C I T JAIPUR vs. M/S SHRUTI GEMS JAIPUR

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ITA/627/2011HC RajasthanRJHC02067569201102 December 20163 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court held that the instant appeal, filed by the Revenue, deserved to be dismissed as not pressed. This decision was based on the CBDT Circular No. 21/2015 dated 10.12.2015, which prescribes monetary limits for filing appeals. The tax effect in the present case was indisputably less than Rs. 20 lac, which is the limit for filing appeals before the High Courts. The Court clarified that any substantial questions of law raised in the appeal are left open to be examined in appropriate future proceedings. The Revenue was also granted liberty to move an application for recalling the order if the appeal fell under any of the exceptions mentioned in the Circular. The operative direction was to dismiss the appeal as not pressed.

What were the facts?

The Revenue, Commissioner of Income Tax-I, Jaipur, filed an appeal before the Rajasthan High Court against an order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. The assessee is M/s. Shruti Gems. The appeal concerns the assessment year(s) not explicitly stated but implied to be prior to the date of the order. The tax effect in dispute is less than Rs. 20 lac. The High Court noted that the appeal was filed despite the tax effect being below the prescribed monetary limit for filing appeals before the High Court as per CBDT Circular No. 21/2015 dated 10.12.2015. The Circular aimed to reduce litigation by setting monetary limits for appeals.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the appeal filed by the Revenue before the High Court is maintainable given that the tax effect is less than Rs. 20,00,000/-, as stipulated by CBDT Circular No. 21/2015 for appeals before High Courts, and whether the appeal should be dismissed as not pressed in light of this circular. Assessee's Contention: The judgment does not record any specific contentions from the assessee. The appeal is being disposed of based on the Revenue's submission and the applicability of the CBDT Circular. Revenue's Contention: The Revenue's appeal is being considered in light of the CBDT Circular No. 21/2015, which sets monetary limits for filing appeals. The tax effect in this case is below the prescribed limit for High Court appeals. The Revenue's appeal is effectively being treated as 'not pressed' due to the tax effect falling below the threshold, unless an exception applies.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 268A

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR. DB INCOME TAX APPEAL NO.627/2011 Commissioner of Income Tax-I, New Central Revenue Building, Statue Circle, Jaipur (Raj.). Versus M/s. Shruti Gems, 1632, Chordia Bhawan, Sonthli Walon Ka Rasta, Choura Rasta, Jaipur. DATE OF ORDER ::: 02.12.2016. HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K.S. JHAVERI HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH MEHTA Mr. Anuroop Singhi, for the appellant. BY THE COURT:

1.

Instant appeal is directed against order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and indisputably the tax effect as brought to our notice, is less than Rs.20 lac.

2.

A Circular No.21/2015 has been issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes dated 10.12.2015 in exercise of its power u/sec. 268A (1) of the Income-tax Act 1961 in supersession of the Boards instruction No.5/2014 dt.10.7.2014 regularising the monetary limits for filing the appeals by the Revenue before the Tribunal, High Courts and Apex Court with an object for reducing litigation. Relevant para nos.3, 8, 9 and 10 reads ad infra :- “3. Henceforth, appeals/SLPs shall not be filed in cases where the tax effect does not exceed the monetary limits given hereunder :- S. No. Appeals in Income-tax matters Monetary Limit (in Rs.) 1 Before Appellate Tribunal 10,00,000/- 2 Before High Court 20,00,000/-

2 S. No. Appeals in Income-tax matters Monetary Limit (in Rs.) 3 Before Supreme Court 25,00,000/- It is clarified that an appeal should not be filed merely because the tax effect in a case exceeds the monetary limits prescribed above. Filing of appeal in such cases is to be decided on merits of the case. 4. xxx xxx xxx 5. xxx xxx xxx 6. xxx xxx xxx 7. xxx xxx xxx

8.

Adverse judgments relating to the following issues should be contested on merits notwithstanding that the tax effect entailed is less than the monetary limits specified in para 3 above or there is no tax effect: (a) Where the Constitutional validity of the provisions of an Act or Rule are under challenge, or (b) Where Board's order, Notification, Instruction or Circular has been held to be illegal or ultra vires, or (c) Where Revenue Audit objection in the case has been accepted by the Department, or (d) Where the addition relates to undisclosed foreign assets/bank accounts.

9.

The monetary limits specified in para 3 above shall not apply to writ matters and direct tax matters other than Income tax. Filing of appeals in other Direct tax matters shall continue to be governed by relevant provisions of statute & rules. Further, filing of appeal in cases of Income Tax, where the tax effect is not quantifiable or not involved, such as the case of registration of trusts or institutions under section 12 A of the IT Act, 1961, shall not be governed by the limits specified in para 3 above and decision to file appeal in such cases may be taken on merits of a particular case.

10.

This instruction will apply retrospectively to pending appeals and appeals to be filed henceforth in High Courts/Tribunals. Pending appeals below the specified tax limits in para 3 above may be withdrawn/not pressed. Appeals before the Supreme Court will be governed by the instructions on this subject, operative at the time when such appeal was filed.”

3.

The extract of the paragraphs referred to supra, clearly indicates that the limits specified in para 3 may not apply to certain exceptions specified in para 8, at the same time para nos.9 and 10 of the Circular if read conjointly, clearly envisages that the present

3 instructions will apply retrospectively to all the pending appeals and appeals to be filed henceforth in High Courts/Tribunals, subject to exceptions where the tax effect even if is less than Rs.20 lac, can be preferred in High Courts.

4.

Taking note of the CBDT Circular dt. 10/12/2015 and the tax effect which indisputably in the instant case is less than Rs.20 lac, much less than what has been prescribed for filing appeal before the High Courts, deserves to be dismissed as not pressed. However, it is made clear that the substantial questions of law raised in the instant appeals, if any, are left open to be examined in an appropriate proceeding, if arises in future. At the same time we consider it appropriate to observe that if the appeal falls in any of the exceptions as referred to in the Circular dt. 10/12/2015, the Revenue will be at liberty to move an application for recalling of the order if so advised.

5.

Accordingly, in the light of the CBDT Circular dated 10.12.2015

the appeal stands dismissed as not pressed. (DINESH MEHTA), J. (K.S. JHAVERI), J. Asheesh Kr. Yadav 28

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