THE ITO, WD-2(3), RANGE-2, TRIVANDRUM, TRIVANDRUM vs. M/S.PALODE SERVICE CO-OP BANK LTD, TRIVANDRUM

Per George George K, JM

This appeal at the instance of the Revenue is directed against the order of the CIT(A) dated 08.11.2017. The relevant assessment year is 2013-2014.

The assessee is primary agricultural credit society registered under the Kerala Cooperative Societies Act, 1969. For the assessment year 2013-14, the assessee had filed

ITA No.634/Coch/2017. 2 M/s.Palode Service Co-op Bank Ltd. return of income declaring `Nil’ income after claiming deduction amounting to Rs.45,10,493 u/s. 80P(2)(a)(i) of the I.T. Act. The assessment u/s. 143(3) of the Act was completed vide order dated 28.01.2016 by denying the deduction u/s. 80P(2)(a)(i) of the I.T. Act. The reasoning of the Assessing Officer for denying the claim of deduction u/s. 80P(2)(a)(i) of the Act was that the assessee was primarily engaged in the business of banking and therefore, in view of the provisions of section 80P(4) of the I.T. Act which was inserted with effect from 01.04.2007, the assessee was not entitled to deduction u/s. 80P(2)(a)(i) of the I.T.Act.

ITA No.634/Coch/2017. 3 M/s.Palode Service Co-op Bank Ltd. Societies Act, 1969. The Hon'ble High Court of Kerala in the case of Chirakkal Service Co-op Bank Ltd. (supra) had held that a primary agricultural credit society, registered under the Kerala Cooperative Societies Act, 1969 is entitled to the benefit of deduction u/s. 80P(2). The Hon'ble High Court was considering the following substantial question of law:

a) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case under consideration, the Tribunal is correct in law in deciding against the assessee, the issue regarding entitlement for exemption under section 80P, ignoring the fact that the assessee is a primary agricultural credit society?

6.1 In considering the above question of law, the Hon'ble High Court rendered the following findings:

"15. Appellants in these different appeals are indisputably societies registered under the Kerala co- operative societies Act 1969, for short KCS Act, and the bye-laws of each of them, as made available to this court as part of the paper books, clearly show that they have been classified as primary agricultural credit societies by the competent authority under the provisions of that Act The parliament having defined the term 'co-operative society' for the purposes of the BR Act with reference to, among other things, the registration of a society under any State law relating to co-operative societies for the time being; it cannot but be taken that the purpose of the societies so registered under the State Law and its objects have to be understood as those which have been approved by the competent authority under such State law. This, we visualise as due reciprocative legislative exercise by the Parliament recognising the predominance of decisions rendered under the relevant State Law. In this view

ITA No.634/Coch/2017. 4 M/s.Palode Service Co-op Bank Ltd. of the matter. all the appellants having been classified as primary agricultural credit societies by the competent authority under the KCS Act it has necessarily to be held that the principal object of such societies is to undertake agricultural credit activities and to provide loans and advances for agricultural purposes, the rate 'of interest on such loans and advances to be at the rate fixed by the Registrar of co-operative societies under the KCS Ad and having its area of operation confined to a village, panchayat or a municipality. This is the consequence of the definition clause in section 2(oaa) of the KCS Act The authorities under the IT Act cannot probe into any issue or such matter relating to such applicants. 16. The position of law being as above with reference to the statutory provisions, the appellants had shown to the authorities and the Tribunal that they are primary agricultural credit societies in terms of clause (cciv) of section 5 of the BR Act having regard to the primary object or principal business of each of the appellants. It is also clear from the materials on record that the bye-laws of each of the appellants do not permit admission of any other co-operative society as member, except may be, in accordance with the proviso to sub-clause 2 of section 5(cciv) of the BR Act. The different orders of the Tribunal which are impeached in these appeals do not contain any finding of fact to the effect that the bye- laws of any of the appellant or its classification by the competent authority under the KCS Act is anything different from what we have stated herein above. For this reason, it cannot but be held that the appellants are entitled to exemption from the provisions of section 80P of the IT Act by virtue of sub- section 4 of that sect; on. In this view of the matter, the appeals succeed. 17. In the light of the aforesaid, we answer substantial question ‘A’ in favour of the appellants and hold that the Tribunal erred in law in deciding the issue regarding the entitlement of exemption

ITA No.634/Coch/2017. 5 M/s.Palode Service Co-op Bank Ltd. under section 80P against the appellants. We hold that the primary agricultural credit societies, registered as such under the KCS Act and classified so, under that Act including the appellants are entitled to such exemption.” 6.2 In view of the judgment of the Hon'ble Jurisdictional High Court in the case of Chirakkal Service Co-op Bank Ltd. (supra), we hold that the assessee-society is entitled to the benefit of deduction u/s. 80P(2) of the Act. It is ordered accordingly.

Order pronounced on this 02nd day of August, 2018.

Sd/- Sd/- (Chandra Poojari) (George George K.) ACCOUNTANT MEMBER JUDICIAL MEMBER

Cochin ; Dated : 02nd August, 2018. Devdas*

Copy of the Order forwarded to : 1. The Appellant 2. The Respondent. 3. The CIT (Appeals), Thiruvananthapuram. 4. The Pr.CIT Thiruvananthapuram. 5. DR, ITAT, Cochin 6. Guard file.

BY ORDER,

(Asstt. Registrar) ITAT, Cochin