AURANGABAD DIVISION LIFE INSURANCE EMPLOYEES CO-OP CREDIT SOCIETY LTD,AURANBAD vs. ITO, WARD-1(1), AURANGABAD, AURANGABAD

In this case, admittedly assessee is a cooperative credit society registered under Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act 1960 in the year 1991. Its members are employees of Life Insurance Corporation of India. Assessee had submitted before ld.CIT(A) that as per the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 Assessee is required to maintain certain deposits. It also has to maintain reserve fund as per Section 66 of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act. Therefore, Assessee had submitted before ld.CIT(A) that Assessee is eligible for deduction u/s.80P(2)(a)(i) on the interest income of Rs.35,43,169/- which has been disallowed by Assessing Officer. 3 3.1 Thus, the issue before us is whether Assessee Co-operative Credit Society is eligible for deduction u/s.80P(2)(a)(i) of the Act, on the Interest Income earned from depositing excess funds.

Secondly, for purposes of eligibility for deduction, the assessee must be a "co-operative society". A co-operative society is defined in Section 2(19) of the IT Act, as being a co-operative society registered either under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912 or under any other law for the time being in force in any State for the registration of co-operative 5 societies. This, therefore, refers only to the factum of a co-operative society being registered under the 1912 Act or under the State law. For [A] purposes of eligibility, it is unnecessary to probe any further as to whether the co-operative society is classified as X or Y.

Thirdly, the gross total income must include income that is referred to in sub-section (2).

Fourthly, sub-clause (2)(a)(i) with which we are directly concerned, then speaks of a co-operative society being "engaged in" carrying on the business of banking or providing credit facilities to its members. What is important qua sub-clause (2)(a)(i) is the fact that the co- operative society must be "engaged in" the providing credit facilities to its members. …………………… “Once it is clear that the co-operative society in question is providing credit facilities to its members, the fact that it is providing credit facilities to non-members does not disentitle the society in question from availing of the deduction. The distinction between eligibility for deduction and attributability of amount of profits and gains to an activity is a real one.” 3.4 The Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of CIT vs Karnataka State Co-operative Apex bank [2001] 251 ITR 194 (SC) observed as under : Quote, “The question in appeal reads : "Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Appellate Tribunal was right in law in holding that the interest income arising from the investment made out of reserve fund is exempt under section 80P(2)(a)(i ) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 ?"

While deciding the above question of Law raised by Revenue, the Hon’ble Supreme Court observed as under : Quote, “……There is no doubt, and it is not disputed, that the assessee-co-operative bank is required to place a part of its funds with the State Bank or the Reserve Bank of India to enable it to carry on its banking business. This being so, any income derived from funds so placed arises from the business carried on by it and the assessee has not, by reason of section 80P(2)(a)(i), to pay income-tax thereon. The placement of such funds being imperative for the purposes of carrying 6 on the banking business, the income derived therefrom would be income from the assessee's business……” Unquote.

The Hon’ble Bombay High Court in the case of PCIT Vs. M/s.Annasaheb Patil Mathadi Kamgar Sahakari Pathpedhi Ltd. in Income Tax Appeal No.933 of 2017 vide order dated 14thOctober, 2019 dismissed the appeal of the revenue on the following questions of law raised by the revenue : The Revenue urges the following two questions of law for our consideration : (a) Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Tribunal is correct in holding that assessee is entitled to deduction u/s 80P(2)(a) and (d) of the IT Act, 1961 (b) Whether on the facts and circumstances of the case and in law, the Tribunal is right to allow the relief to the assessee by holding that the assessee being Co-operative Credit Society is not a Co-operative Bank hence entitled for deduction u/s 80P(4) of the I.T. Act despite the fact that the assessee is carrying on the banking business and has been categorized as Co-operative Bank / other Bank ? 6. The Revenue filed SLP before Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Annasaheb Patil Mathadi Kamgar Sahakari Pathpedhi Ltd. Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of PCIT Vs. Annasaheb Patil Mathadi Kamgar Sahakari Pathpedhi Ltd /[2023] 454 ITR 117 (SC) (SUPP.)[20-04-2023] held as under : Quote, “ 1. Feeling aggrieved and dissatisfied with the impugned order dated 14-10-2019 passed by the High Court of Judicature at Bombay in by which the High Court has dismissed the said appeal preferred by the Revenue, relying upon its earlier decision in the case of Quepem Urban Co-operative Credit Society Ltd. 7 v. Asstt. CIT [2015] 58 taxmann.com 113/232 Taxman 510/377 ITR the Revenue has preferred the present appeal.

The High Court considered the following question of law "Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Tribunal is justified as claimed by the assessee on the ground that the assessee, a co-operative credit society and is not a bank for the purpose of Section 80P(4) of the Act?"

