Section 41(1) of the Income Tax Act

Income-tax Act, 2025: s.38

Section 41(1) falls under section 41 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, which corresponds to section 38 (Certain sums deemed as profits and gains of business or profession) of the Income-tax Act, 2025.

Read section 38 of the 2025 Act

Correspondence checked against the ICAI tabular mapping of the two Acts and the BharatTax.co section commentary.

The decision most relied on for Section 41(1) is Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. v. CIT (227 ITR 172), cited in 621 of the 1,943 judgments on BharatTax that turn on this section.

Leading authorities on Section 41(1)

Tuticorin Alkali Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd. v. CIT
227 ITR 172 · 1997 · Supreme Court
621
citing judgments

Interest income earned on deposits, particularly before the commencement of business operations or as a requirement for business licensing, is taxable as "income from other sources" under Section 56, and cannot be treated as business income or set off against interest on borrowed funds.

CIT v. T.V. Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd.
222 ITR 344 · 1996 · Supreme Court
223
citing judgments

Unclaimed deposits received in the course of trading transactions and sundry credit balances written back are taxable as business income under Section 41(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, as they constitute a cessation of trading liability.

CIT v. Indo Nippon Chemicals Co. Ltd.
261 ITR 275 · 2003 · Supreme Court
204
citing judgments

A liability recognized in accordance with the Accounting Standards prescribed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is an allowable expense for income tax purposes.

CIT v. Sugauli Sugar Works (P) Ltd.
236 ITR 518 · 1999 · Supreme Court
203
citing judgments

For the purpose of Section 41(1) of the Income-tax Act, a liability is considered to have ceased only when the creditor actively releases or writes off the amount, or when the liability ceases to exist in the assessee's books; mere expiry of the limitation period for recovery does not constitute cessation of liability.

CIT v. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.
404 ITR 1 · 2018 · Supreme Court
164
citing judgments

The waiver of a loan taken for acquiring capital assets is considered a capital receipt and is not taxable as income under Section 28(iv) of the Income Tax Act. The ruling distinguishes between the waiver of trading liabilities and capital liabilities for tax purposes.

Prakash Cotton Mills Pvt. Ltd. v. CIT
201 ITR 684 · 1993 · Supreme Court
133
citing judgments

Compensatory interest or damages paid for a breach of contract, arising in the normal course of business, are allowable as a deduction under section 37(1) as wholly and exclusively incurred for business purposes. This principle extends to indirect taxes paid in the course of business, which are admissible as business expenditure.

CIT v. Oswal Agro Mills Ltd.
341 ITR 467 · 2012 · High Court
108
citing judgments

The Legislature abolished terminal depreciation under section 32(1)(iii) and the taxing of balancing charge under section 41(2), replacing these provisions with the requirement to reduce sale proceeds of depreciable assets from the block of assets.

CIT v. Godawari Power & Ispat Ltd.
42 Taxmann.com 551 · 2014 · High Court
104
citing judgments

Inter-unit transfer of power by an industrial undertaking eligible for Section 80IA deduction constitutes a specified domestic transaction under Section 92BA, requiring valuation at arm's length. This decision clarifies the application of Section 80IA(8) and transfer pricing regulations for such transactions.

Maruti Udyog v. DCIT
92 ITD 119 · 2005 · ITAT
87
citing judgments

The onus is on the revenue to establish the nexus between expenses incurred and exempt income before making a disallowance under section 14A.

CIT v. Varas International
284 ITR 80 · Supreme Court
79
citing judgments

An appellate authority can admit additional legal grounds for the first time, even if not raised earlier, provided these grounds are purely legal, go to the root of the matter, and the relevant facts for their adjudication are already on record.

Judgments on Section 41(1)

ACIT Non Corporate Circle 3, Chennai vs. M.G.Sekar, Chennai

In the result, the appeal filed by the Revenue is allowed for statistical purposes

ITA 2724/CHNY/2018[2014-15]Status: DisposedITAT Chennai10 Sept 2019AY 2014-15

Bench: Shri Duvvuru Rl Reddy & Shri S. Jayaramanआयकर अपील सं./I.T.A.No.2724/Chny/2018 िनधा"रण वष"/Assessment Year:2014-15 The Assistant Commissioner Of Shri M.G. Sekar, Income Tax, Non Corporate Circle 3, Vs. No. 6, Vishranti Apartments, Kasturi Estate, 3Rd Street, 121, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034. Poes Garden, Chennai 600 086. [Pan:Amlps0449J] (अपीलाथ" /Appellant) (""थ"/Respondent) अपीलाथ" की ओर से / Appellant By : Shri Ar. V. Sreenivasan, Jcit ""थ" की ओर से/Respondent By : Shri S. Sridhar, Advocate सुनवाई की तारीख/ Date Of Hearing : 10.07.2019 घोषणा की तारीख /Date Of Pronouncement : 10.09.2019 आदेश /O R D E R Per Duvvuru Rl Reddy: This Appeal Filed By The Revenue Is Directed Against The Order Of The Ld. Commissioner Of Income Tax (Appeals) 15, Chennai Dated 21.06.2018 Relevant To The Assessment Year 2014-15. The Revenue Has Challenged The Order Of The Ld. Cit(A) In Granting Partial Relief To The Assessee By Restricting The Disallowance At 20% On The Claim Of Agricultural Income & Deleting The Disallowance Of Sundry Creditors To The Tune Of ₹.2.27 Crores On The Basis Of The Fresh Evidences/Details Produced By The Assessee Without Given An 2

For Appellant: Shri AR. V. Sreenivasan, JCITFor Respondent: Shri S. Sridhar, Advocate
Section 142(1)Section 143(2)Section 144Section 41(1)

ACIT Non Corporate Circle 3, Chennai vs. Sekar Sarada, Chennai

In the result, the appeal filed by the Revenue is allowed for statistical purposes

ITA 2672/CHNY/2018[2014-15]Status: DisposedITAT Chennai10 Sept 2019AY 2014-15

Bench: Shri Duvvuru Rl Reddy & Shri S. Jayaramanआयकर अपील सं./I.T.A.No.2672/Chny/2018 िनधा"रण वष"/Assessment Year:2014-15 The Assistant Commissioner Of Smt. Sekar Sarada, Income Tax, Non Corporate Circle 3, Vs. No. 6, Vishranti Apartments, Kasturi Estate, 3Rd Street, 121, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 034. Poes Garden, Chennai 600 086. [Pan:Avmps5432R] (अपीलाथ" /Appellant) (""थ"/Respondent) अपीलाथ" की ओर से / Appellant By : Shri S. Bharath, Jcit ""थ" की ओर से/Respondent By : Shri S. Sridhar, Advocate सुनवाई की तारीख/ Date Of Hearing : 10.07.2019 घोषणा की तारीख /Date Of Pronouncement : 10.09.2019 आदेश /O R D E R Per Duvvuru Rl Reddy: This Appeal Filed By The Revenue Is Directed Against The Order Of The Ld. Commissioner Of Income Tax (Appeals) 15, Chennai Dated 28.06.2018 Relevant To The Assessment Year 2014-15. The Revenue Has Challenged The Order Of The Ld. Cit(A) In Granting Relief Against Addition Towards Unexplained Cash Credit, Granting Partial Relief By Restricting The Disallowance At 20% On The Claim Of Agricultural Income & Deleting The Disallowance Of Sundry Creditors Of ₹.15.35 Crores As Well As Disallowance Of Expenses To The Tune

For Appellant: Shri S. Bharath, JCITFor Respondent: Shri S. Sridhar, Advocate
Section 142(1)Section 143(2)Section 144Section 37Section 41(1)Section 68