PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER OF IN vs. M/S.SUDHIR HUF
What did the High Court hold?
The High Court dismissed the Tax Case Appeal filed by the Revenue. The dismissal was based on the submission made by the Revenue's counsel regarding the low tax effect, as per CBDT Circular No. 17/2019. The Court noted that the monetary limit for filing or pursuing an appeal before the High Court had been increased to Rs. 1 Crore and that the tax effect in this case was less than the threshold limit. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed on this ground. The substantial questions of law framed for consideration were left open. Liberty was granted to the Revenue to seek restoration of the appeal if the tax effect was found to be above the threshold limit fixed in the circular, to be heard and decided on merits.
What were the facts?
The Revenue, represented by the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, filed a Tax Case Appeal under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, against an order dated December 12, 2019, passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Madras 'A' Bench. The appeal pertains to the assessment year 2015-2016 and concerns the assessee, M/s Sudhir HUF. The ITAT's order had set aside the Assessing Officer's order and remitted the issue back to the Assessing Officer for re-examination. The Revenue's appeal was filed against this decision of the ITAT.
What were the issues?
The Tribunal was asked to decide the following substantial questions of law: 1. Whether the ITAT was justified in setting aside the Assessing Officer's order for re-examination when the Assessing Officer had already duly examined the matter. 2. Whether the ITAT was justified in not dismissing the assessee's appeal, as was done in similar cases by other ITAT benches (Smt. Rekha Jain and Harish Kumar HUF), given the alleged similarity in facts and circumstances. 3. Whether the ITAT was right in remitting the issue back to the Assessing Officer, shifting the onus to the Revenue to prove the assessee's role in promoting the company, relationship with promoters, and role in inflating share prices. Contentions: Assessee: No arguments recorded for the assessee in the provided text. Revenue: The Revenue submitted that the appeal was not being pursued due to low tax effect, citing CBDT Circular No. 17/2019, which increased the monetary limit for appeals before the High Court to Rs. 1 Crore. The tax effect in this case was stated to be below this threshold.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
T.C.A.No.435 of 2020 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 18.12.2020 CORAM THE HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE T.S.SIVAGNANAM & THE HON'BLE MRS.JUSTICE V.BHAVANI SUBBAROYAN Tax Case Appeal No.435 of 2020 Principal Commissioner of Income Tax Non-Corporate Ward 9(5), Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600034
... Appellant Vs. M/s Sudhir HUF
... Respondent Tax Case Appeal is filed under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act 1961 against the order dated 12.12.2019 made in I.T.A.No.3520/Chny/2018 on the file of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Madras “A” Bench, for the assessment year 2015 - 2016.
For Appellant : Mr.R.Karthik Ranganathan
For Respondent : Mr.A.S.Sriraman
1/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ T.C.A.No.435 of 2020 J U D G M E N T (Judgment of the Court was delivered by T.S.SIVAGNANAM.J) We have heard Mr.R.Karthik Ranganathan, learned counsel appearing for the appellant and Mr.A.S.Sriraman, learned counsel appearing for the respondent. 2. This appeal, filed by the Revenue under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is directed against the order dated 12.12.2019 made in I.T.A.No.3520/Chny/2018 on the file of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Madras “A” Bench, for the assessment year 2015 - 2016. 3. The Substantial Questions of Law raised for consideration in these appeals are as follows : “1. Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in Law, the Hon'ble ITAT was right and justified in setting aside the order passed by the Assessing Officer to re-examine the matter when the Assessing officer has already duly examined the matter before passing the assessment order. 2. Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Hon'ble ITAT was right and justified in not dismissing the appeal of the assessee as done by the ITAT 'A' Bench, Chennai in ITA 2/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ T.C.A.No.435 of 2020 No.827/Chny/2019 dated 11.06.2019 in the case of the ITAT 'A' Bench, Chennai in I.T.A.No.827/Chny/2019 dated 11.06.2019 in the case of Smt.Rekha Jain and by ITAT 'C" Bench, Chennai in ITA No.3009/Chny/2018 in the case of Harish Kumar HUF, when the facts and circumstances of those cases are exactly similar to the present case. 3. Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Hon'ble ITAT was right and justified in remitting the issue back to the file of the Assessing Officer and shifting the onus to the Revenue with a direction that the Assessing officer shall bring on record the role of the assessee in promoting the company and the relationship of the assessee, if any with the promoters, role of the assessee in inflating the price of shares etc., " 4. The learned counsel for the appellant submits that the above appeal is not pursued by the Revenue on account of the low tax effect in terms of Circular No.17/2019 dated 08.8.2019 issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. By the said Circular, the monetary limit for filing or pursuing an appeal before the High Court has been increased to Rs.1 Crore. It is further submitted that the tax effect in this case is less than the threshold limit. 3/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ T.C.A.No.435 of 2020 5. In the light of the said submissions, the above tax case appeal is dismissed on account of the low tax effect. The substantial question of law framed is left open. In the event the tax effect is above the threshold limit fixed in the said circular, liberty is granted to the Revenue to make a mention to this Court to restore the appeal to be heard and decided on merits.
(T.S.S.J.,) (V.B.S.J.,)
18.12.2020 Index : yes/no Internet : yes/no Speaking Judgment/Non-Speaking Judgment ssd 4/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/ T.C.A.No.435 of 2020 T.S.SIVAGNANAM.J., and V.BHAVANI SUBBAROYAN.J., ssd To The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, “A” Bench, Chennai. Tax Case Appeal No.435 of 2020 18.12.2020 5/5 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/
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