SHRI SANJAY KUMAR SINGH,NAGPUR vs. INCOME TAX OFFICER WARD 8(1), NAGPUR

This assessee’s appeal for assessment year 2006-07 arises against the CIT(A)-2, Nagpur’s order dated 21.08.2019 passed in case no. CIT(A)-2/141/2013-14, involving proceedings u/s 143(3) r.w.s. 147 of the Income Tax Act, 1961; in short “the Act”. Case called twice. None appears at assessee’s behest. The very factual position existed on all previous hearing as well. He is accordingly proceeded ex-parte.

It emerges with the able assistance coming from the Revenue’s side that the assessee herein is aggrieved against both the learned lower authorities’ action invoking section 40(a)(ia) disallowance of Rs.9,22,133/- on account of his failure to deduct TDS on the alleged truck hire charges payments.

Mr. Ninawe vehemently contended that the assessee ought to have deducted TDS on the ground that hire charges paid to various brokers without deducting TDS. He further quotes section 194C Explanation (iii) that an oral contract with the payees also attracts TDS deduction in light of Shree Choudhary Transport Company vs. ITO [2020] 118 taxmann.com 47 (SC). 4. I have given my thoughtful consideration to the foregoing rival stands and find no merit in the Revenue’s arguments. This is for this precise reason that there is no material indicated either in the assessment order dated 21.03.2013 or in the CIT(A)’s order that the assessee’s payees herein had undertaken any contractual liability or that there existed any oral or written agreement between them which could form a contract inviting TDS deduction for the payments in issue u/s 194C of the Act. Faced with this situation, I delete the impugned section 40(a)(ia) disallowance of Rs.9,22,133/- in issue.