M/S. RMZ ONE PARAMOUNT LTD.,,CHENNAI vs. ITO, CORPORATE WARD - 3(3),, CHENNAI

This appeal of the assessee is directed against the order passed by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)–11, Chennai dated 20.08.2019 and pertains to the assessment year 2017-18.

Shri Saroj Kumar Parida, the Ld. Counsel for the assessee submitted that admittedly there was no exempt income earned by the assessee during the year under consideration. Even though the judgment of the Madras High Court in the case of M/s. Redington India Ltd., (2016) 97 CCH 219 was brought to the notice of the CIT(A), the CIT(A) found that the judgment of the Madras High Court in the Redington India Ltd., was overruled by the Apex Court. In fact, the Apex Court confirmed the order of the Madras High Court on identical situation in M/s. Chettinad Logistics Pvt. Ltd. Therefore, the Ld.Counsel submitted that the CIT(A) is not justified in confirming the order of the Assessing Officer.

We heard Shri AR.V. Sreenivasan, the Ld. Departmental Representative also. The Ld.DR very fairly submitted that he has gone through the judgment of the Madras High Court in Redington India Ltd., referred by the CIT(A) and nowhere the Apex Court over ruled the judgment of the Madras High Court in Redington India Ltd. The Ld.DR has also clarified that no exempt income was earned by the assessee during the year under consideration.

We have considered the rival submissions on either side and perused the material available on record. It is not in dispute that the assessee has not earned any dividend income from the investment made during the year under consideration. The question arises for consideration is when the assessee has not earned any exempt income / dividend during the year under consideration, can there be any disallowance U/s.14A read with Rule 8D(ii). This issue was examined by the Madras High Court in Redington India Ltd., (supra). The Madras High Court found that there was no disallowance when there was no exempt income. In fact, the Madras High Court has observed as follows:- “15. The exemption extended to dividend income would relate only to the previous year when the income was earned and none other and consequently the expenditure incurred in connection therewith should also be dealt with in the same previous year. Thus, by application of the matching concept, in a year where there is no exempt income, there cannot be a disallowance of expenditure in relation to such assumed income. (Madras Industrial Investment Corporation Ltd. vs. CIT (225 ITR 802)). The language of s.14A(1) should be read in that context and such that it advances the scheme of the Act rather than distort it.”

In the result, the appeal filed by the assessee stands allowed.