IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL PUNE BENCH A, PUNE BEFORE SHRI I.C.SUDHIR JM AND SHRI D. KARUNAKARA RA O AM M.A. NO. 83/PN/2010 (ARISING OUT OF ITA NO. 1040/PN/04) (BLOCK PERIOD : 1991-92 TO 2001-02) ACIT, CENTRAL CIRCLE 1(1), PUNE APPLICANT VS. SHRI IMAM HUSEN SHAIKH, RESPONDENT 17, MOLACHA ODHA, SATARA PAN AEBPS 2880 R APPELLANT BY : SHRI ABHAY DAMLE RESPONDENT BY : SHRI M.K. KULKARNI ORDER PER I.C. SUDHIR JM THIS MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATION IS FILED BY THE REV ENUE AND THE SAME IS ARISING OUT OF THE ORDER OF THE TRIBUNAL VIDE ITA N O. 1040/PN/04 DT. 23 RD NOVEMBER, 2006. THE REVENUE IS OF THE OPINION THAT THE DECISION OF THE TRIBUNAL IN NOT CONFIRMING THE LEVY OF SURCHARGE U/S.113 OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT, NEEDS RECTIFICATION IN VIEW OF THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT S DECISION IN THE CASE OF CIT VS SURESH N. GUPTA 297 ITR 322 (SC) WHERE THE HONBLE COURT HELD THAT THE AMENDED PROVISIONS OF SECTION 113 OF THE ACT ARE CL ARIFICATORY IN APPLICATION AND THEREFORE RETROSPECTIVE IN NATURE. 2. DURING THE PROCEEDING BEFORE US ON THIS MA, IT I S BROUGHT TO OUR NOTICE THAT THE MATTER IS STILL DEBATABLE ISSUE IN VIEW OF THE ANOTHER JUDGMENT OF THE HONBLE SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF CIT VS VATIKA TOWNSHIP P. LTD., 314 ITR 338 (SC). THE RATIO OF THE SAID JUDGMENT READS AS UNDER. IN RELATION TO BLOCK ASSESSMENT IN SEARCH CASES, A PROVISO WAS ADDED WITH EFFECT FROM JUNE 1, 2002, TO SECTION 113 OF TH E INCOME-TAX ACT, 1961, TO THE EFFECT THAT THE TAX SHALL BE INCREASED BY A SURCHARGE. ON A CLAIM BY THE DEPARTMENT THAT THE PROVISO WAS RETROSPECTIVE, THE SUPREME COURT REFERRED THE MATTER TO A LARGER BENCH . 3. IT IS EVIDENT FROM THE ABOVE SAID JUDGMENT OF TH E HONBLE SUPREME COURT IN THE CASE OF VATIKA TOWNSHIP P. LTD (SUPRA) THAT THE MATTER IS REFERRED TO THE LARGER BENCH. THE PERUSAL OF THIS JUDGMENT ALSO REV EALED THAT THE JUDGMENT IN THE CASE OF CIT VS SURESH N. GUPTA (SUPRA) WAS ALS O CONSIDERED BEFORE REFERRING THE MATTER TO THE LARGER BENCH OF THE SUPREME COURT . THEREFORE, THE DISPUTE ON M.A. NO. 83/PN/10 (ARISING OUT OF ITA NO. 1040/PN/04) (BLOCK PERIOD 1991-92 TO 2001-02) SHRI IMAM HUSEN SHAIKH, , 2 WHETHER THE AMENDED PROVISIONS OF SECTION 113 OF TH E ACT ARE RETROSPECTIVE OR OTHERWISE IS STILL UNSETTLED AND THEREFORE, THE ISS UE IS STILL DEBATABLE. 4. CONSIDERING THE ABOVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION ON WHETHER THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 113 OF THE ACT BEING RETROSPECTIVE IN APPLI CATION OR NOT IS A STILL UNSETTLED MATTER AND THEREFORE THE DEBATE IS STILL PERSISTS. THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT DEBATABLE ISSUES ARE OUT SIDE THE PURVIEW OF SECTION 254(2) OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT. 5. IN THE RESULT, THE MISC. APPLICATION OF THE REVE NUE IS DISMISSED. ORDER PRONOUNCED ON 8 TH SEPTEMBER, 2010 . SD/- SD/- (D. KARUNAKARA RAO) (I.C.SUDHIR) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER JUDICI AL MEMBER PUNE DATED THE 8TH SEPTEMBER , 2010 US COPY OF THE ORDER IS FORWARDED TO : 1. APPLICANT 2. RESPONDENT 3. CIT(A)-I, PUNEK 4. CIT, CENTRAL, PUNE 5. D.R. ITAT A BENCH 6. GUARD FILE BY ORDER ASSISTANT REGISTRAR, INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, PUNE BENCHES, PUNE