“Section 10(2)(xi)”
The decision most relied on for Section 10(2)(xi) is Ramchandar Shivnarayan v. CIT (111 ITR 263), cited in 48 judgments on BharatTax.
Leading authorities on Section 10(2)(xi)
A business loss is deductible if it has a direct and proximate nexus with business operations or is incidental to them, applying a commercial standard, even without an explicit statutory provision for its deduction.
For a bad debt to be allowable as a deduction, it must be a debt that, if good, would have increased the taxable profits. An expenditure for running a school for employees' children in a remote area can be considered an allowable expenditure for the welfare of employees.
Advances made by a forest lessee to sub-contractors for forest operations, which become irrecoverable due to non-renewal of the lease, are deductible as a business loss under Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act. These advances are considered part of ordinary business expenditure necessary to carry on the business.
Advances given for the acquisition of capital assets, which are subsequently written off, are allowable as a business loss. This also applies to deposits given for lease premises that become irrecoverable.
Advances given in the course of business for the purchase of revenue items can be written off as a bad debt under Section 37 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.