PR COMMISSIONER OF IT KOTA vs. M/S BHIM SINGH
What did the High Court hold?
The High Court held that the issues raised in the appeal were covered by its previous decisions in D.B. Income Tax Appeal No. 597/2009 and CIT Kota Vs. HH Maharajo Bhim Singh & ors., decided on 14.12.2016. These decisions, in turn, were based on a Supreme Court ruling dated 05.12.2016. The Supreme Court had held that income earned by a former ruler from the requisition of property is not taxable. Consequently, the High Court found that question (iv) regarding the taxability of income on requisitioned property was covered. The court further observed that the other questions framed by the revenue, particularly those relating to Sections 147 and 148, had become academic. Since the income derived by the assessee was not taxable, no fruitful purpose would be served by examining these issues further. Therefore, the appeals deserved to be dismissed. The operative direction was that the appeal stands dismissed.
What were the facts?
The appellant, Pr Commissioner of Income Tax, Kota, challenged a judgment and order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). The ITAT had partly allowed the appeal of the department and dismissed the cross-objection filed by the assessee, M/s Bhim Singh. The appeal before the High Court was filed by the revenue. The High Court noted that identical issues concerning the same assessee were covered by its previous decisions in D.B. Income Tax Appeal No. 597/2009 and CIT Kota Vs. HH Maharajo Bhim Singh & ors., decided on 14.12.2016. These prior decisions, in turn, relied on a Supreme Court decision dated 05.12.2016.
What were the issues?
The High Court was asked to decide five questions of law: 1. Whether the Tribunal was justified in treating the assessee as an 'individual' instead of 'HUF' under Section 27(ii) of the Income Tax Act and Sections 4, 5 & 6 of the Hindu Succession Act. 2. Whether the Tribunal was justified in holding the assessee entitled to exemption under Section 10(19A) by treating the entire palace as let out, thus not in the occupation of the ex-ruler. 3. Whether the Tribunal was justified in restricting disallowance of expenses without appreciating that they were excessive, unreasonable, and lacked proof of genuineness and commercial expediency, making them non-allowable under Sections 37, 57, or 58. 4. Whether the Tribunal was justified in assessing income from ITC Ltd. as 'Business Income' under Section 28, rather than 'Income from Other Sources' under Section 56, given the assessee's lack of control over the hotel business. 5. Whether the Tribunal was justified in assessing rental income from a commercial complex as 'Business Income' under Section 28, instead of 'Income from House Property' under Section 22, when the assessee's motive was rental income and not business activity. The appellant (revenue) argued for the opposite of what the Tribunal held on these issues. The judgment does not record specific arguments from the respondent (assessee) beyond what is implied by the questions framed by the appellant.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
Section 27,Section 4,Section 5,Section 6,Section 10(19A),Section 37,Section 57,Section 58,Section 28,Section 56,Section 22,Section 147,Section 148
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR D.B. Income Tax Appeal No. 280 / 2016 Pr Commissioner Of It Kota ----Appellant Versus M/S Bhim Singh ----Respondent _____________________________________________________ For Appellant(s) : Mrs. Parinitoo Jain _____________________________________________________ HON'BLE THE ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE GOVERDHAN BARDHAR Judgment 28/03/2017 1. By way of this appeal, the appellant has challenged the judgment and order of the Tribunal whereby the Tribunal has partly allowed the appeal of the department and cross objection filed by the assessee was dismissed. 2. The learned counsel for the appellant has framed the following questions of law: “1. Whether the Tribunal was legally justified in directing to adopt the status of the assessee as an ‘individual” and not as “HUF” as taken by Assessing Officer in light of provisions of Section 27(ii) of Income Tax Act and Section 4, 5 & 6 of the Hindu Succession Act? 2. Whether the Tribunal was legally justified in holding the assessee entitled for exemption u/s. 10(19A) treating entire palace was let out and as such it cannot be said that intire palace was in occupation of ex-ruler? (3) Whether the Tribunal was legally justified in restricting the disallowance of expenses without appreciating the same were excessive and unreasonable and the assessee had failed to furnish details and prove the genuineness and commercial
(2 of 3) [ITA-280/2016] expediency of such expenses and as such were not allowable u/s. 37 or 57 or 58 of the Act? (4) Whether the Tribunal was legally justified in holding that the income earned from ITC Ltd. Be assessed ‘Business Income’ u/s. 28 as against assessed as ‘Income from Other Sources’ u/s. 56 by the Assessing Officer specifically when the assessee neither had any control over the running hotel business nor was a party in running the hotel business? (5) Whether the Tribunal was legally justified in holding that the rental income received from commercial complex was assessable as ‘Business Income’ u/s. 28 instead of ‘Income from House Property’ u/s. 22 specifically when the motive of the assessee was to earn rental income and was not engaged any business activity? 3. However, the issue is covered by the decision of this Court in the case of same assessee in D.B. Income Tax Appeal No. 597/2009 (Commisioner of Income Tax Vs. H.H. Maharajo Bhim Singh) decided on 14.12.2016 and CIT Kota Vs. HH Maharajo Bhim Singh & ors., decided on 14.12.2016, wherein it has been held as under: “13. Identical issue in the case of same assessee was pending before the Supreme Court by way of Civil Appeal No.2812/2015 whereby recently in the decision of the Supreme Court rendered on 05.12.2016, it has been held that the income which has been earned by the former ruler as his income from the requisition of the property is not taxable and in view thereof, the question No.(iv) in relation to taxability of income on requisitioned property is covered by the decision of the Supreme Court. 14. Consequently, the other questions which are framed with regard to section 147 and 148 of the Act in our view have been rendered academic inasmuch as the income which has been derived by the assessee is not taxable and no fruitful purpose would
(3 of 3) [ITA-280/2016] be served by examining the issue. In that view of the matter, the appeals deserve to be dismissed.” 4. In view of above, the appeal stands dismissed. (GOVERDHAN BARDHAR),J. (K.S. JHAVERI)ACTING C.J. //bm gandhi 149
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