GAYATRI DAIRY PRODUCTS PVT.LTD.,AHMEDABAD vs. THE DCIT, CIRCLE-2(1)(1), AHMEDABAD

ITA No. 2047/Ahd/2017 Gayatri Dairy Products Pvt Ltd Vs. DCIT Assessment year: 2014-15 Page 1 of 2 IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL AHMEDABAD “A” BENCH, AHMEDABAD [Coram: Pramod Kumar, AM and Ms. Madhumita Roy, JM] ITA No. 2047/Ahd/2017 Assessment Year: 2014-15 Gayatri Dairy Products Pvt Ltd ............…………......Appellant Gayatri Compound, Nr. Anupam Cinema, Besides Central Bank of India, Khokhra, Ahmedabad [PAN : AAACG 5453 C] Vs. Dy. Commissioner of Income-tax ...........................Respondent Circle 2(1)(1), Ahmedabad Appearances by: Arti N Shah for the Appellant Saurabh Singh for the Respondent

Date of concluding the hearing : 22.06.2018 Date of pronouncing the order : 27.06.2018 O R D E R Per Pramod Kumar, AM: 1. By way of this appeal, the assessee-appellant has challenged correctness of the order dated 3rd August, 2017 passed by the by the CIT(A)-2, Ahmedabad in the matter of assessment under section 143(3) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, for the assessment year 2014-15.

ITA No. 2047/Ahd/2017 Gayatri Dairy Products Pvt Ltd Vs. DCIT Assessment year: 2014-15 Page 2 of 2 Manipur vs. Thingujam Brojen Meetai, (1996) 9 SCC 29; Om Prakash Gargi v. State of Punjab, (1996) 11 SCC 399 and Sun Export Corpn v. Collector of Customs, AIR 1997 SC 2658. We, therefore, see no legally sustainable merit in the case of the assessee and, respectfully following the judgment of Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court in the case of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (supra), dismiss the grievance of the assessee in principle. We may, however, add that a co-ordinate bench of this Tribunal, in the case of Rajjratna Metal Industries Ltd Vs. ACIT (ITA No.940/Ahd/2015; order dated 22.09.2017), has observed as follows:-

“3. Assessee's latter substantive ground challenges correctness of both the lower authorities' action disallowing/adding a sum of Rs.3,85,810/- u/s. 36(1)(va) r.w.s. 2(24) of the Act on account late payment of employees' contribution to PF & ESI in question. There is no dispute that hon'ble jurisdictional high court's decision in CIT vs. Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (2014) 366 ITR 170 (Guj) upholds such a disallowance in principle. The assessee's case however is that relevant due date has to be seen not from the relevant month of salary but the one pertaining to its payment. He then files a computation chart indicating it to have paid above employees' PF/ESI contributions on 22.05.2009 and 28.05.2009 as against the due dates thereof following on 20.06.2009. The Revenue fails to dispute this factual position. We therefore quote this tribunal's co-ordinate bench decision in Kanoi paper & Industries Ltd. vs. ACIT 75 TTJ 448 that the relevant date in such case is that of month of the actual payment of wages/salaries. We therefore rely on the above co-ordinate bench decision and direct the Assessing Officer to delete the impugned disallowance as well.” 4. In effect thus while any delayed deposit of PF/ESI is to be disallowed, in terms of Hon’ble Gujarat High Court’s judgment in the case of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (supra), the question as to whether there is a delay or not may be decided by the Assessing Officer in the light of above observations by the co- ordinate bench. The assessee will get relief, if found admissible, on that basis. 5. In the result, appeal of the assessee is allowed for statistical purposes. Pronounced in the open court today on the 27th June, 2018

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Ms. Madhumita Roy Pramod Kumar (Judicial Member) (Accountant Member) Ahmedabad, the 27th day of June, 2018 **bt Copies to: (1) The appellant (2) The respondent (3) Commissioner (4) CIT(A) (5) Departmental Representative (6) Guard File By order TRUE COPY Assistant Registrar Income Tax Appellate Tribunal Ahmedabad benches, Ahmedabad