M/S SONABHEEL TEA LIMITED,KOLKATA vs. D.C.I.T.-CIRCLE-4(1), KOLKATA, KOLKATA

Date of concluding the hearing : May 23, 2022 Date of pronouncing the order: May 23, 2022

O R D E R Per Rajpal Yadav, Vice-President (KZ):- The present appeal is directed at the instance of the assessee against the order of ld. Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), National Faceless Appeal Centre (NFAC) Delhi dated 30.07.2021 passed for A.Y. 2019-20. Though the assessee has taken 3 (three) grounds of appeal, but its grievances revolve around the single issue namely ld. CIT(Appeals) has erred in confirming the disallowance of Rs.73,59,375/-, which was disallowed by the Assessing Officer with the aid of section 36(1)(va) on the ground that the assessee failed to make the payment of employees’ contribution to ESI & PF account within the due date provided under the PF & ESI Act. The ld. counsel for the assessee, at the very outset, submitted that the issue in dispute is squarely covered by the judgment of the Hon’ble Jurisdictional High Court in the case of (i) CIT –vs.-

Assessment Year-2019-2020 M/s. Sonabheel Tea Ltd.

Vijayshree Ltd. in ITAT No. 243 of 2011 & GA No. 26607 of 2011;(ii) CIT –vs.- Philips Carbon Black Ltd. in GA No. 1382 of 2014 & ITAT 31 of 2014; (iii) CIT –vs.- M/s. Coal India Ltd. in ITA 12 of 2015 and (iv) M/s. Akzo Nobel India Ltd. –vs.- CIT in of 2011. This aspect has been considered by the Coordinate Bench in the case of Lumino Industries Ltd. –vs.- ACIT (ITA No. 231 & 365/KOL/2021). The ld. D.R., on the other hand, relied upon the orders of revenue authorities.

Assessment Year-2019-2020 M/s. Sonabheel Tea Ltd.

Explanation-2 - For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that the provisions of Section 43B shall not apply and shall be deemed never to have been applied for the purpose of determining the ‘due date’ under this clause’ 18. We find that this amendment has been brought in the Act to provide certainty about the applicability of Section 43B in respect of belated payment of employees’ contribution. In order to test whether the amendment brought in later is retrospective or not one has to apply the test as laid by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of M/s Snowtex Investment Ltd. (supra) wherein the Hon’ble Supreme court took note of the law laid down on this issue by the Constitution Bench in M/s Vatika Township Ltd. and held that the intent of the Parliament/legislature need to be looked into for ascertaining whether the amendment should be retrospective or not. In Vatika Township Ltd. (supra) the Hon’ble Supreme Court held that the notes on clauses appended to the Finance Bill will throw light as to the legislative intent; because it has to be borne in mind that Parliament/legislature is aware of three concepts before an amendment is brought in, which can be discerned from reading of the “Notes on Clauses” to the Bill which are (i) prospective amendment with effect from a fixed date; (ii) retrospective amendment with effect from a fixed anterior date; and (iii) clarificatory amendments which are retrospective in nature. So when we adjudicate whether the view of Ld CIT(A) that the explanation 2 brought in by Finance Act, 2021 is retrospective, let us look at the “Notes on Clauses and the relevant clauses 8 & 9 of the Finance Bill, 2021 (supra) pertaining to the issue in hand which in clear and unambiguous terms spells out the intention of Parliament that the amendment shall take effect from 1st April, 2021 and therefore will accordingly apply to Assessment Year 2021-22 and subsequent years. So since the legislative intent is clear, the amendment brought in by Finance Act, 2021 on this issue as discussed is prospective and Ld. CIT(A) erred in holding otherwise. So till AY 2021-22, the Jurisdictional High Court’s view in favor of assessee will hold good and is binding on us. As discussed the decision of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court in Bharat Hotels Ltd. (supra) which was in favor of revenue has not considered the decision of the Co-ordinate Division Bench decision in M/s Aimil Ltd.(supra) which is in favour of assessee. So we note that later decision of the Delhi/Hyderabad Tribunal have followed the decision favouring assessee in the light of the Hon’ble Supreme Court decision in M/s Vegetable Products (supra). In the light of the aforesaid decision and relying on the ratio of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Vatika Township Pvt. Ltd. (supra) and M/s Snowtex Investment Ltd. (supra) and also taking note of the binding decision of the Hon’ble Jurisdictional Calcutta High Court on this issue before us in Shri Vijayshree Ltd. Ltd.(supra), M/s Philips Carbon Black Ltd.(supra), M/s Coal India Ltd.(supra), M/s Akzo Nobel India Ltd. (supra), we set aside the impugned order of Ld CIT(A) and direct the AO to allow the claim of deduction in respect of employees contribution shares towards ESI, PF, by the assessee before the due date of filing of return u/s 139(1) of the Act.

Assessment Year-2019-2020 M/s. Sonabheel Tea Ltd.

Therefore the appeal of assessee succeeds and so, it is allowed in favor of assessee”.