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Issues involved: Determination of taxable income u/s 44B of the Income-tax Act, 1961 for non-resident assessees engaged in the business of operation of ships.
Summary: The appeals by non-resident assessees, common agent being ONGC, involved the determination of taxable income. The assessees hired their ships to ONGC on charter basis, with ONGC filing income returns at 7.5%, while the ITO determined income at 15%. The contention was that u/s 44B, the declared income should be accepted, which was negatived by CIT (Appeals). During the hearing, an agreement between ONGC and one of the assessees was presented, showing similar terms for all. The vessels were hired for specific purposes by ONGC, with the assessees responsible for vessel operations. The CIT (Appeals) rejected the argument that hire charges were for carriage of goods or men, citing a Supreme Court judgment. The Tribunal analyzed the terms of the contract and the Supreme Court judgment, concluding that the payment to assessees was for vessel availability, not for carriage of goods or men. The Tribunal noted that the vessels did not operate from an Indian port for goods carriage, and ONGC bore fuel costs. An understanding between ONGC and CIT Meerut for 15% income was also highlighted. Ultimately, the Tribunal held that u/s 44B was not applicable, as the income determination at 15% was reasonable. The alternative argument for u/s 44BB was dismissed, as it was not applicable to mere transport vessels. Consequently, all appeals were dismissed.
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