2000 (2) TMI 5 - SC - Income Tax

Business of the assessee being one and indivisible - so it is not open to the Revenue to contend that the business is not one and indivisible - In view of the fact that a perusal of the question itself discloses that income from various ventures is earned in the course of one and indivisible business, the impugned order upholding the apportionment of the expenditure and allowing deduction of only that proportion of it which is referable to taxable income, is unsustainable

Summary

Issues:
Interpretation of Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 regarding deduction of expenditure for business income; Apportionment of expenditure between taxable and non-taxable income in the context of one and indivisible business.

Analysis:

Issue 1: Interpretation of Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961
The case involved a State Government Corporation claiming deduction of expenditure under Section 37 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The corporation derived income from various sources including interest, letting out warehouses, and administrative charges. The Income Tax Officer (ITO) disallowed a portion of the expenditure attributable to non-taxable income under Section 10(29) of the Act. The CIT(A) allowed the entire expenditure, but the Tribunal upheld the ITO's decision. The High Court confirmed the Tribunal's order, leading to the appeal before the Supreme Court.

Issue 2: Apportionment of Expenditure in One and Indivisible Business
The main contention revolved around whether the expenditure should be apportioned between taxable and non-taxable income or allowed in entirety. The appellant argued that the entire expenditure should be deductible based on judgments from the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Revenue contended that expenditure related to exempted income is not permissible for deduction.

Judicial Precedents and Interpretation of Section 37(1)
The appellant relied on judgments emphasizing that if income arises from various sources or ventures, the entire permissible expenditure should be deductible. The courts examined whether the business activities were indivisible to determine the deductibility of expenditure. The Supreme Court discussed the principles to be followed in cases where income is derived from different sources within one business entity.

Decision and Rationale
The Supreme Court held that if income is earned from one and indivisible business, apportionment of expenditure between taxable and non-taxable income is not valid. The court emphasized that the nature of the business being one and indivisible was crucial in determining the deductibility of expenditure. As the question itself indicated the business as one and indivisible, the Revenue's argument against indivisibility was rejected. Therefore, the court ruled in favor of the appellant, setting aside the previous order and allowing the appeal with costs.

In conclusion, the judgment clarified the interpretation of Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and provided guidance on apportioning expenditure in cases of one and indivisible businesses, ensuring consistency in the treatment of deductible expenses for taxable and non-taxable income within such entities.