OM SUDARSHAN CHS LTD.,MUMBAI vs. ITO 17(1)(5), MUMBAI

The brief facts of the case as emanating from the records are: The assessee is a Cooperative Housing Society. During the period relevant to Assessment Year under appeal, the assessee received interest income from cooperative bank as well as nationalized bank. The assessee claimed deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act in respect of interest income earned from banks. In scrutiny assessment proceedings, the Assessing Officer disallowed the assessee’s claim of deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act and made addition of ₹2,65,481/-. Aggrieved by the assessment order dated 23.12.2016 passed under section 143(3) of the Act, the assessee filed appeal before CIT(A). The First Appellate Authority dismissed the appeal of the assessee in toto and upheld the findings of the Assessing Officer. Hence, the present appeal by the assessee.

Shri Uodal Raj Singh, representing the Department vehemently defended the impugned order and prayed for dismissing the appeal of assessee. The learned DR submitted that the assessee has claimed deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act in respect of interest income from banks. The provisions of section 80P(2)(d) of the Actin an unambiguous manner states that it is only the interest or dividend derived from investments with any other cooperative society that are eligible for deduction. The interest income received from cooperative

We have heard submissions made by learned Departmental Representative and have examined the orders of authorities below. Whether interest income derived from deposits with cooperative banks is eligible for deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act or not is still a subject of debate. The coordinate Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Kaliandas Udyog Bhavan Premises Co-op Society Ltd. Vs. ITO, 94 taxmann.com 15 (Mumbai) has held that interest income derived by a co-operative society from investments with a co-operative bank, would be entitled for deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act. The relevant extract of the order reads as under: - “7. We have deliberated at length on the issue under consideration and are unable to persuade ourselves to be in agreement with the view taken by the lower authorities. Before proceeding further, we may herein reproduce the relevant extract of the said statutory provision, viz. Sec. 80P(2)(d), as the same would have a strong bearing on the adjudication of the issue before us:

(1) Where in the case of an assessee being a co-operative society, the gross total income includes any income referred to in sub-section (2), there shall be deducted, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, the sums (2) The sums referred to in sub-section (1) shall be the following, namely :— (a) to (c)** (d) in respect of any income by way of interest or dividends derived by the co-operative society from its investments with any other co-operative society, the whole of such income; Thus, from a perusal of the aforesaid Sec. 80P(2)(d) it can safely be gathered that income by way of interest income derived by an assessee co-operative society from its investments held with any other cooperative society, shall be deducted in computing the total income of the assessee. We may herein observe, that what is relevant for claim of deduction under Sec. 80P(2)(d) is that the interest income should have been derived from the investments made by the assessee co-operative society with any other cooperative society. We though are in agreement with the observations of the lower authorities that with the insertion of Sub-section (4) of Sec. 80P, vide the Finance Act, 2006, with effect from 01.04.2007, the provisions of Sec. 80P would no more be applicable in relation to any co-operative bank, other than a primary agricultural credit society or a primary co-operative agricultural and rural development bank, but however, are unable to subscribe to their view that the same shall also '(19) "Co-operative society" means a cooperative society registered under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912 (2 of 1912), or under any other law for the time being in force in any state for the registration of co-operative societies;' We are of the considered view, that though the co- operative bank pursuant to the insertion of Sub- section (4) of Sec. 80P would no more be entitled for claim of deduction under Sec. 80P of the Act, but however, as a co-operative bank continues to be a co- operative society registered under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912 (2 of 1912), or under any other law for the time being enforced in any state for the registration of co-operative societies, therefore, the interest income derived by a co-operative society from its investments held with a co-operative bank, would

The Pune Bench of the Tribunal in the case of Majalgaon Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd. vs. ACIT [2019] 105 taxmann.com 100 (Pune - Trib.) has taken a similar view in respect of interest and dividend “24. In some of the appeals the issue of deduction under section 80P of the Act on interest and dividend income is also involved. The assessee claimed deduction u/s.80P(2)(d) of the Act on interest and dividend received from Co-operative Society on Savings Bank accounts. The AO did not allow such deduction. The ld. CIT(A) overturned the assessment order on this point and granted deduction. The Revenue is aggrieved by such allowing of deduction.

We have heard both the sides and gone through the relevant material on record. Relevant part of section 80P reads as under : — 80P. (1) Where, in the case of an assessee being a co- operative society, the gross total income includes any income referred to in sub-section (2), there shall be deducted, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this section, the sums specified in sub-section (2), in computing the total income of the assessee.

A cursory look of the above provision deciphers that any amount of interest or dividend derived by a Co-operative Society from its investments with any other Co-operative Society, is deductible under clause (d) of section 80P(2) of the Act. The ld. CIT(A) has given a categorical finding that assessee is a Co-operative Society and the Co-operative Bank from which the above-mentioned income was earned, is also a Co-operative Society duly registered under Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act. This contention has not been controverted by the ld. DR with any cogent material or evidence. Thus, it is seen that the case of the assessee is fully covered u/s.80P(2)(d) of the Act. Reliance of the AO on the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 80P is misplaced. Such provision states that : 'The provisions of this section shall not apply in relation to any co-operative bank other than a primary agricultural credit society or a primary co- operative agricultural and rural development bank.' As the assessee under consideration is not a Co-operative Bank, the mandate of sub-section (4) does not extend to it. We, therefore, approve the view taken by the ld. CIT(A) in granting deduction u/s.80P(2)(d) of the Act in respect of interest and dividend income earned by the assessee on such facts.”

However, on the same issue Hon'ble Karnataka High court in the case of PCIT vs. Totagars Co-operative Sale Society 395 ITR 611 (Karnataka) has taken a contrary view holding that interest income earned from deposit with the cooperative bank does not qualify for deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act. It would be relevant to mention here that the Hon'ble High Court while rendering the later judgement has not considered the earlier decision rendered in the case of Totagars Co-operative Sale Society (supra).

No judgement from Hon'ble Jurisdictional High court on the issue of eligibility of deduction under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act on interest income derived by a Co-operative Society from a Cooperative Bank has been brought to our notice. The Hon'ble Bombay High Court in the case of K. Subramanian Vs. Siemens India Ltd. 156 ITR 11 has held that when two conflicting decisions of non-jurisdictional High Courts are available, the view that favours the assessee is to be preferred. Accordingly, following the decision of Hon'ble Karnataka High Court in the case of Totagars Co-operative Sale Society (supra) and the decision in the case of Hon'ble Gujarat High Court in the case of Vankar Sahakari Sangh (supra) the deduction claimed by the assessee under section 80P(2)(d) of the Act in respect interest derived from