Apart from the fact that against the relied upon decision in the case of M/s. Quepem Urban Co-operative Credit Society Ltd. (supra),the Special Leave Petition has been dismissed, having heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respective parties, the issue involved in the present appeal is squarely covered against the Revenue in view of the decision of this Court in Mavilayi Service Co-operative Bank Ltd. v. CIT [2021] 123 taxmann.com 161/279 Taxman 75/431 ITR 1/[2021] 7 SCC 90. This Court, in the aforesaid decision has specifically observed and held that primary Agricultural Credit Societies cannot be termed as Co operative Banks under the Banking Regulation Act and, therefore, such credit societies shall be entitled to exemption under section 80(P)(2) of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Ms. Aakansha Kaul, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the appellant/Revenue has tried to submit that the respondent/Assessee will fall under the definition of Co-operative Bank as their activity is to give credit/loan. However, it is required to be noted that merely giving credit to its members only cannot be said to be the Co-operative Banks/Banks under the Banking Regulation Act. The banking activities under the Banking Regulation Act are altogether different activities. There is a vast difference between the credit societies giving credit to their own members only and the Banks providing banking services including the credit to the public at large also.

There are concurrent findings recorded by CITA, ITAT and the High Court that the respondent/Assessee cannot be termed as Banks/Cooperative Banks and that being a credit society, they are entitled to exemption under section 80(P)(2) of the Income-tax Act. Such finding of fact is not required to be interfered with by this Court in exercise of powers under Article 136 of the Constitution of India. Even otherwise, on merits also and taking into consideration the CBDT Circulars and even the definition of Bank under the Banking Regulation Act, the respondent/Assessee cannot be said to be Co-operative Bank/Bank and, therefore, Section 80(P)(4) shall not be applicable and that the respondent/Assessee shall be entitled to exemption/benefit under section 80(P)(2) of the Income-tax Act.

In view of the above and for the reasons stated hereinabove, the present appeal deserves to be dismissed and is accordingly dismissed, 8 Revenue and in favour of the Assessee.

The Appeal is accordingly dismissed. No costs. In favour of assessee.” Unquote. 6.1 Thus, in the above case Hon’ble Supreme Court categorically held that it cannot be treated as a Bank and hence Section 80P(4) will not be applicable and it will be entitled for exemption u/s.80P(2) of the Act.

The Hon’ble High Court of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the case of Vavveru Co-operative Rural Bank Ltd. [2017] 396 ITR 371 analysed the provisions of Section 80P, succinctly distinguished the decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of Totagar’s Cooperative Sale Society, and held as under : Quote,“8. Therefore, the real controversy arising in these writ petitions is as to whether the income derived by the petitioners by way of interest on the fixed deposits made by them with the banks, is to be treated as profits and gains of business attributable to any one of the activities indicated in sub-clauses (i) to (vii) of clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 80P or not. 9. While the petitioners place strong reliance upon a decision of the Division Bench of this court in CIT v. Andhra Pradesh State Co- operative Bank Ltd. [2011] 12 taxmann.com 66/200 Taxman 200/336 ITR 516, the Revenue places strong reliance upon the decision of the Supreme Court in Totgar's Co-operative Sale Society Ltd. v. ITO [2010] 188 Taxman 282/322 ITR 283. …………………… 34. The case before the Supreme Court in Totgar's Co-operative Sale Society Ltd.'s case (supra) was in respect of a co-operative credit society, which was also marketing the agricultural produce of its members. As seen from the facts disclosed in the decision of the Karnataka High Court in Totgars, from out of which the decision of the Supreme Court arose, the assessee was carrying on the business of marketing agricultural produce of the members of the society. It is also found from paragraph-3 of the decision of the Karnataka High Court in Totgar's Co-operative Sale Society Ltd.'s case (supra) that the business 10 activity other than marketing of the agricultural produce actually [A] resulted in net loss to the society. Therefore, it appears that the assessee in Totgars was carrying on some of the activities listed in clause (a) along with other activities. This is perhaps the reason that the assessee did not pay to its members the proceeds of the sale of their produce, but invested the same in banks. As a consequence, the investments were shown as liabilities, as they represented the money belonging to the members. The income derived from the investments made by retaining the monies belonging to the members cannot certainly be termed as profits and gains of business. This is why Totgar's struck a different note.

But, as rightly contended by the learned senior counsel for the petitioners, the investment made by the petitioners in fixed deposits in nationalised banks, were of their own monies. If the petitioners had invested those amounts in fixed deposits in other co-operative societies or in the construction of godowns and warehouses, the respondents would have granted the benefit of deduction under clause (d) or (e), as the case may be.

The original source of the investments made by the petitioners in nationalised banks is admittedly the income that the petitioners derived from the activities listed in sub-clauses (i) to (vii) of clause (a). The character of such income may not be lost, especially when the statute uses the expression "attributable to" and not any one of the two expressions, namely, "derived from" or "directly attributable to".

