Real Income Taxation: Avoiding Double Disallowance of Wages and Salaries Payable

Deciphering Legal Judgments: A Comprehensive Analysis of ITAT Judgment on Validity of Assessment u/s 153A - Disallowance of Expenses on Actual Payment against provisions made during previous year(s). 

Reported as:

2024 (9) TMI 1654 - ITAT CHENNAI

Here is a detailed analysis and commentary on the legal case, structured with the specified sections:

1. INTRODUCTION

This case deals with the validity of assessment proceedings u/s 153A of the Income Tax Act and the disallowance of wages payable and salaries payable claimed by the assessee. The core legal questions presented are:

1. Whether the disallowance of wages payable of Rs. 62.75 lacs and salaries payable of Rs. 29.53 lacs by the Assessing Officer (AO) is justified.
2. Whether the assessee is entitled to claim the actual wages and salaries paid in the subsequent year, after reversing the provisions made in the earlier year.

2. ARGUMENTS PRESENTED

Assessee's Contentions:

• The wages payable and salaries payable were based on information available in the regular books of accounts and not on any incriminating material found during the search.
• The provisions made for wages and salaries in the earlier year were reversed in the return filed in response to the notice u/s 153A. The actual payments made in the subsequent year should be allowed as deductions.
• Disallowing the provisions in one year and the actual payments in the subsequent year would lead to double disallowance, which is unjustified.

Revenue's Contentions:

• The Managing Director admitted to booking bogus wages and salaries payable at the year-end to reduce profits.
• If the amounts recorded were bogus, the question of payment of such amounts in the subsequent year does not arise.
• The assessee did not provide details of staff for whom the salary was outstanding.

3. COURT DISCUSSIONS AND FINDINGS

The Tribunal analyzed the ledger extracts of wages payable and salaries payable and made the following observations:

1. The wages payable of Rs. 62.75 lacs as on 01.04.2016 were fully paid by the assessee by 30.04.2016. The assessee reversed this provision in the return filed u/s 153A and did not claim it as an expense.
2. The salaries payable provision of Rs. 14.84 lacs made in FY 2015-16 was reversed, and the assessee claimed deduction for the actual payment made in FY 2016-17.
3. The balance salaries payable provision of Rs. 14.69 lacs as on 31.03.2017 was also paid through banking channels in April and May 2017.

The Tribunal evaluated the evidence and reasoned that the expenditure, per se, was not bogus but a timing difference in claiming the expenses. The assessee made advance provisions for wages and salaries in one year and adjusted them against the actual payments made in the subsequent year without claiming the expenses again.

4. ANALYSIS AND DECISION

The Tribunal concluded that since the provisions were reversed in the return filed u/s 153A, the actual payments made in the subsequent year should be allowed as deductions. Disallowing the provisions in one year and the actual payments in the next year would lead to double disallowance, which is unjustified.

Accordingly, the Tribunal allowed the deduction of Rs. 62.75 lacs for wages payable and Rs. 29.53 lacs for salaries payable in the respective assessment years.

The legal principles established in this case are:

1. Mere provision for an expense in one year and its reversal in the subsequent year, followed by actual payment, does not render the expenditure bogus.
2. Disallowing both the provision and the actual payment would lead to double disallowance, which is against the principles of fairness in taxation.
3. The assessee is entitled to claim the actual expenditure incurred in the year of payment, subject to the reversal of the corresponding provision made in the earlier year.

5. DOCTRINAL ANALYSIS

This case deals with the doctrine of real income and the principles of fairness in taxation. The Income Tax Act aims to tax the real income of an assessee, and disallowing both the provision and the actual payment would distort the financial results and lead to double taxation of the same income.

The Tribunal's decision upholds the principle that an assessee should not be subjected to double disallowance or double taxation on the same income. The reversal of the provision and the subsequent claim for the actual payment ensure that the real income is taxed without any distortion.

The application of this doctrine in the current case ensures that the assessee is not unduly burdened with disallowances in multiple years for the same expenditure. It strikes a balance between the Revenue's interest in preventing tax evasion and the assessee's right to claim legitimate business expenses.

Full Text:

2024 (9) TMI 1654 - ITAT CHENNAI