Section 42 of the Income Tax Act

Income-tax Act, 2025: s.54

Section 42 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 corresponds to section 54 (Business of prospecting for mineral oils) of the Income-tax Act, 2025.

Read section 54 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 42 is Niko Resources Ltd. v. Union of India (374 ITR 369), cited in 40 of the 77 judgments on BharatTax that turn on this section.

Leading authorities on Section 42

Niko Resources Ltd. v. Union of India
374 ITR 369 · 2015 · High Court
40
citing judgments

The retrospective insertion of an Explanation to Section 80IB(9) of the Income Tax Act is unconstitutional. Blocks licensed under a single contract cannot be treated as a single undertaking for the purpose of deduction under Section 80IB(9).

CIT v. Enron Oil & Gas India Ltd.
305 ITR 75 · 2008 · Supreme Court
22
citing judgments

The Production Sharing Contract (PSC) is a self-contained code. Provisions of the Income-tax Act apply to the computation of income of the assessee under the PSC. Overhead charges incurred by the head office and charged to the assessee's profit and loss account are allowable as a deduction if incurred for the purpose of business.

414 and PCIT v. Gujarat Fluro Chemicals Ltd.
155 Taxmann.com 135 · 2023 · High Court
21
citing judgments

The Assessing Officer must record reasons for not being satisfied with a suo motu disallowance made by an assessee under section 14A, and this satisfaction must be based on the assessee's accounts.

Promotion and Trading Ltd V/s CIT, 423 ITR510 (DEL) 5. PCIT v. Zee Media Corporation Ltd.
423 ITR 542 · 2020 · High Court
20
citing judgments

The Supreme Court may reconsider the issue of eligibility for deduction under Section 80-IA where the assessee has incurred losses in earlier years and claims the deduction in the year it became profitable. The court also deliberated on the allowability of certain expenses claimed by the assessee.

Emerson Climate Technologies (India) Ltd. v. DCIT
90 Taxmann.com 125 · 2018 · ITAT
18
citing judgments

The case recognizes the evolving landscape of international business operations and the role of holding companies in ensuring adherence to global standards by subsidiary entities to protect brand value.

CIT v. R.B. Rungta & Co.
50 ITR 233 · 1963 · High Court
15
citing judgments

An expenditure not allowed as a specific deduction can still be considered an allowable business loss under the general principles of income computation, even if a specific condition for that deduction was not met.

Niko Resources Ltd. v. ACIT
395 ITR 301 · 2017 · High Court
14
citing judgments

Mineral oil wells are considered "plant" for depreciation purposes under Section 32 of the Income Tax Act, as buildings of a special nature are not excluded from the definition of plant.

ACIT v. Niko Resources Ltd.
123 TTJ 310 · 2009 · ITAT
12
citing judgments

Section 42 of the Income-tax Act allows deductions specified in an agreement between the assessee and the Central Government. Expenses incurred for business activities may be allowed as business expenditure even if not specifically deductible under Section 42.

Metro Auto Corporation v. ITO
286 ITR 618 · 2006 · High Court
11
citing judgments

An assessment cannot be reopened if the issue sought to be reassessed is already pending before an appellate authority. Reopening the assessment in such circumstances is invalid and the notice issued under section 148 is liable to be quashed.

Gujarat Enviro Protection & Infrastructure Ltd. v. DCIT
91 Taxmann.com 436 · 2018 · High Court
11
citing judgments

Judgments on Section 42