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Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, “C” BENCH, KOLKATA
Before: Shri M. Balaganesh
ORDER SHRI M.BALAGANESH, AM :
This appeal of the revenue arises out of the order of the Learned CIT(A)- XXXVI, Kolkata in Appeal No. 841/CIT(A)-XXXVI/Kol/Wd.1(3),Mid./09-10 dated 14.6.2011 against the order of assessment framed u/s 147 / 143(3) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Act’) for the Asst Year 2005-06.
We have heard the Learned DR and perused the materials available on record. It is seen from the perusal of the assessment order that the total addition made by the Learned AO is Rs. 10,30,000/- on which tax effect would only be Rs. 3,18,270/- which is admittedly below the tax effect limit prescribed by CBDT vide Circular No. 21 / 2015 dated 10.12.2015 for preferring appeals before tribunal by the revenue. It will be pertinent to reproduce the relevant portion of the said Circular No. 21 / 2015 dated 10.12.2015 :-
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3. Henceforth, appeals / SLPs shall not be filed in cases where the tax effect does not exceed the monetary limits given hereunder:-
S.No. Appeals in Income Tax matters Monetary Limit (in Rs)
1 Before Appellate Tribunal 10,00,000/- 2 Before High Court 20,00,000/- 3 Before Supreme Court 25,00,000/- It is clarified that an appeal should not be filed merely because the tax effect in a case exceeds the monetary limits prescribed above. Filing of appeal in such cases is to be decided on merits of the case.
4. For this purpose, “tax effect” means the difference between the tax on the total income assessed and the tax that would have been chargeable had such total income been reduced by the amount of income in respect of the issues against which appeal is intended to be filed (hereinafter referred to as ‘disputed issues’). However, the tax will not include any interest thereon, except where chargeability of interest itself is in dispute. In case the chargeability of interest is the issue under dispute, the amount of interest shall be the tax effect. In cases where returned loss is reduced or assessed asincome, the tax effect would include notional tax on disputed additions. In case of penalty orders, the tax effect will mean quantum of penalty deleted or reduced in the order to be appealed against.
The Assessing Officer shall calculate the tax effect separately for every assessment year in respect of the disputed issues in the case of every assessee. If, in the caes of an assessee, the disputed issues arise in more than one assessment year , appeal, can be filed in respect of such assessment year or years in which the tax effect in respect of the disputed issues exceeds the monetary limit specified in para 3. No appeal shall be filed in respect of an assessment year or years in which the tax effect is less than the monetary limit specified in para 3. In other words, henceforth, appeals can be filed only with reference to the tax effect in the relevant assessment year. However, in case of a composite order of any High Court or appellate authority, which involves more than one assessment year and common issues in more than one assessment year, appeal shall be filed in respect of all such assessment years even if the ‘tax effect’ is less than the prescribed monetary limits in any of the year(s), if it is decided to file appeal in respect of the year(s) in which ‘tax effect’ exceeds the monetary limit prescribed. In case where a composite order / judgement involves more than one assessee, each assessee shall be dealt with separately.
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Adverse judgements relating to the following issues should be contested on merits notwithstanding that the tax effect entailed is less than the monetary limits specified in para 3 above or there is no tax effect: (a) Where the Constitutional Validity of the provisions of an Act or Rule are under challenge, or (b) Where Board’s order, Notification, Instruction or Circular has been held to be illegal or ultra vires, or (c) Where Revenue Audit Objection in the case has been accepted by the Department, or (d) Where the addition relates to undisclosed foreign assets / bank accounts.
This instruction will apply retrospectively to pending appeals and appeals to be filed henceforth in High Courts/ Tribunals. Pending appeals below the specified tax limits in para 3 above may be withdrawn / not pressed. Appeals before the Supreme Court will be governed by the instructions on this subject, operative at the time when such appeal was filed.
On specific query put across from the bench to the ld. DR as to whether the tax effect in this case is less than Rs. 10 lakhs and whether this appeal falls under any of the exceptions contemplated in para 8 of this Circular. In response to this, the ld. DR fairly conceded that the tax effect is less than Rs.10 lakhs and the case does not fall under any of the exceptions in para 8 of the CBDT Circular.
3.1 We find that intention behind the Circular No.21/2015 dated 10-12-2015 needs to be understood in the following perspective:-
By passage of time, the money value has gone down, the cost of litigation expenses has gone up, number of assesses on the files of the department have been increased and consequently, the burden on the department is also increased to a tremendous extent. The Corridors of the Superior Courts are choked with huge pendency of cases. In this view of the matter, the CBDT has rightly taken a decision to revise the monetary limits in tune with the present value of money and with a view to reduce the litigation and offering
Sri Dhirendra Nath Maity 3 relief to small tax payers. This is also in view of the fact that time and energy of the department could be used more productively and efficiently to catch hold of big fishes, who in turn would contribute more to the development of the country.
On perusal of the Circular No. 21 / 2015 dated 10.12.2015 and the materials available on record, we find that the present appeal of the revenue does not fall under any of the exceptions contemplated in the said Circular. We also find that the Circular makes it very clear that the revised monetary limits shall apply retrospectively to pending appeals also. We find that the Circular is binding on the tax authorities. Hence we hold that the appeal of the revenue deserves to be dismissed in terms of low tax effect vide Circular No.21 / 2015 dated 10.12.2015. Accordingly, this being a low tax effect case, we dismiss the appeal of the revenue in limine without going into the merits of the case.