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TMI Blog2020 (5) TMI 359X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... of the case, the learned CIT(A) erred in deleting the disallowance of Rs. 3,35,40,340 under section 8D(2)(ii) without appreciating the fact that the assessee could not link its investments with its own funds. 2. On the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the learned CIT(A) erred in deleting the disallowance of part of interest under section 14A by not following the decision of Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Maxopp Investment Ltd Vs CIT (Civil Appeal No. 104-109 of 2015) wherein it is held that when funds utilized by the assessee are mixed funds, then principles of apportionment is applicable. 3. On the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the learned CIT(A) erred in holding that the disallowance made under section 14A cannot be considered while computing the book profit under section 115JB, without appreciating the fact that this issue is squarely covered in favour of the revenue by decision of F bench of the ITAT in the case of Viraj Profiles Ltd [(2016) 156 ITD 72 (Mum)]. 3. To adjudicate on these appeals, it is sufficient to take note of the fact that admittedly the assessee did not have any exempt income in the relevant previous year, and ye ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... mplete answer is provided by the decision of this Court in CIT v. Holcim India (P.) Ltd. [2015] 57 taxmann.com 28. In that case a similar question arose, viz., whether the ITAT was justified in deleting the disallowance under Section 14A of the Act when no dividend income had been earned by the Assessee in the relevant AY? The Court referred to the decision of this Court in Maxopp Investment Ltd's. case (supra) and to the decision of the Special Bench of the ITAT in this very case i.e. Cheminvest Ltd. v. ITO [2009] 121 ITD 318. The Court also referred to three decisions of different High Courts which have decided the issue against Revenue. The first was the decision in CIT v. Lakhani Marketing Inc . [2014] 226 Taxman 45/49 taxmann.com 257 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana which in turn referred to two earlier decisions of the same Court in CIT v. Hero Cycles Ltd. [2010] 323 ITR 518/189 Taxman 50 and CIT v. Winsome Textile Industries Ltd . [2009] 319 ITR 204. The second was of the Gujarat High Court in CIT v. Corrtech Energy (P.) Ltd. [2014] 223 Taxman 130/45 taxmann.com 116 and the third of the Allahabad High Court in CIT v. Shivam Motors (P.) Ltd . [2015] 230 Taxman 63/5 ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n the relevant AY and since the genuineness of the expenditure incurred by the Assessee is not in doubt, the question framed is required to be answered in favour of the Assessee and against the Revenue. 20. Since the Special Bench has relied upon the decision of the Supreme Court in Rajendra Prasad Moody's case (supra), it is considered necessary to discuss the true purport of the said decision. It is noticed to begin with that the issue before the Supreme Court in the said case was whether the expenditure under Section 57(iii) of the Act could be allowed as a deduction against dividend income assessable under the head "income from other sources". Under Section 57(iii) of the Act deduction is allowed in respect of any expenditure laid out or expended wholly or exclusively for the purpose of making or earning such income. The Supreme Court explained that the expression "incurred for making or earning such income', did not mean that any income should in fact have been earned as a condition precedent for claiming the expenditure. The Court explained: "What s. 57(iii) requires is that the expenditure must be laid out or expended wholly and exclusively for the purpose of makin ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... 39;does not form part of the total income' in Section 14A of the envisages that there should be an actual receipt of income, which is not includible in the total income, during the relevant previous year for the purpose of disallowing any expenditure incurred in relation to the said income. In other words, Section 14A will not apply if no exempt income is received or receivable during the relevant previous year. 6. In view of the above discussions, and in the light of undisputed facts of this case that there was no tax exempt income in the relevant previous year, we hold that no disallowance under section 14A could have been made, on the facts of this case and in the year before us. We, therefore, uphold the plea of the assessee and delete the disallowance of Rs. 80,51,200 sustained by the CIT(A). Once we uphold the plea of the assessee that no disallowance under section 14A could have been made on the facts of this case, grievances of the Assessing Officer, against learned CIT(A)'s partially deleting the disallowance under section 14A, become infructuous. Grievance of the assessee is thus upheld and grievances of the Assessing Officer are dismissed as infructuous. 7. However ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... under the Income-tax Act are directed to decide matters heard by them within a period of three months from the date case is closed for judgment". In the ruled so framed, as a result of these directions, the expression "ordinarily" has been inserted in the requirement to pronounce the order within a period of 90 days. The question then arises whether the passing of this order, beyond ninety days, was necessitated by any "extraordinary" circumstances. 9. Let us in this light revert to the prevailing situation in the country. On 24th March, 2020, Hon'ble Prime Minister of India took the bold step of imposing a nationwide lockdown, for 21 days, to prevent the spread of Covid 19 epidemic, and this lockdown was extended from time to time. As a matter of fact, even before this formal nationwide lockdown, the functioning of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal at Mumbai was severely restricted on account of lockdown by the Maharashtra Government, and on account of strict enforcement of health advisories with a view of checking spread of Covid 19. The epidemic situation in Mumbai being grave, there was not much of a relaxation in subsequent lockdowns also. In any case, there was unprecedente ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ays by excluding at least the period during which the lockdown was in force. We must factor ground realities in mind while interpreting the time limit for the pronouncement of the order. Law is not brooding omnipotence in the sky. It is a pragmatic tool of the social order. The tenets of law being enacted on the basis of pragmatism, and that is how the law is required to interpreted. The interpretation so assigned by us is not only in consonance with the letter and spirit of rule 34(5) but is also a pragmatic approach at a time when a disaster, notified under the Disaster Management Act 2005, is causing unprecedented disruption in the functioning of our justice delivery system. Undoubtedly, in the case of Otters Club Vs DIT [(2017) 392 ITR 244 (Bom)], Hon'ble Bombay High Court did not approve an order being passed by the Tribunal beyond a period of 90 days, but then in the present situation Hon'ble Bombay High Court itself has, vide judgment dated 15th April 2020, held that directed "while calculating the time for disposal of matters made time-bound by this Court, the period for which the order dated 26th March 2020 continues to operate shall be added and time shall stand extended ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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