2016 (3) TMI 1452 - AT - Income Tax

Rectification of mistake u/s 154 - Addition u/s.80E - incurring interest expense on the loan taken for the purpose of education for himself/herself or for their relatives - AO has observed that the education loan was taken by the married major son of the assessee, and therefore, cannot claim interest u/s 80E - HELD THAT - The power of rectification under section 154 can be exercised only when the mistake, which is sought to be rectified, is an obvious patent mistake, which is apparent from the record and not a mistake, which is required to be established by arguments and long drawn process of reasoning on points, on which there may conceivably be two opinions. In the present case, before carrying out rectification as suggested by the AO one has to decide the nature of loan, who has taken the loan etc. It will require long drawn process of hearing. It is a debatable question. The assessee annexed form no.16 along with her return and shown the deduction under section 80E. This step must have been taken by the designated employer or by the assessee after due consideration of section 80E and loan documentation. Such stand can be dispelled after perusal of the loan documents and other details. It cannot be a subject matter of proceedings under section 154. Appeal of the assessee allowed.

Summary

Issues:
Appeal against addition under section 80E of the Income Tax Act.

Analysis:
The assessee appealed against the addition of Rs.31,959 under section 80E of the Income Tax Act, which was disallowed by the Assessing Officer (AO). The AO observed that the claim was made for interest on an education loan taken by the assessee's married major son, which, according to the AO, did not qualify for deduction under section 80E. The AO rectified the assessment order under section 154, disallowing the claimed amount and increasing the taxable income. The Commissioner Income-Tax (Appeals) upheld the AO's decision, leading to the appeal before the Appellate Tribunal.

The key contention before the Tribunal was whether the disallowance under section 154 was justified. The assessee argued that no disallowance could be made under this section, while the Departmental Representative (DR) contended that as the loan was taken by the assessee's major son, the interest expenses could not be claimed. The Tribunal analyzed section 80E(1) of the Income Tax Act, which allows deduction for interest on loans taken for higher education, including that of relatives. The Tribunal emphasized that the power of rectification under section 154 should be limited to correcting obvious mistakes and not involve complex determinations.

The Tribunal noted that determining the nature of the loan and the borrower would require extensive examination and was a debatable issue. The assessee had already claimed the deduction under section 80E based on due consideration and documentation. The Tribunal concluded that such matters were not suitable for rectification under section 154 and allowed the appeal, deleting the disallowance. Consequently, the Tribunal ruled in favor of the assessee, emphasizing the need for clear and evident errors for rectification under section 154.

In conclusion, the Appellate Tribunal, consisting of SHRI RAJPAL YADAV, JUDICIAL MEMBER, and SHRI N.K. BILLAIYA, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER, allowed the assessee's appeal against the addition under section 80E of the Income Tax Act. The Tribunal highlighted the importance of rectification being limited to apparent mistakes and not involving complex or debatable issues. The decision underscored the necessity for clear errors to warrant rectification under section 154, ultimately favoring the assessee in this case.