C I T vs. MAHENDRA SINGHVI

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ITA/487/2009HC RajasthanRJHC02052981200915 March 20163 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The Tribunal held that the appeals, with a tax effect indisputably less than Rs. 20 lac (which is the monetary limit prescribed for filing appeals before the High Courts by the CBDT Circular No. 21/2015), deserve to be dismissed as not pressed. The Tribunal noted that the circular applies retrospectively to pending appeals. However, it clarified that the substantial questions of law raised in these appeals, if any, are left open to be examined in future appropriate proceedings. The Revenue was also granted liberty to move an application for recalling the order if the appeal falls under any of the exceptions specified in the circular. Accordingly, the appeals were dismissed as not pressed.

What were the facts?

These are multiple Income Tax Appeals filed before the High Court, with the tax effect in each case being less than Rs. 20 lac. The appeals are directed against orders of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued Circular No. 21/2015 on December 10, 2015, which revised the monetary limits for filing appeals by the Revenue. This circular was issued to reduce litigation and applied retrospectively to pending appeals. The circular stipulated that appeals shall not be filed where the tax effect does not exceed Rs. 10,00,000/- before the Appellate Tribunal and Rs. 20,00,000/- before the High Court, with certain exceptions.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the appeals, having a tax effect less than Rs. 20 lac, should be dismissed as not pressed in light of CBDT Circular No. 21/2015? Assessee's Contention: The assessee did not explicitly argue, but the appeals were filed by the Revenue. The judgment implies the assessee would benefit from the dismissal of the appeals. Revenue's Contention: The Revenue's appeals were filed against the orders of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal. The Revenue relied on CBDT Circular No. 21/2015, which sets monetary limits for filing appeals. The Revenue acknowledged that the tax effect in these appeals was less than the prescribed limit for High Court appeals. The Revenue also implicitly accepted that the circular applies retrospectively to pending appeals.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 268A(1),Section 12A

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

-1- 1. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.35/2008. 2. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.390/2008. 3. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.657/2008. 4. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.681/2008. 5. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.836/2008. 6. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.322/2009. 7. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.487/2009. 8. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.495/2009. 9. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.136/2010. 10. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.233/2010. 11. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.4/2011. 12. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.137/2011. 13. D.B.Income Tax Appeal No.41/2009. 15.03.2016. HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE AJAY RASTOGI HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE AJAY RASTOGI HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE PRAKASH GUPTA HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE PRAKASH GUPTA Mr.R.B.Mathur ] Mr.Anuroop Singhi ] Mrs.Parinitoo Jain ] Counsel for appellants. Mr.Anil Mehta ] Mr.P.K.Kasliwal ] Mr.Sandeep Taneja ] Mr.Sanjay Jhanwar ] Counsel for respondents. ***** Instant appeals are 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. 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/- 3 Before Supreme Court 25,00,000/-

-2- 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.” 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 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. 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

-3- 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. Accordingly, in the light of the CBDT Circular dated 10.12.2015 the appeals stand dismissed as not pressed. Let a copy of this order be placed in each file separately. (PRAKASH GUPTA),J.

(AJAY RASTOGI),J. All corrections made in judgment/order have been All corrections made in judgment/order have been incorporated in the judgment/order being emailed. incorporated in the judgment/order being emailed. Solanki DS, P.S. Solanki DS, P.S.

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