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2018 (8) TMI 1772 - AT - Income Tax


Issues Involved:
1. Disallowance under Section 14A of the Income Tax Act.
2. Taxability of receipt of shares without consideration.
3. Non-consideration of claim made in the revised return of income.

Detailed Analysis:

1. Disallowance under Section 14A:
The assessee contested the disallowance of ?9,59,194/- under Section 14A, which was upheld by the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) [CIT(A)]. The assessee argued that no interest expenditure was incurred for investments generating exempt income and that the investments were strategic for holding controlling stakes in group companies. The Tribunal noted that the Assessing Officer (AO) was not satisfied with the voluntary disallowance of ?34,215/- and applied Rule 8D, resulting in an additional disallowance of ?18,26,890/-. The Tribunal referred to the Supreme Court's decision in Maxopp Investment Ltd. and the Special Bench decision in Vireet Investment Pvt. Ltd., which clarified the basis for disallowance under Section 14A. Consequently, the issue was remanded to the AO for fresh consideration, ensuring compliance with these judicial precedents.

2. Taxability of Receipt of Shares Without Consideration:
The assessee received shares of United Phosphorus Ltd (UPL) and Uniphos Enterprises Ltd (UEL) as a gift, which the AO treated as taxable income under Section 28(iv) and alternatively under Section 56(1). The CIT(A) also considered it taxable as deemed dividend under Section 2(22)(a) and added the market value of shares to the book profit under Section 115JB. The Tribunal analyzed the nature of the gift and the relevant legal provisions, including the Transfer of Property Act and various judicial precedents. It concluded that the receipt of shares as a gift did not constitute taxable income under Sections 28(iv) or 56(1) and was not deemed dividend under Section 2(22)(a) since the assessee was not a shareholder of the donor company, DHPL. The Tribunal also dismissed the Revenue's application to admit additional evidence under Rule 29, finding it irrelevant to the issue at hand. Consequently, the Tribunal ruled that the receipt of shares was a non-taxable capital receipt.

3. Non-Consideration of Claim Made in the Revised Return of Income:
The assessee filed a revised return for AY 2010-11, excluding interest expenditure of ?10,17,230/- disallowed in AY 2009-10, to avoid double taxation. The AO computed the income based on the original return, and the CIT(A) upheld this action, stating that the claim could only be allowed if the assessee had accepted the disallowance in AY 2009-10. The Tribunal noted that the assessee had not raised this issue in the appeal for AY 2009-10 and directed the AO to verify the facts and pass an order in accordance with the law, allowing the ground for statistical purposes.

Additional Appeals:
For AY 2011-12, the Tribunal restored the grounds of appeal related to disallowance under Section 14A to the AO for fresh consideration, following the same principles as for AY 2010-11. For AY 2009-10, the Tribunal restored the grounds related to disallowance under Section 14A and allowed the claim for deduction of EPF contributions paid before the due date of filing the return, directing the AO to verify the facts. The claim for interest expenditure of ?10,17,230/- was dismissed as infructuous.

Conclusion:
The Tribunal's judgment provided a detailed analysis of the issues, remanding certain matters to the AO for fresh consideration and clarifying the non-taxability of the receipt of shares as a gift. The judgment emphasized compliance with judicial precedents and proper verification of facts in the assessment process.

 

 

 

 

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