NEDUMON SERVICE COOP BANK,NEDUMON vs. INCOME TAX OFFICER, KOLLAM

It merges at the outset that the assessee’s sole substantive grievance raised in the instant appeals seeks to reverse the action of the lower authorities disallowing section 80P(2)(a)(i) deduction claim of Rs.95,49,744/- and representing interest income from deposits made in co-operative Banks, as eligible for tax deduction.

We notice in this background that the very issue stands adjudicated in Hon'ble Jurisdictional High Court’s recent decision in of 2019 in the case of PCIT v. Peroorkada Service Co-op. Bank Ltd. [2022] 442 ITR 141 (Ker) wherein their Lordships have rejected the Revenue’s identical stand as under: - “12.2 Section 80P deals with Co-operative Societies' computation of income. As already noted, it has four sections and several sub-sections and clauses. The Parliament has considered the various situations in which the exigible income and the deductable 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 inadmissible for deduction and interest income from Co-operative Societies registered under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act are eligible for deduction. The contra consideration of 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.”

The appeal is filed with a delay of 69. Considering assessee’s condonation petitions explaining the delay(s) as well as going by the decision in the case of Collector Land Acquisition vs. Mst. Katiji & Ors (1987) 167 ITR 471 (SC) settling the issue long back that that all such technical aspects must make way for the cause of substantial justice the delay is condoned and the appeal is admitted for adjudication.

In the result, the assessee’s appeal is allowed in above terms. Order pronounced in the open court on 25th September, 2024