FIREPRO SYSTEMS PRIVATE LIMITED

IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 29TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2019 PRESENT THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE L. NARAYANA SWAMY AND THE HON’BLE MR.JUSTICE R. DEVDAS INCOME TAX APPEAL No.225/2014 BETWEEN: 1. THE DIRECTOR OF INCOME-TAX, INTERNATIONAL TAXATION, RASHTROTHANA BHAVAN, NRUPATHUNGA ROAD, BENGALURU.

THE DY. DIRECTOR OF INCOME-TAX, (INTERNATIONAL TAXATION) CIRCLE -1(1), RASHTROTHANA BHAVAN, NRUPATHUNGA ROAD, BENGALURU. ... APPELLANTS

(BY SRI ARAVIND.K.V, ADVOCATE AND SRI DILIP.M, ADVOCATE)

AND: IBM INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, NO.12, SUBRAMANYA ARCADE, BANNERGHATTA MAIN ROAD, BENGALURU – 560 093. ... RESPONDENT

(BY SRI T.SURYANARAYANA, ADVOCATE)

THIS INCOME TAX APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SEC. 260-A OF INCOME TAX ACT 1961, ARISING OUT OF ORDER DATED: 24.01.2014 PASSED IN ITA NO.498/BANG/2013, FOR THE ASSESSMENT YEAR: 2011-2012, PRAYING TO: i. FORMULATE THE SUBSTANTIAL QUESTIONS OF LAW STATED ABOVE. ii. ALLOW THE APPEAL AND SET ASIDE THE ORDERS PASSED BY THE INCOME-TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, BENGALURU IN ITA NO. 498/BANG/2013 DATED: 24.01.2014 CONFIRMING THE ORDER OF THE APPELLATE COMMISSIONER AND CONFIRM THE ORDER PASSED BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF INCOME TAX, CIRCLE-1(1), BENGALURU. iii. TO PASS SUCH OTHER SUITABLE ORDERS AS THIS HON'BLE COURT DEEMS FIT TO GRANT IN THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE IN THE INTEREST OF JUSTICE AND EQUITY.

THIS ITA COMING ON FOR FINAL HEARING, THIS DAY, DEVDAS J., DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:

J U D G M E N T The learned counsel for the appellant-Revenue brings to the notice of this Court a Circular bearing No.17 of 2019 dated 08th August, 2019 wherein the further enhancement of monetary limit for filing of appeals by the Departments before the Income- Tax Appellate Tribunals, High Courts and Special Leave Petitions/Appeals before the Supreme Court stands amended, and by the said amendment the earlier monetary limit of Rs.50,00,000/- (Rupees fifty lakh) has not been raised to Rs.1,00,00,000/- (Rupees one crore). The earlier monetary limit was prescribed as per Circular No.3 of 2018 dated 11th July,

2018. In the light of the same, the learned counsel submits that the appeal is not maintainable and in view of the Circular, the appeal may be permitted to be withdrawn. Further, the learned counsel would also draw the attention of this Court to Clause 10 of the Circular No.3 of 2018 dated 11th July, 2018 wherein certain exceptions are carved out. The learned counsel submits that at the present stage it may not be possible for him to submit whether the matter falls under any of the exceptions. Therefore, it is prayed that liberty may be reserved to the appellants to move this Court, if it is found that the matter falls within the exception carved out in Clause 10 of Circular bearing Number 3 of 2018.

On the query of the Court as to whether the Circular is applicable to pending matters, the learned counsel draws the attention of this Court to the communication dated 20th August, 2019 made by the Central Board of Direct Taxation to all the Chief Commissioners of Income Tax clarifying at paragraph No.3 that the monetary limit prescribed in Circular No.17 of 2019 is

applicable to all pending Special Leave Petitions, Appeals, Cross Objections and References.

In view of the above, we permit the appellant to withdraw the appeal for the reasons stated above. Liberty is also granted to the appellant to seek revival of this appeal, if it is found that the matter falls within the exception carved out in Clause 10 of Circular bearing No.3 of 2018.

Sd/- JUDGE

Bvk/-