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Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, “B” BENCH, PUNE
Before: SHRI R.S. SYAL, VP & SHRI VIKAS AWASTHY, JM
आदेश / ORDER
PER VIKAS AWASTHY, JM
This appeal by the assessee is directed against the order of Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)-3, Pune dated 15.03.2016 for the assessment year 2011-12.
Shri Vipin K. Gujarathi appearing on behalf of the assessee narrating the facts of case submitted that assessee is a builder and developer. The assessee is following Project Completion Method for reckoning profits of the
2 ITA No. 1066/PUN/2016 A.Y.2011-12
housing project. During scrutiny assessment proceedings, the Assessing
Officer made addition of Rs.14,06,671/- in respect of interest free advances
given to relatives and sister concerns. The assessee had given interest free
advances to the following persons:
i) Anjali R Mundada Rs. 1,00,000/- ii) R.B Kharade Rs. 2,75,000/- iii) Saj Realtors Rs.41,25,000/- iv) Sangram Patil Rs.22,25,000/- v) Sanjay Ruikar Rs. 2,00,000/- Total Rs.87,25,000/-
The ld. AR submitted that a perusal of the Balance Sheet at page 5 of
the paper book would show that own funds of the assessee are much more
than the loans and advances given by assessee to sister concerns/relatives.
Hence, no disallowance is called for in the light of decision by the Hon'ble
Bombay High Court in the case of CIT Vs. Reliance Utilities and Power Ltd.
reported as 313 ITR 340.
2.1 The ld. AR submitted that during assessment proceedings, the
Assessing Officer further made additions on following counts:
- Commission on sale of flats Rs. 21,65,596/-
- Bank finance charges and interest Rs.1,42,31,004/- - Flat cancellation compensation Rs. 5,39,002/- Total Rs.1,69,35,602/-
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The ld. AR submitted that though all these amounts were debited to
P & L account under the head “Other Expenses”, however, all these
expenditures were capitalized while computing closing work in progress.
The Assessing Officer in scrutiny assessment proceedings has failed
to appreciate that the expenditures have been capitalized and were not
separately claimed as expenditure in the assessment year under appeal. In
proceedings before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals), the assessee
reiterated the submissions and further explained that entire construction
cost of current financial year has been carried forward as work in progress.
However, the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) failed to appreciate the
contentions of the assessee and confirmed the findings of Assessing Officer.
On the other hand, Shri Pankaj Garg representing the Department
vehemently defended the order of Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)
and prayed for dismissing the appeal of assessee. The ld. DR submitted
that assessee after debiting the expenditure in respect of commission on
sale of flats, bank finance charges and interest and flat cancellation
charges in the P & L Account has not added back the same in the
computation of income at the time of filing return of income. Hence, it
cannot be inferred that the assessee has claimed expenditure in the
current financial year.
We have heard the submissions made by representatives of rival
sides and have perused the orders of Authorities below. The assessee in
appeal has raised five grounds.
- Ground No.1 and 2 is in respect of disallowance of bank interest and finance charges to the tune of Rs.1,42,31,004/-.
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- In ground No. 3 of the appeal, assessee has assailed disallowance of interests Rs.14,06,671/- on interest free advances to sister concerns/relatives.
- In ground No. 4, the assessee has assailed disallowance of compensation paid on cancellation of flats of Rs.5,39,002/-
- The assessee has raised additional ground of appeal challenging disallowance of commission paid Rs.21,65,596/-
First we shall take up the issue of interest free advances to sister
concern and relatives raised in ground No.3 of the appeal. The assessee has
paid bank finance charges and interest to the tune of Rs.1,42,31,004/-.
This includes interest on vehicle loan and other credit facilities. Admittedly,
the assessee had advanced Rs.87.25 lacs to sister concerns and relatives
without charging interest. The Assessing Officer disallowed interest to the
tune of Rs.14,06,671/- on notional basis in respect of abovementioned
interest free advances. A perusal of the Balance Sheet at page 5 of the
paper book shows that own funds of the assessee in capital account are to
the tune of Rs.12,11,33,809/-. Thus, own funds of the assessee are
sufficient to cover interest free advances made to sister concerns/relatives.
The Hon'ble Bombay High Court in the case of CIT Vs. Reliance Utilities
and Power Ltd. (supra.) has held that where both interest free funds and
interest bearing funds are available and the interest free funds are more
than the investment made, the presumption is that the investments are
made out of interest free funds available with the assessee. In the light of
the ratio laid down by the Hon'ble Jurisdictional High Court, we find merit
in the submission of the assessee. Hence, disallowance of interest
expenditure Rs.14,06,671/- in respect of interest free advances made to
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sister concerns/relatives is directed to be deleted. Accordingly, ground No.
3 of the appeal is allowed.
In so far as other additions i.e. bank interest and finance charges
Rs.1,42,31,004/-, disallowance of compensation paid on cancellation of
booking flats Rs.5,39,002/- and commission on sale of flats
Rs.21,65,596/- are concerned, the contention of the assessee is that the
same have been capitalized. A perusal of the P & L Account of the assessee
for the financial year 2010-11 at page 32 to 34 shows that these
expenditures have been debited to P & L account. The assessee has also
placed on record return of income along with computation at page 1 and 2
of the paper book. A perusal of the computation of income reveals that the
assessee has carried negative balance of P & L account, while computing
total income, however, afore-mentioned amounts have not been added back
while computing the total income. This itself shows that the assessee has
claimed the expenditures in the current assessment year. Purported
capitalization of expenditure by adding the same to closing work in
progress would not result in nullifying the effect of debiting expenditure in
P & L Account, unless the same has been added back while computing
total taxable income of the relevant assessment year. We do not find merit
in the submissions of the ld. A.R. of assessee. The finding of Authorities
below qua the above mentioned three additions are upheld. Accordingly,
ground Nos. 1, 2, 4 and additional ground raised in the appeal are
dismissed being devoid of any merit.
The ground No. 5 raised in appeal is general in nature and hence,
requires no adjudication.
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In the result, appeal of the assessee is partly allowed in the terms aforesaid.
Order pronounced on Monday, the 26th day of November, 2018.
Sd/- Sd/- R.S. SYAL VIKAS AWASTHY VICE-PRESIDENT JUDICIAL MEMBER पुणे / Pune; �दनांक / Dated : 26th November, 2018. SB
आदेश क� ��त�ल�प अ�े�षत / Copy of the Order forwarded to :
अपीलाथ� / The Appellant. 1. ��यथ� / The Respondent. 2. 3. The CIT (Appeals)-3, Pune. 4. The Pr. CIT-2, Pune. �वभागीय ��त�न�ध, आयकर अपील�य अ�धकरण, “बी” ब�च, 5. पुणे / DR, ITAT, “B” Bench, Pune. गाड� फ़ाइल / Guard File. 6.
// True Copy // आदेशानुसार / BY ORDER,
�नजी स�चव / Private Secretary आयकर अपील�य अ�धकरण, पुणे / ITAT, Pune.