ACIT, CIRCLE, PATIALA vs. M/S PATIALA DISTT. CO-OP MILK PRODUCERS UNION LTD., PATIALA
What did the Tribunal hold?
The Tribunal dismissed the Revenue's appeal regarding plastic crate breakage expenses, upholding the CIT(A)'s view that it was a revenue expenditure. For the store material consumed issue, the Tribunal remanded the matter back to the Assessing Officer for verification of supporting bills and vouchers.
What were the facts?
The Revenue appealed against the CIT(A)'s deletion of additions made for plastic crate breakage expenses and unsubstantiated increase in store material consumed. The assessee argued that crate breakage was normal wear and tear, and the store material increase was due to misclassification of raw material costs for panjiri.
What were the issues?
Whether plastic crate breakage expenses are capital or revenue in nature. Whether an increase in store material consumed expenses, due to alleged misclassification, is allowable without proper substantiation.
Which sections of the Income-tax Act were involved?
AI-generated summary — verify with the full judgment below
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, DIVISION BENCH’B’, CHANDIGARH
Before: MS. DIVA SINGH & DR. B.R.R. KUMAR
IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL DIVISION BENCH’B’, CHANDIGARH BEFORE MS. DIVA SINGH, JUDICIAL MEMBER AND DR. B.R.R. KUMAR, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER ITA Nos. 1228 & 1204/Chd/2017 Assessment Year: 2011-12
The Asst. CIT Vs. M/s Patiala Distt. Co-op Milk Circle, Patiala Producers Union Ltd; Sirhind Road, Patiala
PAN No. AAAAT0459K
(Assessee) (Respondent)
Assessee By : Shri. Deepak Agarwal Revenue By : Shri. Manjit Singh
Date of hearing : 08/03/2018 Date of Pronouncement : 22/05/2018
ORDER PER BENCH:
Both the above appeals have been filed by the Revenue against the
common order of Ld.CIT(A), Patiala dt. 24/05/2017.
Since the issues raised in both the appeals are identical and the Revenue
submitted that two appeals have been filed inadvertently for the same year.
Hence appeal No. 1228/CHD/2017 may be treated as withdrawn and we
accordingly dismiss the appeal.
We shall deal with ITA No. 1204/CHD/2017 wherein the Revenue has raised
the following grounds:
Whether in the facts and circumstances of the case, the Ld. CIT(A), Patiala is legally correct in deleting the addition of Rs. 5,02,809/- on account of plastic crate breakage expenses. 2. Whether in the facts and circumstances of the case, the Ld. CIT(A), Patiala is legally correct in deleting the addition of Rs. 43,85,618/- on account of unsubstantiated increase in “store material consumed” expenses. 3. It is prayed that the order of Ld. CIT(A) be set aside and that of the Assessing Officer restored.
The Assessing Officer made disallowed an amount of Rs. 5,02,809/-
claimed by the assessee in the P&L Account under the head ‘Plastic Crate
Breakage Expenses’ treating the same as capital expenses.
The Ld. CIT(A) while deleting the addition held that, the said breakage
occurred during the course of handling of these items by the labour and is in the
nature of normal wear and tear while handling the milk supply and it was an
allowable expense under section 37 (1) of the Act. The Ld. CIT(A) also held that it
is seen while holding the impugned expenditures as capital in nature, the AO
has given the general finding without any elaboration thereon. It is a fact that
the milk crates are used in the normal course of business of the assessee for
carrying milk etc. Their wear and tear and breakage is quite normal in the
course of the business of the assessee. The replacement of broken crates is a
regular feature of the assessee's business and the cost of each plastic crate is
insignificant. Moreover, plastic crate have a limited life span. The expenditure so
incurred does not add to the capacity of the assessee. Rather it helps in
maintaining it and ensuring the smooth conduct of the business. Therefore, in the
given set of facts and circumstances the expenditure incurred on account of
the breakage of plastic crates is essentially of revenue nature which is clearly
allowable under section 37(1) of the Act.
Before us the Ld. DR relied on the Assessment Order and the Ld. AR
supported the order of the Ld. CIT(A).
We have heard Ld. Representatives of both the parties. We have gone
through the facts of the case and hereby hold that by any stretch of
imagination the breakage of plastic crates due to wear and tear, used for
transportation of milk sachets cannot be treated as capital expenditure and
hence, we decline to interfere in the order of the Ld. CIT(A).
As a result appeal of the Revenue on this ground is dismissed.
The second issue relates to addition on account of unsubstantiated
increase in "store material consumed" expenses.
The Assessing Officer noted that there was 150% increase in the expenses
debited under the above said head as compared with those of the preceding
year whereas the sales had only increased by 17%. On being show caused as to
why adverse view should not be taken in respect of these expenses, the
assessee submitted that due to inadvertent error the cost of certain raw
materials like Atta, besan and sugar used for preparing panjiri to the extent of Rs.
43,85,618/- was wrongly debited to the "store material consumed" account, as
such there was no such abnormal increase of expenses. However, in the
absence of corroborative documentary evidence supporting the contention of
the assessee, the AO disallowed these expenses.
The Ld. CIT(A) deleted the addition holding that the Assessing Officer had
not appreciated the working of the assessee unit wherein government has
installed a pre-audit system and no payment can be made without Bill and
without the approval of the competent authority. Moreover, the sale of panjiri m
the year under consideration has been to the tune of Rs. 1,30,63,751/-whereas
the purchase for this item was only to the extent of Rs. 6,318/- only. This could not
have happened if the assessee had not purchased ingredients of panjiri i.e atta,
besan and sugar etc has explained above which were inadvertently debited to
the wrong account i.e. "store material consumed" account. Moreover, the
booking of expenses under the head store material consumed instead of
purchases has no impact on the income of the assessee in any manner. The
books of accounts of the assessee have also not been rejected and the gross
profit ratio has also been accepted as shown by the assessee.
Before us Ld. AR submitted that given an opportunity, the bills and
vouchers pertaining to purchase of raw material like atta, besan, sugar would
be produced before the Assessing Officer so as to prove the genuineness of the
expenditure which could not be produced before the Assessing Officer to
support the claim during the assessment proceedings. Hence, we remand the
matter back to the file of the Assessing Officer for the limited purpose of
verification of the bills and vouchers pertaining to the purchase of raw materials
for preparing panjiri and to allow the expenditure accordingly based on the
evidences produced.
As a result appeal of the Revenue in ITA No. 1228/CHD/2017 is dismissed
and in ITA No. 1204/CHD/2017 is partly allowed for statistical purposes.
Order pronounced in the open court.
Sd/- Sd/- (DIVA SINGH) (DR. B.R.R.KUMAR) JUDICIAL MEMBER ACCOUNTANT MEMBER Dated : 22/05/2018 AG Copy to: The Assessee, The Respondent, The CIT, The CIT(A), The DR
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