SHRI. VIJAY,BANGALORE vs. ITO, BANGALORE

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ITA 100/BANG/2016Status: DisposedITAT Bangalore22 November 2017AY 2005-067 pages

In favour of the assessee: the assessee's appeal was allowed. From the AI summary of this appeal.

AI SummaryAllowed

What did the Tribunal hold?

The Tribunal held that the amount of Rs. 8,99,900 received on account of the sale of the property is not taxable in the hands of the appellant. The Tribunal perused the Sale Deed and noted that the property was originally owned by Mr. Venkataramanappa, then by his son Chikkaramaiah, and subsequently fell to the share of late Nanjunda Reddy through a partition deed. Upon Nanjunda Reddy's death, his six sons became owners, and they jointly sold the property. The appellant is the son of Venkatesh, one of the six sons. While the appellant's name appeared as a seller (serial No. 5) in the sale deed, there was no evidence to show he was the absolute owner. The Tribunal found merit in the assessee's submission that he was made a party as a confirming party. Citing the Supreme Court's decision in ITO vs. Ch.Atchaiah (218 ITR 239), the Tribunal emphasized that the right amount should be taxed in the right hands. Therefore, the amount could not be taxed in the hands of the appellant. The appeal filed by the assessee was allowed.

What were the facts?

The assessee, an individual, failed to file a return of income for Assessment Year 2005-06. Following information from the Sub-Registrar regarding a property sale for Rs. 59,37,500 on 23/11/2004, the Assessing Officer (AO) issued a notice under Section 142, which was not complied with. The AO proceeded to make an ex-parte assessment under Section 144, treating the entire sale consideration as deemed income under Section 69. The assessee appealed to the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) [CIT(A)], arguing the property belonged to his father's HUF and his share was Rs. 8,99,900, with a claim for exemption under Section 54F. The CIT(A) confirmed the addition of Rs. 8,99,900.

What were the issues?

1. Whether the sum of Rs. 8,99,500 (as stated in grounds, but Rs. 8,99,900 in the body) is chargeable to Capital Gains Tax in the hands of the appellant, an individual, as confirmed by the CIT(A)? (Question of law and fact, turning on the ownership of the property and the nature of the sale consideration). Assessee's contentions: - The property sold was ancestral, inherited from the grandfather's HUF, and thus belonged to the HUF of the assessee's father, not the assessee individually. - The assessee's father's HUF's share of the sale consideration was Rs. 8,99,900, and the entire amount could not be assessed in the assessee's hands. - The assessee's father had received only Rs. 6,74,925, which collectively belonged to five family members, with the assessee having a 1/5th share. - The sale consideration of Rs. 8,99,500 (or Rs. 8,99,900) was without any basis. - Without prejudice, the assessee claimed exemption under Section 54F as Rs. 8,99,900 was invested in constructing a residential property. - The assessee was made a party to the sale deed as a confirming party, not as an owner. Revenue's contentions: - Relied on the orders of the lower authorities (AO and CIT(A)).

Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?

Section 142,Section 144,Section 69,Section 54F

AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, ‘A’ BENCH, BENGALURU

Before: SHRI VIJAY PAL RAO & SHRI INTURI RAMA RAO

For Appellant: Shri H.Guruswamy, ITP
For Respondent: Shri B.R.Ramesh, Joint CIT(DR)
Hearing: 24/08/2017Pronounced: 22/11/2017

Date of hearing : 24/08/2017 Date of pronouncement : 22/11/2017 O R D E R

Per INTURI RAMA RAO, AM :

1.

This is an appeal filed by the assessee directed against the order of the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)-4, Bangalore, [CIT(A)] dated 30th November 2015 for the assessment year 2005 06.

2.

The assessee raised the following grounds of appeal :

Page 3 of 7 3. Briefly facts of the case are as under: The assessee is an individual. The assessee had not filed return of income voluntarily for the assessment year 2005-06. The Assessing Officer, after receipt of information from the office of the Sub Registrar Krishnarajapura, Bangalore, that the assessee at sold property for a consideration of Rs. 59,37,500/- on 23/11/2004 had issued notice u/s 142 of the Income-tax Act,1961 [hereinafter referred to as 'the Act'] on 13/09/2007 asking the assessee to file return of income on or before 26/09/2007. However, assessee had not complied with the said notice. Therefore, the AO had proceeded to make ex-parte assessment u/s 144 of the Act assessing the entire consideration as deemed income u/s 69 of the Act.

