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TMI Blog2015 (3) TMI 619X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... of the Uttarakhand High Court Queens Educational Society (2007 - TMI - 75307 - UTTARAKHAND HIGH COURT) and since the Chief CIT’s orders cancelling exemption which were set aside by the Punjab and Haryana High Court were passed almost solely upon the law declared by the Uttarakhand High Court, it is clear that these orders cannot stand. Consequently, Revenue’s appeals from the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s judgment dated 29.1.2010 and the judgments following it are dismissed. We reiterate that the correct tests which have been culled out in the three Supreme Court judgments stated above, namely, Surat Art Silk Cloth[1979 (11) TMI 1 - SUPREME Court], Aditanar [1997 (2) TMI 3 - SUPREME Court], and American Hotel and Lodging [2008 (5) TMI 17 - SUPREME COURT OF INDIA], would all apply to determine whether an educational institution exists solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit. In addition, we hasten to add that the 13th proviso to Section 10(23C) is of great importance in that assessing authorities must continuously monitor from assessment year to assessment year whether such institutions continue to apply their income and invest or deposit their funds in acco ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e. In a reference to the High Court under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, the High Court vide the impugned judgment set aside the judgment of the ITAT and affirmed the order of the Assessing Officer. 4. These appeals from the Uttarakhand High Court, Nainital, concern themselves with the provision of Section 10(23C) (iiiad) of the Act: Section 10- Incomes not included in total income.-In computing the total income of a previous year of any person, any income falling within any of the following clauses shall not be included- (23-C) any income received by any person on behalf of- (iii-ad) any university or other educational institution existing solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit if the aggregate annual receipts of such university or educational institution do not exceed the amount of annual receipts as may be prescribed 5. It will be noticed that the Section has three requirements - (a) the educational institution must exist solely for educational purposes (b) it should not be for purposes of profit and (c) the aggregate annual receipts of such institution should not exceed the amount or annual receipts as may be prescribed. Such ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... t or institution must have a purpose for which it is established and every purpose must for its accomplishment involve the carrying on of an activity. The activity must, however, be for profit in order to attract the exclusionary clause and the question therefore is when can an activity be said to be one for profit? The answer to the question obviously depends on the correct connotation of the preposition for . This preposition has many shades of meaning but when used with the active participle of a verb it means for the purpose of and connotes the end with reference to which something is done. It is not therefore enough that as a matter of fact an activity results in profit but it must be carried on with the object of earning profit. Profit-making must be the end to which the activity must be directed or in other words, the predominant object of the activity must be making a profit. Where an activity is not pervaded by profit motive but is carried on primarily for serving the charitable purpose, it would not be correct to describe it as an activity for profit. But where, on the other hand, an activity is carried on with the predominant object of earning profit, it would be an a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... cation of the newspaper was an activity engaged in by the trust for the purpose of carrying out its charitable purpose and on the facts it was clearly an activity which had profit making as its predominant object, but even so it was held by the Judicial Committee that since the purpose served was an object of general public utility, it was a charitable purpose. It is clear from the speech of the Finance Minister that it was with a view to setting at naught this decision that the exclusionary clause was added in the definition of charitable purpose . The test which has, therefore, now to be applied is whether the predominant object of the activity involved in carrying out the object of general public utility is to subserve the charitable purpose or to earn profit. Where profit making is the predominant object of the activity, the purpose, though an object of general public utility, would cease to be a charitable purpose. But where the predominant object of the activity is to carry out the charitable purpose and not to earn profit, it would not lose its character of a charitable purpose merely because some profit arises from the activity. The exclusionary clause does not require tha ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... to the inference that the real object of the activity is profit making and not serving the charitable purpose. If, for example, in the illustration given by us, it is found that the publication of the monthly journal is carried on wholly on commercial lines and the pricing of the monthly journal is made on the same basis on which it would be made by a commercial organisation leaving a large margin of profit, it might be difficult to resist the inference that the activity of publication of the journal is carried on for profit and the purpose is non-charitable. We may take by way of illustration another example given by Krishna Iyer, J., in the Indian Chamber of Commerce case [(1976) 1 SCC 324 : 1976 SCC (Tax) 41 : (1975) 101 ITR 796] where a blood bank collects blood on payment and supplies blood for a higher price on commercial basis. Undoubtedly, in such a case, the blood bank would be serving an object of general public utility but since it advances the charitable object by sale of blood as an activity carried on with the object of making profit, it would be difficult to call its purpose charitable. Ordinarily there should be no difficulty in determining whether the predominant o ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... inference merely because the activity results in profit. It is in our opinion not at all necessary that there must be a provision in the constitution of the trust or institution that the activity shall be carried on no profit no loss basis or that profit shall be proscribed. Even if there is no such express provision, the nature of the charitable purpose, the manner in which the activity for advancing the charitable purpose is being carried on and the surrounding circumstances may clearly indicate that the activity is not propelled by a dominant profit motive. What is necessary to be considered is whether having regard to all the facts and circumstances of the case, the dominant object of the activity is profit making or carrying out a charitable purpose. If it is the former, the purpose would not be a charitable purpose, but, if it is the latter, the charitable character of the purpose would not be lost. 9. Coming closer to the section at hand, in Aditanar Educational Institution v. Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, (1997) 224 ITR 310, this Court while construing the predecessor Section, namely, Section 10(22) of the Income Tax act, held: The High Court has made an ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... character of the recipient of income must have character of educational institution in India to be ascertained from the nature of the activities. If after meeting expenditure, surplus remains incidentally from the activity carried on by the educational institution, it will not cease to be one existing solely for educational purposes. In other words, existence of surplus from the activity will not mean absence of educational purpose (see judgment of this Court in Aditanar Educational Institutionv. CIT [(1997) 3 SCC 346 : (1997) 224 ITR 310] ). The test is-the nature of activity. If the activity like running a printing press takes place it is not educational. But whether the income/profit has been applied for non-educational purpose has to be decided only at the end of the financial year. 32. We shall now consider the effect of insertion of provisos to Section 10(23-C)(vi) vide the Finance (No. 2) Act, 1998. Section 10(23-C)(vi) is analogous to Section 10(22). To that extent, the judgments of this Court as applicable to Section 10(22) would equally apply to Section 10(23-C)(vi). The problem arises with the insertion of the provisos to Section 10(23-C)(vi). With the insertion of ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ntioned therein. 33. Having analysed the provisos to Section 10(23- C)(vi) one finds that there is a difference between stipulation of conditions and compliance therewith. The threshold conditions are actual existence of an educational institution and approval of the prescribed authority for which every applicant has to move an application in the standardised form in terms of the first proviso. It is only if the prerequisite condition of actual existence of the educational institution is fulfilled that the question of compliance with requirements in the provisos would arise. We find merit in the contention advanced on behalf of the appellant that the third proviso contains monitoring conditions/requirements like application, accumulation, deployment of income in specified assets whose compliance depends on events that have not taken place on the date of the application for initial approval. 34. To make the section with the proviso workable we are of the view that the monitoring conditions in the third proviso like application/utilisation of income, pattern of investments to be made, etc. could be stipulated as conditions by the PA subject to which approval could be grante ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e surplus, i.e. the excess of the receipts over expenditure. In the year under appeal (and in the earlier appeals) has enabled the appellant to acquire its own property, acquire computers, library books, sports equipments etc. for the benefit of the students. And more importantly the members of the society have not utilized any part of the surplus for their own benefit. The AO wrongly interpreted the resultant surplus as the main objective of the assessee trust. As held above, profit is only incidental to the main object of spreading education. If there is no surplus out of the difference between receipts and outgoings, the trust will not be able to achieve the objectives. Any education institution cannot be run in rented premises for all the times and without necessary equipment and without paying to the staff engaged in imparting education. The assessee is not getting any financial aid/assistance from the Government or other philanthropic agency and, therefore, to achieve the objective, it has to raise its own funds. But such surplus would not come within the ambit of denying exemption u/s 10(23C) (iiiad) of the Act. 13. Having set out the ITAT order, the Uttarakha ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... eaning of the expression supported wholly or in part by voluntary contribution ? (iii) Whether any trade or business is carried on in the premises within the meaning of sub-section (5)? 17. In answering question one, the Court held that School Education would only come within an exemption if it involved public benefit. Having so held, the Court stated: 78. The rulings arising out of Income Tax Act may not be of great help because in the Income Tax Act charitable purpose includes the relief of the poor, education, medical relief and the advancement of any other object of general public utility. The advancement of any other object of general public utility is not found under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act. In other words, the definition is narrower in scope. This is our answer to question No. 1. 18. Secondly, the extracted portion from the said judgment in the judgment of the Uttarakhand High Court concerned itself with question two, namely, whether the educational society is supported wholly or in part by voluntary contributions. It is part of paragraph 80 of the said judgment. If the sentences after the quoted portion are also set out, it becomes clear t ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... he conditions laid down in Section 11(2). The assessee, however, is entitled to claim the benefit of Section 11(1)(a). In the present case, the assessee has applied ₹ 8 lakhs for charitable purposes in India by purchasing a building which is to be utilised as a hospital. This income, therefore, is entitled to an exemption under Section 11(1). In addition, under Section 11(1)(a), the assessee can accumulate 25% of its total income pertaining to the relevant assessment year and claim exemption in respect thereof. Section 11(1)(a) does not require investment of this limited accumulation in government securities. The balance income of ₹ 1,64,210.03 constitutes less than 25% of the income for Assessment Year 1970-71. Therefore, the assessee is entitled to accumulate this income and claim exemption from income tax under Section 11(1)(a). We set aside the judgment of the Uttarakhand High Court dated 24th September, 2007. The reasoning of the ITAT (set aside by the High Court) is more in consonance with the law laid down by this Court, and we approve its decision. 20. Revenue s appeals from the Punjab and Haryana High Court concern themselves with Sections 10(23C) (vi). ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... reto and Section 11(5) of the Income Tax Act are as follows:- Section 10- Incomes not included in total income.