COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX vs. WINNER DAIRY & P LTD

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TCA/484/2018HC Madras17 June 2019Bench: Hon`ble Mr Justice T. S. SIVAGNANAM4 pages
AI SummaryDismissed

What did the High Court hold?

The High Court dismissed the appeal filed by the Revenue. The dismissal was based on the Revenue's submission that the appeal was not being pursued due to a low tax effect, in line with Circular No. 3 of 2018 dated 11.07.2018. Consequently, the substantial questions of law framed for consideration were left open. The Revenue was granted liberty to seek restoration of the appeal if the tax effect was later found to be above the threshold limit or if it fell under exceptional clauses mentioned in the Circular. No costs were awarded. The specific findings on the merits of the substantial questions of law were not adjudicated upon due to the dismissal on the ground of low tax effect.

What were the facts?

The Revenue, Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai, filed an appeal under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, against the order dated 28.10.2016 passed by the Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Chennai Bench. The appeal pertains to Assessment Year 2012-13 and challenges the ITAT's decision regarding the applicability of Section 194C and the disallowance of expenditure. The assessee is M/s. Winner Dairy & (P) Ltd. The procedural history involves the ITAT's order which is now under challenge before the High Court. The amount in dispute is not explicitly stated.

What were the issues?

The Tribunal had to decide the following substantial questions of law: 1. Whether the order of the Tribunal was erroneous in law and perverse on facts. 2. Whether the Tribunal was right in holding that Section 194C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, does not apply to the assessee, even though payments were made to contractors for hiring vehicles for milk procurement and sale, on the ground that payments were made to vehicle owners and Section 194C applies only to subcontractors. 3. Whether the Tribunal was right in holding that the Assessing Officer had not examined the details of the assessee's bank account etc., despite the assessee not discharging its burden of proof by providing complete payee details (address, PAN) warranting disallowance of hire charges. The Revenue argued that Section 194C should apply to payments made for vehicle hiring. The assessee's contentions are not explicitly detailed in the judgment, but the Tribunal's reasoning suggests the assessee argued that the payments were not to subcontractors and that the Assessing Officer failed to examine provided details. The judgment does not name specific authorities, circulars, or precedents relied upon by either side.

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 260A,Section 194C

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED : 17.06.2019 CORAM : THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE T.S.SIVAGNANAM and THE HONOURABLE MRS.JUSTICE V.BHAVANI SUBBAROYAN Tax Case Appeal No.484 of 2018 Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai. ... Appellant -vs- M/s.Winner Dairy & (P) Ltd., Shri S.Elambharathi & Others, New No.364 (Old No.210), Lloyds Road, Flat No.5, Ground Floor, “Kurupam Court”, Gopalapuram, Chennai-600 034. PAN : AAACW 0573 F ... Respondent Appeal under Section 260A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 against the order dated 28.10.2016 on the file of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal 'A' Bench, Chennai, in I.T.A.No.2027/Mds/2016 for the assessment year 2012-13. For Appellant : Mr.T.R.Senthil Kumar, Senior Standing Counsel ****** http://www.judis.nic.in 2 JUDGMENT (Delivered by T.S.Sivagnanam, J.) This appeal has been filed by the Revenue under Section 260A of the Income-tax Act, 1961, challenging the order dated 28.10.2016 passed by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal 'A' Bench, Chennai (for brevity “the Tribunal”), in I.T.A.No.2027/Mds/2016 for the assessment year 2012-13. 2.The Revenue has raised the following substantial questions of law for consideration:- “(i) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case the order of the Tribunal erroneous in law and perverse on facts. (ii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case the Tribunal was right in holding that the provisions of Section 194C does not apply to the assessee even though the assessee had made payment to the contractors for hiring the vehicle for procurement and sale of milk on the ground that the payments were made to the owner of the vehicle and the provisions of Section 194C is applicable only to the subcontractors. (iii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case the Tribunal was right in holding that the assessing officer had not taken steps to examine the details of the bank account etc., furnished by the assessee http://www.judis.nic.in 3 even though the assessee had not discharged its burden of proof by providing the complete details of the payee by providing the address, PAN number of the assessee etc., warranting disallowance of the expenditure of such hire charges” 3.Heard Mr.T.R.Senthil Kumar, learned Senior Standing Counsel for the Revenue. 4.The learned Senior Standing Counsel for the Revenue submits that the appeal is not being pursued by the Revenue on account of low tax effect in the light of the Circular No.3 of 2018, dated 11.07.2018. 5.Thus, by applying the above Circular, this tax case appeal stands dismissed on the ground of low tax effect and the substantial questions of law, framed for consideration, are left open. The Revenue is at liberty to seek for restoration of appeal if at a later point of time, it is found that the tax effect is above the threshold limit or to fall under the exceptional clauses mentioned in the Circular. No costs. (T.S.S., J.) (V.B.S., J.) 17.06.2019 abr T.S.Sivagnanam, J. http://www.judis.nic.in 4 and V.Bhavani Subbaroyan, J. (abr) To 1.The Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax, Pondicherry Circle, Pondicherry. 2.The Commissioner of Income-Tax (Appeals)-Puducherry, 121, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Chennai-600 034. 3.The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal 'A' Bench, Chennai. T.C.A.No.484 of 2018

17.06.2019 http://www.judis.nic.in

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