THE KATTAPPANA SERVICE CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD. ,IDUKKI vs. THE INCOME TAX OFFICER, WARD-1, THODUPUZHA

Appellant/Applicant by : Sri.Anil D.Nair, Advocate Respondent by : Smt.V.Swarnalatha, Sr.DR Date of Pronouncement : 07.11.2024 Date of Hearing : 16.08.2024 O R D E R Per Bench : This assessee’s appeal in (alongwith its stay application SA No.159/Coch/2023 therein) for assessment year 2017-2018 arises out of the order of the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) / NFAC vide DIN & Order No.ITBA/NFAC/S/250/2023-24/1056351832(1) dated 21.09.2023 in proceedings u/s.143(3) of the Income-tax Act, 1961; in short “the Act” hereinafter.

Heard both the parties. Case files perused.

SA No.159/Coch/2023. The Kattappana SCB Ltd. filing of the appeal before the lower appellate proceedings on 18.12.2020 against the assessment herein dated 15.12.2019. Learned counsel submits that the assessee had explained all the relevant circumstances beyond its control that is various communication gaps as well as management approval. Faced with this situation, we condone the impugned delay of 35 days in the instant appeal as per assessee’s solemn averments in light of Collector, Land Acquisition vs., MST Katiji [1987] 167 ITR 471 (SC) having settled the law long back that all such technical aspects must make a way for the cause of substantial justice.

“12.2 Section 80P deals with co-operative societies' computation of income. As already noted, it has four sub- sections and several clauses and sub-clauses. Parliament has considered the various situations in which the exigible income and the deductible income of the assessee is considered while computing the income of the assessee. For getting deduction, in our considered view, the assessee must also establish that the interest income earned by the assessee is from a co- operative society. As a matter of fact, in the case on hand, there is no dispute that it is not from a co-operative society registered under Kerala Co-operative Societies Act. The interest income earned from District co-operative bank/State co-operative bank, in the facts and circumstances of the case, do come within section 80P(2)(d). Therefore, the income constitutes income from other sources and the only eligible deduction is covered by section 80P(2)(d), viz., interest or dividend derived by the assessee from its investments with any other co-operative society. The source of interest income is from bank and treasury, interest income received from treasury be included in the computation of total income of the assessee. In other words, interest earned from treasury is registered under the Kerala inadmissible for deduction and interest income from co-operative societies Co-operative Societies Act are eligible for deduction. The contra consideration of the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) and the Tribunal is incorrect and liable to be modified as stated above. Hence, it is held that the interest income earned by the assessee does not come within the ambit of section 80P(2)(a)(i) and permissible deduction of interest income is limited to co-operative societies/banks registered under Kerala Co-operative Societies Act under clause (d) of the Act and effect order on the above lines is made by the Assessing Officer. The questions are accordingly answered.

Order pronounced in the open court on this 07th day of November, 2024.