ITO (E)I(1), MUMBAI vs. THE BHATIA GENERAL HOSPITAL, MUMBAI

First we shall take up the appeal filed by the assessee bearing ITA No.1588/Mum/2015:

The issue raised in ground no.1 is against the confirmation of the order of the AO in treating the registration u/s 12A as deemed to be cancelled thereby denying the exemption u/s 11 and u/s 12 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and assessing the income at Rs.5,88,70,787/- under the normal provisions of Act.

Brief facts of the case are that the assessee filed return of income on 29.9.2010 along with the income and expenditure account, balance sheet and audit report in form 10B declaring a total income at Rs.NIL. The assessee is a charitable trust registered with DIT(E), Mumbai u/s 12A of the Act under registration No.TR/2763 dated 29.8.1975 and with Charity Commissioner, Mumbai- under registration no.A-746 dated 16.12.1952. The said charitable trust was created by deed dated 11.1.1932 for the purpose of setting up Bhatia General Hospital besides other objects as reproduced in the para 3 of the assessment order. According to the AO the said trust was granted registration by Charity Commissioner as well as by the Income Tax Commissioner on the basis of trust deed dated 11.1.1932 considering the objects specified therein. However the object clause of the assessee trust was amended and thereafter an application was filed under section 50 of the BPT Act, 1950 and was accorded registration vide order dated 15.3.2004 by including educational objects and the other object of general public utility in addition to Medical objects as enshrined in the original trust deed. According to the AO, the assessee trust was required to re-register itself with the Director of Income Tax (Exemptions), Mumbai under section 12A of the Act in view of the amendment in the object clause in the original trust deed and a show cause notice was issued dated 28.10.,2011 calling upon the assessee, whether the trust has been re-registered u/s 12A with the Director (Exemption), Mumbai on the basis of amended clauses of the trust or if not to show cause as to why the trust should not be treated as not registered u/s 12A of the Act. The assessee has filed detailed reply vide letter which was incorporated by the AO in his order at pages 3 and 4. non-registration of the trust under section 12A with Director (Ex), Mumbai after amendment in the object clause, the benefit provided under sections 11 and 12 of the Act could not be given/allowed to the assessee and accordingly assessed the assessee in the status of Association of Persons (AOP) by passing order under section 143(3) of the Act by assessing the income of the assessee at Rs.6,89,24,869/-. Being aggrieved, the assessee filed an appeal before the First Appellate Authority, who also confirmed the action of the AO. Further aggrieved, the assessee is in appeal before this Tribunal.

The ld. AR vehemently submitted before us that the order passed by the ld.CIT(A) was against the fact on record and contrary to the provisions of Income Tax Act. The ld. AR filed before us a copy of letter issued by the CIT(Exemption), Mumbai bearing No. CIT(E)/u/s 12A/TR-2763/15-16 dated 29.3.2016 in which the DIT(E) has continued the registration u/s 12A of the Act after amendment in the objects of the assessee trust.The ld AR also produced a copy of assessment order for AY 2013-14 in which the AO has allowed the benefits under section 11 and 12 of the Act.The DR on the other hand relied on the order of FAA.

Heard both the parties, perused the material placed before us and also gone through the impugned orders including the letter issued by the DIT(E), dated 29.3.2016. A perusal of the said letter the DIT(E) reveals that DIT(E) allowed registration which is extracted below:- OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX (EXEMPTIONS) 6TH FLOOR, PlRAMAL CHAMBERS, LALBAUG, MUMBAI - 400 012. No.CIT(E)/U /s.12A/TR-2763/ 15-16 Date: 29.03.2016 To The Trustees, The Bhatia General Hospital Trust, Tardeo Road, Nana Chowk, Mumbai - 400 007. Sir/Madam, Sub: Registration u/s.12A of the LT. Act, 1961- reg. Ref : Letter No.SHR/597/ 15-16 dated 23/03/2016. ***** Please refer to the above. 2. Vide above stated letter a request has been made to take on record the amended trust deed and grant benefit of exemption u/s. 11 and 12 of the LT. Act, 1961. It is also noted that similar requests was made on 24/09/2012 and 12/03/2013. 3. This is to inform you that the new trust deed which was amended on 15/03/2004 and duly approved by the Charity Commissioner, Mumbai under a scheme for the management and administration of the trust u/s.50A(1) of the Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950 has been taken on record. The registration certificate u/s.12A No.TR-2763 dt.29 j081 1975 shall continue to be valid .” (SHELLELY JINDAL) commissioner of Income-tax (Exemptions), Mumbai. Copy to:

The issues raised in grounds of appeal no.3,4 and 5 are without prejudice to the ground no.1 of this appeal and therefore do not require any adjudication.