9911796707
TMI Blog1953 (3) TMI 50X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... to the assessment of the Bank to Business Profits Tax for the chargeable accounting period from 1-1-1947 to 31-12-1947. For this chargeable accounting period the Income Tax Officer determined the profit to be ₹ 8,13,513. The Bank claimed that abatement of ₹ 3,24,114 should be deducted from the profit as follows : 1. Paid up share capital on 1-1-47--₹ 32,77,830. 2. Reserve fund not allowed in computation of profit in Income Tax assessment, on 1-1-47--₹ 17,00,000. 3. Reserve for contingency on 1-1-47--₹ 3,07,154. 4. Credit in contingency current account on 1-1-47--₹ 14,763. 5. Credit balance in the profit and loss account on 1-1-47--₹ 1, ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Business Profits Tax Act. 3. At the instance of the Commissioner of Income Tax the Appellate Tribunal has referred the following question of law for the opinion of the High Court: Whether the credit balance of ₹ 1,02,161 in the profit and loss account of the company on 1-1-1947 should be included in determining the capital of the company under Rule 2 of Schedule II, Business Profits Tax Act, 1947. 4. Before answering this question it is necessary to examine the relevant provisions of the Business Profits Tax Act of 1947. Section 4 which is the charging section states that there shall, in respect of any business to which the Act applies, be charged, levied and paid on the amou ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... s that for the purposes of ascertaining the abatement under this Act in respect of any chargeable accounting period, the capital of a company shall be computed in accordance with Rule 2. Rule 2 provides that where the company is one to which Clause (a) of Rule 3 of Schedule I applies, its capital shall be the sum of the amounts of its paid up share capital and of its reserves in so far as they have not been allowed in computing the profits of the company for the purposes of the Indian Income Tax Act. 5. The real crux of this case is what is the meaning of the word 'reserves' in Rule 2 of Schedule II. The argument presented on behalf of the Bank is that the amount of ₹ 1,02,161 shown as credit bala ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... erve' or 'reserves' which shall, at the discretion of the directors, be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalizing dividends, or for any other purpose to which the profits of the company may be properly applied. Section 131A, Companies Act states that the directors shall make out and attach to every balance-sheet a report with respect to the state of the company's affairs the amount, if any, which they recommend should be paid by way of dividend and the amount, if any, which they propose to carry to the Reserve Fund, General Reserve or Reserve Account shown specifically on the balance-sheet or to a Reserve Fund, General Reserve or Reserve Account to be shown specifically in a subseq ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ts profit and loss account may either declare a dividend to be paid to the shareholder or may appropriate the balance to a suspense account or to reserves. Before recommending any dividend it is open to the directors to set aside out of the profits of the company such sum as they may think proper as a reserve fund for acquiring property for the company or providing for payment of rent for meeting contingencies or for equalizing dividends or for any other purpose of the company which they may think fit. Unless the directors apply their mind to the question and unless they make appropriation of the balance to the payment of dividends or to building up reserves it is difficult to say that any portion of the amount of balance in the profit and ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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