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Interpretation of section 80J(3) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 in relation to setting off deficiency carried forward from earlier assessment years against current year's income. Detailed Analysis: The case involved a public limited company engaged in the coir and coir products business, which set up a new industrial undertaking that did not generate income during the assessment years 1968-69 to 1972-73. The company claimed benefits under section 80J of the Income-tax Act, 1961, for the new industrial undertaking, and the unabsorbed development rebate was carried forward as required by section 80J(3) due to the lack of profits from the new undertaking during those years. For the assessment year 1974-75, the company reported a loss in its return but showed a net profit in the profit and loss account, which included income from the new industrial undertaking. The Income-tax Officer computed the business income, including the income from the new undertaking, and set off the unabsorbed development rebate against this income and the remaining against other business income. The company then claimed the benefit of section 80J for the profit from the new industrial undertaking, which was initially rejected by the Income-tax Officer. The Appellate Assistant Commissioner allowed the company's appeal, which was subsequently confirmed by the Tribunal. However, the High Court held that since there was no business income to set off the unabsorbed development rebate against until the assessment year 1974-75, the Income-tax Officer correctly found that there was no profit from the new industrial undertaking to be adjusted under section 80J. The court referred to relevant precedents and concluded that the appellate authorities' finding was incorrect in law. Therefore, the court ruled in favor of the Revenue and against the assessee, directing each party to bear their respective costs in the case and ordering the judgment to be forwarded to the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal, Cochin Bench.
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