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TMI Blog1997 (3) TMI 156X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... nsolidated order. 2. In the Revenue's appeal the ground raised is to the effect that the CIT(A) erred in directing to adopt the cash system of accounting followed by the assessee. The assessee is assessed in the status of AOP and the main income is from money-lending business and also from a Kalyana Mandapam and some house properties. The assessee was following mercantile system of accounting for all the sources of income. But from 1-1-1984 it changed the system of accounting over to cash basis in respect of interest received in money-lending business. The Assessing Officer came to the conclusion that the assessee is free to change the system of accounting for a particular source of income, but not for one side of the account. Since the as ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... stem of accounting, it has to change the system for receipt as well as expenditure. It is, therefore, urged that the order of the CIT(A) be set aside and that of the Assessing Officer restored. The learned D.R. relied on the decision in CIT v. McMillan & Co. [1958] 33 ITR 182 (SC) and Bhagwandas Jagdish Prasad & Co. v. CIT [1983] 144 ITR 845/[1982] 11 Taxman 68 (MP). 4. On the other hand, the learned counsel for the assessee argued that the assessee by changing the system of accounting in respect of interest receipt on cash basis has adopted hybrid system of accounting and the assessee cannot be deprived of its right to have the method adopted and given effect in the assessment as long as the genuineness of the change is not questioned. Th ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 6. Under section 4 of the IT Act, income-tax is charged for each assessment year at the rate or rates in respect of the total income of the previous year of every assessee. For the purpose of computing the yearly profits and gains, each year is a separate self-contained accounting period of time, and income, profits and gains made in each accounting year have to be considered -- ITO v. Murlidhar Bhagwan Das [1964] 52 ITR 335 (SC). Income-tax is exigible on income earned in reality. It is only the real income as is commercially understood earned by an assessee, which has to be taxed. -- Poona Electric Supply Co. Ltd v. CIT [1965] 57 ITR 521 (SC). In determining the real income, the question is not of any physical receipt of income but of th ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e of charging tax in each assessment year. Whether the method would result in loss or gain to the Revenue or the assessee, is not to be considered because the method of accounting followed by an assessee should be such which enable the Assessing Officer to deduce the correct and real income for charging tax for each assessment year if a method of accounting does not enable the Assessing Officer to deduce the correct and real income, then such a method has to be rejected in view of the provisions of section 145(1). 8. In the case of G. Padmanabha Chettiar & Sons v. CIT [1990] 182 ITR 1 (Mad.), the facts are identical and similar to the facts of the assessee before us. Their Lordships of the Madras High Court at page 5 of 182 ITR held as und ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Travels (P.) Ltd v. ITO for the assessment years 1983-84, 1984-85 and 1985-86 in ITA Nos. 862/ Bom./ 87,3764/ Bom./87 and 1799/Bom./89 in its order dated 28-12-1990. 9. There are no reasons for which the assessee should not show interest on accrual basis if it is claiming deduction for interest expenditure on accrual basis. The change in the system of accounting, viz., receipt of interest on cash basis cannot be allowed because it would present a distorted picture of the profits and gains of the business and the real income of the assessee cannot be properly deduced from the changed method of accounting followed by it. We are, therefore, of the opinion that the assessee's income should be computed on mercantile basis i.e., after taking in ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ing Officer by holding that the assessee couldn't be allowed to have cash system for receipts side of the same interest account and mercantile system for the payment side of the same interest account, because that could not be said to be a recognised and regular system of accounting. On appeal, the Tribunal accepted the assessee's contention and allowed the appeal. It was claimed before the Tribunal that mercantile system followed in respect of interest income created undue hardship to the assessee in the sense that it has to pay tax on the unrealised interest. The Tribunal took into consideration the fact that interest liability cannot be wished away or refused to be taken into consideration by the assessee in ascertaining the true profits ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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