THE PR COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, vs. SRI RAJKUMAR C (HUF)
What did the High Court hold?
The High Court disposed of the appeal based on the submissions made by both parties. The assessee contended that the tax effect in the appeal was less than Rs. 2 Crores, and therefore, the appeal should not be entertained by the Revenue in view of CBDT Circular No. 09/2024 dated 17.09.2024. The Revenue, on the other hand, sought liberty to revive the appeal if the matter fell within the exceptions provided in Circular No. 09/2024 and Circular No. 5/2024 dated 15.03.2024. The Court allowed the appeal to be disposed of with the liberty as prayed for by the Revenue. The substantial questions of law were kept open to be adjudicated in an appropriate proceeding. No decision was made on the merits of the substantial questions of law raised by the Revenue.
What were the facts?
The Revenue (Principal Commissioner of Income-Tax and Deputy Commissioner of Income-Tax) filed an appeal under Section 260-A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, before the High Court of Karnataka. The appeal challenges an order dated 31.10.2022 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Bengaluru, in ITA No.1381/Bang/2014. The assessment year in question is 2007-08. The ITAT's order had set aside a re-assessment order. The procedural history involves a prior remand by the ITAT. The dispute concerns the validity of the re-assessment and the treatment of a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) and alleged partition.
What were the issues?
The Tribunal had to decide several substantial questions of law, framed by the Revenue as follows: 1. Whether the Tribunal's order was perverse in law for quashing the re-assessment order on the ground that conditions for invoking Section 147 were not satisfied, and subsequently, after remand, holding that re-assessment of an HUF cannot be made under Section 171 of the Act, leading to a contradictory judgment. 2. Whether the Tribunal erred in law by holding the re-assessment order invalid by invoking Section 171 of the Act, when no such direction was given by the High Court to examine the case in light of Section 171, despite holding the re-assessment order to be in accordance with Sections 150 and 153. 3. Whether the Tribunal's order was perverse for not appreciating that the assessing authority has the power to disbelieve oral and documentary evidence of partition if circumstances support such an inference. 4. Whether the Tribunal's order was perverse in holding that the HUF was not in existence at the time of passing the assessment order, when the alleged partition was between husband, wife, and minor children, which the Revenue contends was a tool to evade tax under Section 171. 5. Whether the Tribunal's order was perverse for not appreciating the assessee's conduct in challenging the assessment order for the individual also, and then taking the stand that the HUF was disrupted when the assessment order was passed for the HUF. 6. Whether the Tribunal's order was perverse in deleting additions made on account of AMP expenses, ignoring that these expenses created an intangible asset. The Revenue argued that the Tribunal's findings were perverse and contradictory. The assessee argued that the tax effect was below Rs. 2 Crores, and therefore, the appeal should not be entertained in view of CBDT Circular No. 09/2024 dated 17.09.2024, which binds the Revenue.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
Section 260-A,Section 147,Section 171,Section 150,Section 153
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
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NC: 2024:KHC:41161-DB ITA No. 582 of 2023
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER, 2024 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA INCOME TAX APPEAL NO.582 OF 2023 BETWEEN:
THE PR. COMMISSIONER OF INCOME-TAX, 5TH FLOOR, BMTC BUILDING, 80 FEET ROAD, KORMANGALA, BENGALURU-560 095.
THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF INCOME-TAX CIRCLE 7(1), PRESENT ADDRESS: ITO, WARD 4(3)(2), 2ND FLOOR, BMTC BUILDING, 80 FEET ROAD, KORMANGALA, BENGALURU-560 095. …APPELLANTS
(BY SRI. DILIP M., ADVOCATE ALONG WITH SRI. RAVIRAJ Y.V., ADVOCATE)
Digitally signed by B LAVANYA Location: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA
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NC: 2024:KHC:41161-DB ITA No. 582 of 2023
AND:
SRI RAJKUMAR C (HUF) NO 259/B, 7TH CROSS, HSR LAYOUT, SECTOR 1, BENGALURU-560 102 PAN: AAMHR 4074B …RESPONDENT
(SERVED)
THIS INCOME TAX APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 260-A OF INCOME TAX ACT, 1961, PRAYING TO ALLOW THE APPEAL AND SET ASIDE THE ORDERS PASSED BY THE INCOME-TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, BENGALURU IN ITA NO.1381/BANG/2014 DATED 31.10.2022 FOR ASSESSMENT YEAR 2007-2008 (ANNEXURE-A) AND CONFIRM THE ORDER OF THE APPELLATE COMMISSIONER CONFIRMING THE ORDER PASSED BY THE INCOME TAX OFFICER, WARD-4(3)(2), BENGALURU AND ETC.
THIS APPEAL IS COMING ON FOR FURTHER ORDERS, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER: CORAM: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT AND HON'BLE MR JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA
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NC: 2024:KHC:41161-DB ITA No. 582 of 2023
ORAL JUDGMENT (PER: HON'BLE MR JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT)
Heard the learned counsel Sri.Dilip.M., along with Sri. Raviraj.Y.V., learned counsel for appellants/Revenue.
The Revenue is in appeal under Section 260-A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (for short ‘the Act’) questioning the correctness and legality of order dated 31.10.2022 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, ‘A’ Bench, Bengaluru (for short ‘Appellate Authority’) in ITA.No.1381/Bang/2014 for the assessment year 2007-08, raising the following substantial questions of law: 1. "Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal's order can be said as perverse in nature in law in quashing re-assessment order earlier re-assessment order on the ground that conditions for invoking Section 147 of the Act was not satisfied and subsequently after remand holding that re-assessment order in case of HUF cannot be made as per section 171 of the Act giving contradictory judgment"?
"Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in law in holding that as re-assessment
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NC: 2024:KHC:41161-DB ITA No. 582 of 2023
order is in accordance with Section 150 and 153 of the Act has held that same is invalid by invoking section 171 of the Act when no such direction was given by this Honb'le Court to examine the case in the light of Section 171 of the Act"?
"Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal's order can be said as perverse in nature not appreciating that assessing authority has the power to disbelieve oral and documentary evidence produced in support of the partition, if the circumstances exist to support such an inference"?
"Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal's order is perverse in holding HUF was not existing as on date of passing assessment order when said alleged partition was between husband, wife and minor children which tool adopted by assesse to evade tax under section 171 of the Act"?
"Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal's order can be said as perverse in nature in not appreciating that conduct of assesse that assesse challenged assessment order passed in case of Individual also and now has taken up stand that HUF was not existing when assessment order is passed in case of HUF by contending that HUF was disrupted"?
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NC: 2024:KHC:41161-DB ITA No. 582 of 2023
'Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal's order can be said as perverse in nature in deleting addition made on account of AMP expenses ignoring that same has created intangible asset"?
Learned counsel for the assessee submits that the tax effect in this appeal is less than Rs.2 Crores and therefore, the appeal should not be entertained at the instance of the revenue in view of the Circular No.09/2024 dated 17.09.2024 issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes. It is also submitted that the aforesaid Circular binds the revenue.
On the other hand, learned counsel for the revenue submits that he be granted liberty to revive the appeal in case the matter falls within the exceptions under the aforesaid Circular dated 17.09.2024 and Circular No.5/2024 dated 15.03.2024.
In view of the aforesaid submissions, the appeal is disposed of with liberty as prayed for by the learned
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NC: 2024:KHC:41161-DB ITA No. 582 of 2023
counsel for the revenue. However, the question of law is kept open to be adjudicated in an appropriate proceeding.
Sd/- (S.G.PANDIT) JUDGE
Sd/- (C.M. POONACHA) JUDGE
SMJ List No.: 2 Sl No.: 4
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