DCIT 8(3), MUMBAI vs. RELIANCE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY LTD, MUMBAI

The solitary issue arising in the present appeal is, whether or not the disallowance under section 14A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (for short "the Act") r/w rule 8D of the Income Tax Rules, 1962, can be made in respect of insurance company.

Brief facts are, the assessee company is engaged in the business of life insurance. For the assessment year under consideration, the assessee had originally filed its return of income on 23rd September 2011, declaring loss of ` 6,56,03,28,402. In the computation of income, accompanying the said return of income, the assessee had voluntarily disallowed an amount of ` 5,58,49,551 under section 14A. However, subsequently, on the basis of decisions of the Tribunal holding that section 14A is not applicable to insurance companies, the assessee filed revised return of income on 29th March 2013, withdrawing the disallowance made under section 14A thereby claiming loss of ` 711,88,77,953. The Assessing Officer, however, while completing the assessment did not accept the claim of the assessee on the reasoning that the Department has not accepted the decision of the Tribunal and filed appeal before the High Court. Being aggrieved of the disallowance made under section 14A r/w rule 8D, assessee preferred appeal before the first appellate authority.

The learned Commissioner (Appeals), after considering the submissions of the assessee in the light of the decisions of the Tribunal placed before him found that the issue is squarely covered in favour of the assessee by the ratio laid down in the cited decision and accordingly, deleted the addition made on account of disallowance under section 14A r/w rule 8D.

The learned Departmental Representative, though, agreed that the issue is covered in favour of the assessee by the decision of the Tribunal, however, submitted, the Assessing Officer made the disallowance under section 14A to keep the issue alive.

The learned Authorised Representative on the other hand, placing strong reliance on the order of the learned Commissioner (Appeals) submitted, the issue is squarely covered in favour of the assessee. In support, he relied upon the following decisions:–

We have considered the submissions of the parties and perused the material available on record in the light of the decisions cited before us. Undisputedly, the assessee is engaged in the business of life insurance. The Assessing Officer himself in the assessment order has observed that profits of the assessee has to be computed in terms of section 44 r/w rule 2 of the First Schedule to the Income Tax Act, 1961. We have noted, the Tribunal in a series of decisions, as referred to above, has clearly and categorically held that as the profits of insurance companies is to be computed under section 44, which has an overriding effect on all other provisions of the Act, no disallowance under section 14A r/w rule 8D can be made. In other words, section 14A would not be applicable in respect of an insurance company. In fact, the Department is not disputing the fact that the Tribunal has decided the issue in favour of the assessee. However, as observed by the Assessing Officer, since in respect of other companies, the Department has preferred appeal in the High Court, to keep the issue alive, the Assessing Officer has made the disallowance. Be that as it may, as per the ratio laid down in the decisions of the Tribunal referred to above, which still holds the field, provisions contained in section 14A are not applicable to insurance companies by virtue of specific provisions of section 44. That being the case, the disallowance made by the Assessing Officer under section 14A r/w rule 8D has been 5 Reliance Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

In the result, appeal is dismissed. Order pronounced in the open Court on 24.08.2016