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TMI Blog2022 (12) TMI 281X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ing of its' returns of income under section 143(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 ('the Act' hereinafter) for the relevant years. The Arguments 2. At the very outset, it was submitted by the ld. counsel for the assessee, Sh. Nema, that the only issue arising in the instant appeals is the addition of the employee's contribution to the employee welfare funds for the reason of the same having been deposited beyond the due date specified in its respect u/s. 36(1)(va), even as the same stand deposited by the due date of filing the return of income u/s. 139(1) of the Act for the relevant year, being 31/10/2018 & 31/10/2019 respectively for the two consecutive years, which aspect of the matter is not in dispute. The addition, being debatable, coul ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n of income u/s. 139(1) for the relevant year. Reliance stands placed by it on the decisions in Popular Vehicles & Services (P.) Ltd. [2018] 96 taxman.com 13 (Ker); CIT v. Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation [2014] 366 ITR 170 (Guj), CIT v. Merchem Ltd. [2015] 378 ITR 443 (Kerala); and Unifac Management Services (India) P. Ltd. v. Asst. CIT [2018] 409 ITR 225 (Mad). The matter stands examined at length by the Tribunal in Nikhil Mohine (supra), wherein, noticing, inter alia, the cited decisions, it held that in view of the cleavage of judicial opinion in the matter and the limited scope of an adjustment u/s. 143(1)(a), the same could not be decided on merits. The decisions by the Hon'ble High Courts holding the employee's contribution a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ns on the statute, as the amendments could otherwise have been effected through prospective clause/s to the relevant provisions. Rather, the tenor of the language employed, clearly giving the stated position a retrospective effect, necessarily requires the Explanations to be read as inserted in the statute from a later date. That is, the fact of insertion of the said Explanations w.e.f. a later date is consistent with the language giving it a retrospective effect and, thus, does not impinge adversely on it being regarded as so. Reference here may be made to the decision in Union of India vs. S. Muthyam Reddy [1999] 240 ITR 341 (SC), wherein the words 'shall not include and shall be deemed never to have included' in the Explanation to s. 2(1 ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... of the Act, rendering the question of law posed before the Hon'ble Courts, i.e., if the employee's contribution to the employee welfare funds is exclusively covered u/s. 43B, itself, with respect, misplaced, if not irrelevant. The view being canvassed was, thus, it opined, viewed from any angle, wholly untenable. The view expressed by the Tribunal is in fact in agreement with that projected by the Board per its Circular (No. 22/2015, dtd. 17/12/2015), as also that canvassed per the impugned order with reference to the cited decisions, both explaining, as did the Explanatory Notes on the insertion of s. 36(1)(va) on the statute, the object of the said provision. It is this view, which in fact, as also noticed by the Tribunal, represented the ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n adjustment u/s. 143(1)(a) could be made on the basis of the audit report. So, however, our decision in the instant case, as would be apparent from the foregoing, is based on the conflict of judicial opinion in the matter, duly noted in the Explanatory Notes to the Provisions of the Finance Bill, 2021, explaining that to be the reason for effecting the amendments per the said Explanations. The auditor does not express any judicial opinion per his audit report and, clearly, reference thereto in s. 143(1)(a)(iv) is for the facts stated therein. Why, the processing of a return of income u/s. 143(1)(a) is not an 'assessment' inasmuch as there is no provision for hearing the assessee, precluding debatable issues (see: CIT (Asst.) v. Rajesh Jhav ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... aurashtra Kutch Stock Exchange Ltd. [2008] 305 ITR 227 (SC); CIT v. Aruna Luthra [2001] 252 ITR 76 (P&H)(FB)). No such decision has been found, or otherwise pointed out by the parties, as was the case before the Tribunal in Nikhil Mohine (supra). Any such decision, even if discovered later, may operate to amend this order, or the order giving appeal effect thereto, to bring it in conformity or agreement with the said decision/s, of course, after allowing a fair opportunity of hearing to the assessee. 4.3 The impugned additions, therefore, could not have been made under the given facts and circumstances of the case and the law in the matter, and are directed for deletion. We decide accordingly. 5. In the result, the assessee's appeals are ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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