S COLOR ROOF INDIA LTD, ADMITTEDLY HELD AS INVESTMENTS, THE APPE LLANTS CLAIM THAT NO LOAN FOUND WAS USED FOR PURCHASE OF SUCH SHARES FOR RS.4 ,40,00,000/- MADE IN THE FYR 2005-06, THEREFORE NO DISALLOWANCE OF INTEREST SHOULD BE MADE. THE APPELLANT HAS ALSO PROVIDED COPY OF ITS ACCOUNTS IN HFC BANK IN WHICH CERTAIN RECEIPTS HAVE BEEN CREDITED FROM SHARE TRANSACTIONS PRIOR TO PURCHASE OF SHARES OF COLOR ROOFING LTD, TO SUBSTANTIATE THE CL AIM THAT SUCH INVESTMENT WAS NOT MADE FROM INTEREST BEARING FUNDS. THEREFORE, TH ERE WAS NO NEXUS BETWEEN SUCH INTEREST BEARING FUNDS AND THE DIVIDEND INCOME FROM SHARES OF COLOR ROOF INDIA LTD. IT IS FURTHER SEEN THAT THE PAID-UP CAPI TAL AND RESERVES & SURPLUS OF THE APPELLANT AS ON 1.03.2009 WAS R.26,79,70,908/- (SHARE CAPITAL RS.3,24,80,000/- + RESERVES RS.23,54,90,908/-) WHIC H IS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE THAN THE INVESTMENTS AS ON 31-03-2009 WHICH WERE OF RS.23,51,19,822/-. THEREFORE NO NEXUS IS THERE BETWEEN THE INTEREST BE ARING FUNDS AND THE PURCHASE OF SHARES THE VALUE OF INVESTMENTS MADE BY THE APPELLANT WERE LOWER THAN ITS AVAILABLE CAPITAL AND RESERVES AS ON 31-3- 2009. THEREFORE CONSIDERING THE DECISION IN CIT VS HERO CYCLES LTD SUPRA AND THE JURISDICTIONAL ITAT IN BALARAMPAUR CHINI MILLS LTD. VS DCIT, CENT RAL CIRCLE-XIV, KOLKATA SUPRA IT IS HELD FROM THE ABOVE FACTS THAT NO DISA LLOWANCE CAN BE MADE ON THE ABOVE FACTS IN THE APPELLANTS CA UNDER RULE 8D(2)( II), THE AO IS ACCORDINGLY DIRECTED TO RESTRICT THE DISALLOWANCE UNDER RULE 8D (2)(III) I.E. % OF THE AVERAGE VALUE OF INVESTMENT IN SHARES OF COLOR ROOF (INDIA) LTD. LD. CIT(A) THUS ALLOWED PART RELIEF TO THE ASSESSEE BY RESTRICTING DISALLOWANCE OF 46,90,495/- MADE BY THE AO U/S14A OF THE ACT TO 8,08,415/-. AGGRIEVED BY THE ITA NO.761/KOL/2014 & CO 66/KOL/2014 A.Y. 2009-1 0 ITO WD-2(3) KOL. VS. M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LT D. PAGE 5 SAME, REVENUE HAS PREFERRED AN APPEAL BEFORE TRIBUN AL WHILE ASSESSEE HAS ALSO FILED ITS CO. 5. WE HAVE HEARD ARGUMENTS OF BOTH THE SIDES AND AL SO PERUSED THE RELEVANT MATERIAL ON RECORD. IT IS OBSERVED THAT THE DISALLO WANCE MADE BY THE ASSESSING OFFICER U/S. 14A OF THE ACT HAS BEEN REDUCED SUBSTANTIALLY BY THE CIT(APPEALS) ON TWO GROUNDS. FIRSTLY, HE HELD THAT THE DISALLOWANCE IN RESPECT OF EXPENDITURE COVERED UNDER RULE 8D(2)(II) AND (III) OF THE IT RULES CANNOT BE MADE U/S 14A OF THE ACT IN RESPECT OF SHARE HELD BY THE ASSESSEE AS STOCK-IN-TRADE BY RELYING ON THE DECISION OF CO- ORDINATE BENCH OF THIS TRIBUNAL IN THE CASE OF DCIT VS. GULSHAN INVESTMENT CO. LTD. (SUPRA). AS SUBMITTED BY THE LD. COUNSEL FOR THE AS SESSEE, A SIMILAR VIEW AS TAKEN BY THE TRIBUNAL IN THE CASE OF GULSHAN INVESTMENT CO. LTD. (SUPRA) ON THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE HON'BLE JURISDICTIONAL HIGH COURT IN T HE CASE OF CIT VS. M/S G.K.K. CAPITAL MARKETS (P) LTD. (ITAT NO. 52 OF 2015 DATED 10.02.2017). THIS ISSUE THUS NOW STANDS COVERED BY THE SAID DECISION OF HON'BLE JURISDICTIONAL HIGH COURT IN FAVOUR OF ASSESSEE AND RESPECTFULLY FOLLOWING THE SAME, WE UPHOLD THE IMPUGNED ORDER OF CIT(APPEALS) DIRECTING THE AO NOT TO MAKE THE DISAL LOWANCE ON ACCOUNT OF EXPENDITURE COVERED UNDER RULE 8D(2)(II) & (III) IN RESPECT OF SHARES FORMING PART OF STOCK-IN-TRADE. 6. AS REGARDS RELIEF GIVEN BY CIT(APPEALS) IN RESPE CT OF DISALLOWANCE MADE U/S. 14A OF THE ACT BY THE AO IN RESPECT OF INTEREST VID E PARA 3.3 & 3.3.1 , IT IS OBSERVED THAT A SPECIFIC FINDING HAS BEEN GIVEN BY CIT(APPEA LS) IN HIS IMPUGNED ORDER THAT THE ASSESSEE-COMPANY HAD ITS OWN FUND TO THE EXTENT OF 26.79 CRORES IN THE FORM OF SHARE CAPITAL AND RESERVES AND THE SAME BEING MORE THAN THE INVESTMENT MADE IN SHARES OF 23.51 CRORES, THE SAID INVESTMENT WAS MADE BY THE A SSESSEE OUT OF ITS OWN FUND. THERE WAS THUS NO UTILIZATION OF BORROWED FUND BY T HE ASSESSEE-COMPANY FOR MAKING INVESTMENT IN SHARES AS FOUND BY THE CIT(APPEALS) A ND SINCE THIS POSITION, CLEARLY EVIDENT FROM THE COPY OF RELEVANT BALANCE-SHEET PLA CED ON RECORD IS NOT DISPUTED BY THE LD. DR, WE FIND NO INFIRMITY IN THE IMPUGNED OR DER OF CIT(APPEALS) DELETING THE DISALLOWANCE MADE BY THE AO ON ACCOUNT OF INTEREST U/S. 14A OF THE ACT. WE THEREFORE UPHOLD THE IMPUGNED ORDER OF CIT(A) RESTR ICTING THE DISALLOWANCE OF ITA NO.761/KOL/2014 & CO 66/KOL/2014 A.Y. 2009-1 0 ITO WD-2(3) KOL. VS. M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LT D. PAGE 6 46,90,498/- MADE BY THE AO TO 8,08,415/-[ AS RE-COMPUTED BY THE AO WHILE GIVING EFFECT THE ORDER OF CIT(APPEALS )] AND DISMISS THE APPEAL OF REVENUE. 7. AT THE TIME OF HEARING, LD. COUNSEL FOR THE ASSE SSEE HAS NOT PRESSED THE SOLITARY ISSUE RAISED IN THE CO OF ASSESSEE RELATING TO THE SUSTENANCE BY THE CIT(APPEALS) OF THE DISALLOWANCE MADE BY THE AO U/S. 14A PARTLY. TH E CO FILED BY THE ASSESSEE IS ACCORDINGLY DISMISSED AS NOT PRESSED. 8. IN THE RESULT, APPEAL OF REVENUE AND CO OF ASSESSEE BOTH ARE DISMISSED. ORDER PRONOUNCED IN OPEN COURT ON 24/05/2017 SD/- SD/- (ABY T.VARKEY) (P.M.JAGTAP) JUDICIAL MEMBER ACCOUNTANT MEMBER KOLKATA, *DKP '#$ - 24/05/2017 / COPY OF ORDER FORWARDED TO:- 1. /ASSESSEE-M/S JALAN CEMENT WORKS LTD., 81, N.S. ROA D, 2 ND FLOOR, ROOM NO.202, KOLK ATA-01 2. /REVENUE-ITO WARD-2(3), AAYAKAR BHAWAN,7 TH FLOOR, P-7, CHOWRINGHEE SQUARE, KOLKATA -69 3. ##%& ' / CONCERNED CIT 4. ' - / CIT (A) 5. ()* ++%& , %& / DR, ITAT, KOLKATA 6. *,- / GUARD FILE. BY ORD ER/ , /TRUE COPY/ SR. PRIVATE SECRETARY, HEAD OF OFFICE/DDO 1 1%&,