-In computing the total income of a previous year of any person, any income falling within any of the following clauses shall not be included-(23-C) any income received by any person on behalf of-(vi) any university or other educational institution existing solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit, other than those mentioned in sub-clause (iii-ab) or sub-clause (iii-ad) and which may be approved by the prescribed authority Provided also that the fund or trust or institution [or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution] referred to in sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v)[or sub-clause (vi) or sub-clause (vi-a)]-[(a) applies its income, or accumulates it for application, wholly and exclusively to the objects for which it is established and in a case where more than fifteen per cent of its income is accumulated on or after the 1st day of April, 2002, the period of the accumulation of the amount exceeding fifteen per cent of its income shall in no case exceed five years; and;]. [(b) does not inves ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... provisions contained in clause(b) of the third proviso; or (ii) the activities of such fund or institution or trust or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution,- (A) are not genuine; or (B) are not being carried out in accordance with all or any of the conditions subject to which it was notified or approved, it may, at any time after giving a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against the proposed action to the concerned fund or institution or trust or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution, rescind the notification or, by order, withdraw the approval, as the case may be, and forward a copy of the order rescinding the notification or withdrawing the approval to such fund or institution or trust or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution and to the Assessing Officer;] Section 11. Income from property held for charitable or religious purposes.- (5) The forms and modes of investing or depositing the money referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2) shall be the following, namely:- (i) in ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... s engaged in providing long-term finance for industrial development in India and [which is eligible for deduction under clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of Section 36]; (ix) deposits with or investment in any bonds issued by a public company formed and registered in India with the main object of carrying on the business of providing long-term finance for construction or purchase of houses in India for residential purposes and[which is eligible for deduction under clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of Section 36]; [(ix-a) deposits with or investment in any bonds issued by a public company formed and registered in India with the main object of carrying on the business of providing long-term finance for urban infrastructure in India. Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause,- (a) long-term finance means any loan or advance where the terms under which moneys are loaned or advanced provide for repayment along with interest thereof during a period of not less than five years; (b) public company shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 3 of the Companies Act, 1956; (c) urban infrastructure means a project for providing potable water supply, sa ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 1999 leading to the introduction of the provisions of Section 10(23C) of the Act. Lastly, that view is not consistent with the law laid down by Hon'ble the Supreme Court in American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute (surpa). It then summed up its conclusions as follows: 8.13 From the aforesaid discussion, the following principles of law can be summed up:- (1) It is obligatory on the part of the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax or the Director, which are the prescribed authorities, to comply with proviso thirteen (un-numbered). Accordingly, it has to be ascertained whether the educational institution has been applying its profit wholly and exclusively to the object for which the institution is established. Merely because an institution has earned profit would not be deciding factor to conclude that the educational institution exists for profit. (2) The provisions of Section 10(23C)(vi) of the Act are analogous to the erstwhile Section 10(22) of the Act, as has been laid down by Hon'ble the Supreme Court in the case of American Hotel and Lodging Association (supra). To decide the entitlement of an institution for exemption under Section ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ion. (6) The judgment of Uttrakhand High Court rendered in the case of Queens Educational Society (supra) and the connected matters, is not applicable to cases fall within the provision of Section 10(23C)(vi) of the Act. There are various reasons, which have been discussed in para 8.8 of the judgment, and the judgment of Allahabad High Court rendered in the case of City Montessori School (supra) lays down the correct law. And finally held: 8.15 As a sequel to the aforesaid discussion, these petitions are allowed and the impugned orders passed by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax withdrawing the exemption granted under Section 10(23C)(iv) of the Act are hereby quashed. However, the revenue is at liberty to pass any fresh orders, if such a necessity is felt after taking into consideration the various propositions of law culled out by us in para 8.13 and various other paras. 8.16 The writ petitions stand disposed of in the above terms. 24. The view of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has been followed by the Delhi High Court in St. Lawrence Educational Society (Regd.) v. Commissioner of Income Tax Anr., (2011) 53 DTR (Del) 130. Also in Tolani Education S ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... of the Uttarakhand High Court and since the Chief CIT s orders cancelling exemption which were set aside by the Punjab and Haryana High Court were passed almost solely upon the law declared by the Uttarakhand High Court, it is clear that these orders cannot stand. Consequently, Revenue s appeals from the Punjab and Haryana High Court s judgment dated 29.1.2010 and the judgments following it are dismissed. We reiterate that the correct tests which have been culled out in the three Supreme Court judgments stated above, namely, Surat Art Silk Cloth, Aditanar, and American Hotel and Lodging, would all apply to determine whether an educational institution exists solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit. In addition, we hasten to add that the 13th proviso to Section 10(23C) is of great importance in that assessing authorities must continuously monitor from assessment year to assessment year whether such institutions continue to apply their income and invest or deposit their funds in accordance with the law laid down. Further, it is of great importance that the activities of such institutions be looked at carefully. If they are not genuine, or are not being carried o ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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