ITO, CHENNAI vs. SHRI S. RAJAGOPALAN, CHENNAI

This appeal of the Revenue is directed against the order of the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) – 5, Chennai dated 14.07.2016 and pertain to the assessment year 2006-07.

No one appeared for the assessee even though notice of hearing was issued to the assessee. Therefore, we heard the Ld. Departmental Representative and proceeded to dispose the appeal on merit.

Shri V. Nandakumar, the Ld. D.R., submitted that the only issue arises for consideration is computation of capital gain.

We have considered the submission of the D.R., and also perused the material available on record. It is not in dispute that the assessee’s father acquired the property and on the death of the assessee’s father on 17.02.1990, the assessee being one of the legal heirs inherited one-fourth share in the property. The question arises for consideration is whether the indexed cost of acquisition has to be adopted from the year in which the assessee inherited the property or the year in which the assessee’s father acquired the property. This Tribunal is of the considered opinion, when the assessee’s father acquired the property and the assessee inherited the property on the death of the father, the indexed cost of acquisition has to be adopted from the year in which the assessee’s father acquired the property. In fact, the CIT (Appeals) by following the judgment of the Bombay High Court in the case of CIT v Manjula J Shah (2013) 335 ITR 474 directed the Assessing Officer to give the benefit of indexation from 01.04.1981 provided the said property was acquired by the assessee’s father prior to 01.04.1981.

In the result, the appeal of the Revenue stands dismissed.