4.

Being aggrieved, assessee filed an appeal before the CIT(A) contending inter alia that the property which was sold does not belong to the assessee but to the HUF of father of the assessee, as the property was inherited from his grand-father’s HUF. It was further contended without prejudice to this that the share of the assessee’s father’s HUF is only Rs.8,99,900/- and therefore entire amount cannot be assessed in his hands and also a claim was made for exemption u/s 54F as an amount of Rs.8,99,900/- was stated to have been invested in construction of residential property. The CIT(A), after considering the remand report submitted by the AO, confirmed the addition only to the extent of Rs.8,99,900/-. The relevant paragraph is extracted below:

5.

Being aggrieved, the appellant is before us in the present appeal. The written submissions filed by the learned AR of the assessee read as under:

6.

Thus, learned AR of the assessee submitted that the sale consideration received of Rs.8,99,900/- belonged to HUF of his father and therefore, cannot be assessed in his hands. He has signed the Sale Deed only as a confirming party. He further submitted that, in any event, the assessee’s father had brought vacant site bearing No.73, Nalurhalli Village, Krishnarajapura Hobli, Bangalore East, which is eligible for exemption u/s 54F of the Act. Thus, he prayed that the amount is not taxable in the individual capacity. Therefore, the addition

Page 6 of 7 should be deleted. He further submitted that even assuming that said amount is taxable in the hands of HUF of his father, no capital gains arose since sale proceeds have been invested in the construction of new house and the same are exempt from tax. Therefore, no return of income was filed.

7.

On the other hand, learned departmental representative relied on the orders of the lower authorities.

8.

We heard rival submissions and perused material on record. The only issue in the present appeal sale consideration of Rs.8,99,900/- received on account of sale of property situated at Nallurahalli Village, K.R.Puram Hobli, Bangalore East is taxable in the hands of the appellant. On perusal of the recitals to the Sale Deed, it is clear that this property was originally owned by one Mr Venkataramanappa who was the absolute owner of the property situated at Sy.No.76/1, Nallurhalli village, KR Puram Hobli, Bangalore East. After death of Shri Venkataramanappa, his son Chikkaramaiah became absolute owner. On the demise of Chikkaramaiah, through a partition deed, between two sons viz., Nanjunda Reddy and Gur Reddy, in terms of which this property has fallen to the share of late Nanjunda Reddy, and accordingly mutation entries were passed in the name of late Nanjunda Reddy. On the death of late Nanjunda Reddy, his six sons viz., S/Shri (i) Hanuma Reddy, (ii) Venkatesh (iii) Rajappa Reddy (iv) Gopal Reddy (v) Kumar Reddy and (vi) Ravindra Reddy became owners of the property and accordingly mutatin entries were made. These six sons of late Nanjunda Reddy jointly sold this property for a consideration of Rs.59,37,500/- vide registered sale deed dated 23/11/2004 in favour of one Bhaskaran. The appellant is the son of Venkatesh who is the son of one of the 6 sons of late Nanjunda Reddy. Thus there is no evidence on record to show that the appellant is the absolute owner of the property sold. However, his name was found as one of the sellers in the sale deed vide serial No.5. It does not mean that he has an interest or absolute owner of this property. There is merit in the submission made by the learned AR of the assessee that the appellant was made a party to the sale deed

Page 7 of 7 as a confirming party. There is no evidence brought on record to show that there is partition among Venkataramanappa and his sons. In the circumstances, this amount cannot be taxed in the hands of the assessee. It is a settled proposition of law held by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of ITO vs. Ch.Atchaiah (218 ITR 239)(SC) that right amount should be taxed in the right hands only Therefore, we hold that this amount cannot be taxed in the hands of the appellant. Hence, the appeal filed by the assessee is allowed.

9.

In the result, the appeal of the assessee is allowed.

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