M/S NIRANJAN RICE EXPORTS PVT LTD vs. COMMISISONER OF INCOME TAX-1, JALANDHAR

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ITA/405/2011HC Punjab & HaryanaPHHC01095748201125 July 2012Author: MR. JUSTICE AJAY KUMAR MITTAL4 pages
AI SummaryRemanded

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court allowed the appeals. It set aside the impugned order dated 24.12.2010 passed by the ITAT. The matter was remanded back to the Assessing Officer with a direction to compute the deduction under Section 80HHC of the Act in accordance with law and in light of the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in M/s Topman Exports (supra). The court found that the substantial questions of law were concluded by the judgments cited by the assessee, and the revenue did not contest this. Therefore, the ITAT's order, which was based on a different premise, was deemed unsustainable.

What were the facts?

The assessee, M/s Niranjan Rice Exports Pvt. Ltd., filed an appeal before the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh against an order dated 24.12.2010 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Amritsar Bench. The appeal pertains to assessment year 2004-05. The ITAT had dismissed the assessee's appeal by following a decision of the Bombay High Court. The assessee contended that the ITAT's order was based on a wrong premise regarding a previous remand order by the High Court. The High Court noted that two appeals, ITA Nos. 405 and 406 of 2011, involved identical questions and would be disposed of together. The revenue was represented by its counsel.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the ITAT was justified in summarily dismissing the assessee's appeal by incorrectly interpreting this Hon'ble Court's remand order and concurring with the Bombay High Court's view on the incidence of cost of DEPB/DFRC for calculating profits under Section 28(iiid) and (iiie) of the Income Tax Act, 1961? 2. Whether the ITAT was justified in not deciding the appeal on merits after proper hearing, despite the matter being remanded by this Hon'ble Court for a fresh decision in accordance with law? 3. Whether the ITAT was justified in holding that the entire sale proceeds of DEPB/DFRC were to be construed as profits under Section 28(iiid) & (iiie), without reducing any face value attributable to DEPB/DFRC to arrive at the profits on transfer? 4. Whether the order of the Tribunal is legally sustainable and perverse? Assessee's contentions: The assessee argued that the ITAT's dismissal was based on a misinterpretation of the High Court's remand order and that the substantial questions of law should be answered in its favor, relying on the Apex Court's judgment in M/s Topman Exports v. Commissioner of Income Tax and this Court's decision in M/s Turbo Impex v. Commissioner of Income Tax-II. Revenue's contentions: The revenue did not controvert the assessee's contention that the issue was concluded by the aforementioned judgments.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 28,Section 80HHC,Section 260A

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

-1- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.M. No. 29896-CII of 2011 and Date of Decision: 25.7.2012 M/s Niranjan Rice Exports Pvt. Ltd. ....Appellant. Versus Commissioner of Income Tax-I, Jalandhar ...Respondent. CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAY KUMAR MITTAL. HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G.S. SANDHAWALIA. PRESENT: Mr. J.S. Bhasin, Advocate for the appellant. Mr. Vivek Sethi, Advocate for the respondent.

1.

Delay in refiling the appeal is condoned.

2.

This order shall dispose of ITA Nos. 405 and 406 of 2011 as identical questions are involved therein.

3.

ITA No. 405 of 2011 has been filed by the assessee under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 against the order dated 24.12.2010 (Annexure A-5) passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Amritsar Bench, Amritsar (in short “the Tribunal”) in ITA No. 52 (ASR)/2009, for the assessment year 2004-05, claiming the following substantial questions of law:- i) Whether the ITAT was justified in summarily -2- dismissing the assessee's appeal, by following the Hon'ble Bombay High Court's decision in M/s Kalapatru Colours & Chemicals (supra), on a totally wrong premise that this Hon'ble Court, in its remand order dated 16.08.2010, had concurred with Bombay High Court's view, on the core issue that DEPB/DFRC had no incidence of cost capable to work out profits as envisaged in clauses (iiid) and (iiie) of section 28 of Income Tax Act, 1961? ii) Whether the ITAT was justified in not passing an order of its own, on the merits of the issue in dispute, dilating on the relevant provisions of law and the DEPB/DFRC Scheme, after giving proper opportunity of hearing to assessee, when this Hon'ble Court had remanded the matter to the ITAT for fresh decision in accordance with law, thereby rendering its impugned order unsustainable? iii) Whether the ITAT was justified in holding that the entire sale proceeds of DEPF/DFRC were to be construed as profits as envisaged in clause (iiid) & (iiie) of Section 28, there being no face value attributable to DEPB/DFRC to be further reduced from the sale proceeds, to arrive at the Profits on the transfer of DEPB/DFRC? iv) Whether the order of the Tribunal is legally sustainable and bad in law being perverse?

-3-

2.

Learned counsel for the assessee relied upon judgment of the Apex Court in M/s Topman Exports v. Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai, (2012) 3 SCC 593, which was followed by this Court in the case of M/s Turbo Impex v. Commissioner of Income Tax-II, Ludhiana (ITA No.361 of 2011, decided on 20.3.2012) to contend that the substantial questions of law are required to be answered in terms of the aforesaid judgments. Learned counsel for the revenue did not controvert the contention that the issue involved herein stands concluded by the aforesaid judgments.

3.

Accordingly, we allow the appeals in the same terms. The impugned order dated 24.12.2010 (Annexure A.5) passed by the Tribunal is set aside. The matter is remanded back to the Assessing Officer with a direction to compute the deduction under Section 80HHC of the Act in accordance with law and in the light of judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of M/s Topman Exports (supra). (AJAY KUMAR MITTAL) JUDGE July 25, 2012 (G.S. SANDHAWALIA) gbs JUDGE -4- IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.M. No. 29898-CII of 2011 and ITA No. 406 of 2011 Date of Decision: 25.7.2012 M/s Niranjan Rice Exports Pvt. Ltd. ....Appellant. Versus Commissioner of Income Tax-I, Jalandhar ...Respondent. CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAY KUMAR MITTAL. HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE G.S. SANDHAWALIA. PRESENT: Mr. J.S. Bhasin, Advocate for the appellant. Mr. Vivek Sethi, Advocate for the respondent.

Delay in refiling the appeal is condoned. For orders, see ITA No. 405 of 2011 (M/s Niranjan Rice Exports Pvt. Ltd. v.Commissioner of Income Tax-I, Jalandhar). (AJAY KUMAR MITTAL) JUDGE July 25, 2012 (G.S. SANDHAWALIA) gbs JUDGE

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