COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX,TRIVANDRUM vs. M/S.POYILAKADA TRUST,KOLLAM.
What did the High Court hold?
The High Court declined to entertain the appeal. The Court noted that the ITAT had followed the jurisdictional High Court's earlier decisions. However, the Revenue brought to the Court's notice that the Supreme Court's decision in IPCA Laboratory Ltd. v. Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax [(2004) 266 ITR 521] might have taken a different view. The High Court opined that if the Revenue believed the ITAT's order was contrary to the apex Court's ruling, it should make an appropriate application before the ITAT itself, either for review or rectification of its order. The Court granted liberty to the Revenue to pursue this course of action. The appeal was disposed of on this procedural ground, without deciding the merits of the ITAT's order.
What were the facts?
The Revenue, Commissioner of Income Tax, Thiruvananthapuram, is appealing an order dated March 14, 2003, passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Cochin Bench, in ITA No. 295/1999, for the assessment year 1996-97. The appeal was filed before the High Court of Kerala. The delay in the appeal's admission was attributed to the Revenue's non-payment of court fees. The Revenue sought to challenge the ITAT's order, which had followed the jurisdictional High Court's earlier decisions.
What were the issues?
1. Whether the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal's order, which followed the jurisdictional High Court's dicta, is sustainable in light of the Supreme Court's decision in IPCA Laboratory Ltd. v. Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax [(2004) 266 ITR 521]? (Question of law) Assessee's Contentions: The judgment does not record any specific contentions made by the assessee, M/s Poyilakada Trust. Revenue's Contentions: The Revenue contended that the ITAT's order was contrary to the law laid down by the apex Court in IPCA Laboratory's case. The Revenue argued that the Tribunal's reasoning and conclusion were not sustained by the Supreme Court's decision.
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR.H.L.DATTU
& THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE A.K.BASHEER TUESDAY, THE 29TH JULY 2008 / 7TH SRAVANA 1930
I.T.A.No. 41 of 2008
--------------------------------- ORDER DATED 14.3.2003 IN ITA.295/COCH/1999 OF THE INCOME TAX
APPELLATE.TRIBUNAL, COCHIN BENCH
.................... APPELLANT/APPELLANT:- ------------------------------------- COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY CENTRAL GOVERNMENT STANDING COUNSEL FOR INCOME TAX SRI.GEORGE K. GEORGE RESPONDENT/RESPONDENT: ------------------------------------------- M/S POYILAKADA TRUST, PARAMESWARA NAGAR, KOLLAM.
THIS INCOME TAX APPEAL HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 29/07/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
H.L.DATTU, C.J. & A.K.BASHEER, J. -------------------------------------------
I.T.A.No.41 of 2008 ------------------------------------------ Dated, this the 29th day of July, 2008 JUDGMENT H.L.Dattu, C.J. The Revenue is before us in this appeal, being aggrieved by the orders passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Cochin Bench, in I.T.A.No.295 of 1999, for the assessment year 1996-97. The order passed by the Tribunal is dated 14th March, 2003. 2. The Tribunal while deciding the issues raised by the Revenue before it, had answered those issues following the dicta laid down by the jurisdictional High Court. 3. For the first time, nearly after five years, the matter is coming up for admission before us. This was only because of the non- payment of the court fee by the Revenue. If for any reason, the appeal had come before us immediately after it was filed before this Court, our answer would have been to accept the reasoning of the Tribunal for the reason that the Tribunal had merely followed the dicta laid down by this Court. 4. Now it is brought to our notice by the learned counsel appearing for the Department that the view expressed by this Court is not sustained by the apex Court in the decision rendered in the case of
I.T.A.No.41 of 2008 2 IPCA Laboratory Ltd. v. Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax [(2004) 266 ITR 521]. In our opinion, if for any reason the Department is of the opinion that the reasoning and conclusion reached by the Tribunal is contrary to the law laid down by the apex Court in the case of IPCA Laboratory's case, the Revenue has to make an appropriate application before the Tribunal, either for review or rectification of its order. 5. In that view of the matter, we decline to entertain this appeal. Accordingly, the appeal is disposed of. However, we grant liberty to the Revenue to make an appropriate application/review petition before the Tribunal for appropriate orders. Ordered accordingly.
(H.L.DATTU) CHIEF JUSTICE
(A.K.BASHEER) JUDGE vns
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