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Issues: Assessment of under-charges as part of total income for the assessment year 1955-56.
Analysis: The case involved a reference under section 66(1) of the Indian Income Tax Act, 1922, regarding the assessment year 1955-56. The primary question was whether an amount of Rs. 43,288, being under-charges from unclaimed credit balances, should be included in the assessee's total income for that year. The assessee had claimed that this amount should not be treated as a revenue receipt. The under-charges arose from freight discrepancies for under-loaded wagons, which the customers had to pay despite the wagons not being fully loaded by the collieries. The Income Tax Officer (ITO) held that these under-charges constituted trading receipts of the assessee and were taxable. The Appellate Assistant Commissioner (AAC) and the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal upheld this assessment based on findings from previous years. The Tribunal noted that in a previous assessment year, it was established that the unclaimed credit balance represented the assessee's income from business activities. The assessee's business involved securing coal supply orders, including freight charges, and claiming under-charges from collieries for excess freight paid on coal not supplied. The Tribunal found no reason to deviate from the previous year's decision and upheld the inclusion of the unclaimed credit balance amount in the assessee's business receipts. The assessee argued for a remand based on a previous court decision that under-charges did not constitute trading receipts. However, the Revenue contended that the facts established in the current assessment year were final and should determine the outcome. The court agreed with the Revenue, emphasizing that the facts found in the current assessment year were conclusive and not subject to reconsideration based on findings from other years. It was held that there was no justification for a fresh hearing or introduction of new evidence by the Tribunal. The question of whether the under-charges should be included in the assessee's total income for the assessment year 1955-56 was answered in the affirmative and in favor of the Revenue. No costs were awarded in the matter. Judge SEN concurred with the decision.
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