Therefore, we are of the considered view that the petitioners are entitled to succeed. Hence, the writ petitions are allowed, and the order of the Assessing Officer, in so far as it relates to treating the interest income as something not allowable as a deduction under section 80P(2)(a), is set aside.”Unquote.

The facts mentioned by Hon’ble Karnataka High Court in the case of PCIT Vs. Totagars Co-operative Sale Society 395 ITR 611 order dated 16.10.2017 are as under : “10. Admittedly and undoubtedly, the respondent assessee is a Co- operative Society engaged mainly in the activity of marketing of agricultural produces grown by its members. The assessee co-operative society also accepts deposits from its members and provides credit facility to its members, runs Kirana Stores, rice mills, live stocks, van section, medical shops, Areca-nut trading section, lodging, plying and hiring of goods carriage, etc. 11. The Assessment Years involved in the present batch of appeals are Assessment Years 2007-2008 to 2011-2012. The bone of contention is that the deduction under Section 80P(2) of the Act is now claimed by the respondent assessee under Section 80P(2)(d) of the Act and not under Section 80P(2)(a) of the Act. The reason is that now the investments and deposits after the Supreme Court's decision against the assessee Totgar's Co-operative Sale Society Ltd. (supra), the assessee has shifted the deposits and investments from Schedule Banks to Co- operative Bank and such Co-operative Bank is essentially a Co- operative Society also and Clause (d) allows deduction of income by way of interest or dividends derived by the assessee Co-operative Society from its investments with any other Co-operative Society.

In these facts which Hon’ble Karnataka High Court has mentioned in Para 10 and 11 above, Hon’ble Karnataka High Court decided the issued in para 23 as under : “23. Thus, the aforesaid judgments supports the view taken by this Court that character of income depends upon the nature of activity for earning that income and though on the face of it, the same may appear to befalling in any of the specified Clauses of Section 80P(2) of the Act, but on a deeper analysis of the facts, it may become ineligible for deduction under Section 80P(2) of the Act. The case in Udaipur Sahakari Upbhokta ThokBhandar Ltd. (supra) was that of Section 14 80P(2)(e) of the Act, whereas in the present case, itis under Section 80P(2)(d) of the Act. Hence, the income by way of interest earned by deposit or investment of idle or surplus funds does not change its character irrespective of the fact whether such income of interest is earned from a schedule bank or a co-operative bank and thus, clause (d) of Section 80P(2) of the Act would not apply in the facts and circumstances of the present case. The person or body corporate from which such interest income is received will not change its character, viz. interest income not arising from its business operations, which made it ineligible for deduction under Section 80P of the Act, as held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. Unquote.

The proposition of law emanating from above decision is that Character of Income depends upon the nature of activity. The Character of Interest will not change depending on the body corporate or person from whom interest is received. In the case of Totagar’s Co-operative Sale Society in para 10, it is specifically mentioned that Totagar’s Cooperative Sale Society is engaged in the business of marketing of agricultural produce of its members, Areca-nut trading section, lodging, plying and hiring of goods carriage, etc.

Since in the case of Totagars Cooperative Sales Society(supra), it has been held that interest income is not arising from business of providing credit facility, which made it ineligible for deduction u/s.80P of the Act. In the case of Totagars Co-operative Sale Society Ltd., Vs. ITO, Karnataka [2010] 322 ITR 283(SC)vide order dated 08.02.2010, Hon’ble Supreme Court noted that fact that 15 Assessee markets the agricultural produce of its members and retains the sale proceeds for some time. This sale proceeds pertaining to sale of agricultural produce was invested for a short period in fixed deposits. The dispute was regarding the interest accrued on said fixed deposits which were pertaining to sale proceeds of agricultural produce payable to members but retained for some time by the Society. In this context, Hon’ble Supreme Court held that the Totagars Co-operative Sale Society Ltd., is not eligible for deduction u/s.80(2)(a)(i) of the Act.

In the case of the Assessee, it is an admitted fact that Assessee is a Co-operative Credit Society. Its business consists of providing credit facilities to its members. It has been submitted by Assessee before Assessing Officer and ld.CIT(A) that as per the Maharashtra Co-operative Society Act and Reserve Bank of India Guidelines, Assessee has to maintain certain fixed deposits.

In these facts and circumstances of the case, respectfully following judicial precedence, we hold that the interest income Rs.35,43,169/- is eligible for deduction u/s.80P(2)(a)(i) of the Act, as it is a business income for the assessee and not income from other sources. Accordingly, Assessing Officer is directed to delete the 16

In the result, appeal of the assessee is allowed. Order pronounced in the open Court on 10 February, 2026.