COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX , KARNAL vs. MARKET COMMITTEE, BAPOLI

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ITA/285/2010HC Punjab & HaryanaPHHC01093202201002 August 2010Bench: MR. JUSTICE AJAY KUMAR MITTAL,MR. JUSTICE ADARSH KUMAR GOEL3 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court dismissed the appeals filed by the Revenue. The Court noted that the learned counsel for the revenue fairly stated that the matter was covered against the revenue by a previous order of the same Court dated 28.7.2010 in ITA No.238 of 2010 (The Commissioner of Income Tax v. Market Committee, Karnal). Therefore, without delving into the merits of each specific question raised by the Revenue, the appeals were disposed of based on the precedent. The operative direction was to dismiss the appeals. No issues were expressly left undecided, as the appeals were decided on the basis of a binding precedent.

What were the facts?

The Revenue (Commissioner of Income Tax) filed appeals before the High Court of Punjab and Haryana against the order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Delhi Bench. The appeals, numbered ITA Nos. 285 to 288 of 2010, pertain to the assessment year 2006-07 and challenge the ITAT's decision regarding the Market Committee, Bapoli. The core of the dispute revolves around the allowability of depreciation on capital assets when the capital expenditure for their acquisition was already claimed as an application of income by the trust. The ITAT's order also dealt with issues of double deduction, set-off of brought forward unabsorbed depreciation and losses, adjustment of excess application of income, and the allowability of a statutory payment as application of income.

What were the issues?

The Tribunal had to decide the following substantial questions of law: 1. Whether depreciation was allowable on a capital asset when the deduction for capital expenditure incurred for its acquisition was already allowed as an application of income of the trust (Section 11 of the Income Tax Act). 2. Whether allowing depreciation constituted a double deduction on the same expenditure, contrary to the principle laid down in Escorts Ltd. Vs. UOI (199 ITR 43). 3. Whether the ITAT was justified in restoring the issue to the Assessing Officer for set-off of brought forward unabsorbed depreciation and losses, given that depreciation is not per se allowable when capital expenditure has been allowed as application of income, and Sections 70 to 80 do not specifically provide for carry forward and set-off in cases assessed under Sections 11 to 13. 4. Whether the ITAT was justified in directing the AO to consider excess application of income from previous years for adjustment in the current year, in the absence of a specific provision in Sections 11 to 13 and considering the applicability of the ratio in Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (164 ITR 439). 5. Whether the payment of 30% of market fees earned by the Market Committee to the Haryana Agriculture Marketing Board was an application of income for charitable purposes, or a sharing of income by an overriding title as per the governing Act. Assessee's Contentions: Not recorded. Revenue's Contentions: The Revenue argued that depreciation should not be allowed if capital expenditure was already allowed as application of income, citing the principle against double deduction. They also contended that statutory payments are not application of income and that provisions for carry forward and set-off of losses and unabsorbed depreciation are not applicable to income assessed under Sections 11 to 13. They further argued against adjusting excess application of income from previous years and questioned the applicability of the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation decision.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 260-A,Section 11,Section 12,Section 13,Section 70,Section 80

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. I.T.A. No.285 of 2010 & other connected cases being ITA Nos.286 to 288 of 2010 Date of decision: 2.8.2010 The Commissioner of Income Tax. -----Appellant. Vs. Market Committee, Bapoli. -----Respondent CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ADARSH KUMAR GOEL HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AJAY KUMAR MITTAL Present:- Mr. Yogesh Putney, Sr. Standing counsel for the Revenue. --- ADARSH KUMAR GOEL, J. 1. This order will dispose of I.T.A. Nos.285 to 288 of 2010, as it is stated that identical questions are involved in all the appeals. 2. I.T.A. No.285 of 2010 has been preferred by the Revenue under Section 260-A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 against the order dated 29.5.2009 in I.T.A. No.3655/Del/2008 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Delhi Bench ‘F’, New Delhi for the assessment year 2006-07, proposing to raise following substantial questions of law:- “i) Whether on the facts, and in the circumstances of the case, the Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal was justified in holding that depreciation was allowable

I.T.A. No.285 of 2010 on the capital asset, when deduction for capital expenditure incurred for acquisition of these capital assets has already been allowed as application of income of the trust? ii) Whether on the facts, and in the circumstances of the case, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal was justified in allowing double deduction on depreciation when capital expenditure on the asset has already been allowed is justified in the light of the apex Court's decision in Escorts Ltd. Vs. UOI (199 ITR 43) to the effect that in the absence of clear statutory indication to the contrary, the statute should not be read as to permit an assessee two deductions on the same expenditure? iii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Ld. ITAT was justified in restoring the issue to the file of the Assessing Officer to allow set off of brought forward unabsorbed depreciation and losses of earlier years, despite the fact that depreciation per se is not allowable on capital assets when deduction for capital expenditure has already been allowed as application of income in earlier years and when the provisions of sections 70 to 80 of the Income-tax Act have not specifically provided for carry forward and set off of losses or unabsorbed depreciation in the case of income assessed u/s 11 to 13 of the Act? iv) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Ld. ITAT was justified in directing the AO to consider the excess amount of application of income of previous years to be adjusted in the current year, despite there being no provision in Section 11 to 13 of the Act in this regard and despite the fact that the ratio of the decision of the Hon'ble 2

I.T.A. No.285 of 2010 Rajasthan High Court in Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (164 ITR 439) is not applicable to this jurisdiction? v) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Ld. ITAT was justified in allowing payment of 30% of market fees earned by it paid to the Haryana Agriculture Marketing Board as application of income for charitable purpose, despite the finding that 30% of the market fee has to be paid to the said Board as a statutory obligation under the Agricultural Marketing Board Act, and therefore, it is not application of income, but it is sharing of income by an overriding title as per the Act by which the Market Committee is governed?” 3. Learned counsel for the revenue fairly states that the matter is covered against the revenue by order of this Court dated 28.7.2010 in I.T.A. No.238 of 2010 (The Commissioner of Income Tax v. Market Committee, Karnal). 4. In view of above, these appeals are dismissed. 5. A photocopy of this order be placed on the files of each connected case (ADARSH KUMAR GOEL) JUDGE August 02, 2010 ( AJAY KUMAR MITTAL ) ashwani JUDGE 3

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