Month: May 2015

Archive for May, 2015


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DATE: May 8, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 9, 2015 (Date of publication)
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S. 194-I/ 194-J: Meaning of expression "rent" and "fees for technical services" explained in the context of transmission & wheeling charges paid by electricity company

The expression rent would also entail an element of possession. In each of the instances contemplated by the explanation to Section 194-I, we see in them an element of possession, be it land, building (including factory building), land appertaining to a building, plant, equipment, furniture or fittings. The person using it has some degree of possessory control, at least momentarily, although it cannot entrust the user title to the subject matter of the charge. Even the mere right to “use” is vested with an element of possessory control over the subject matter

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DATE: April 29, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 9, 2015 (Date of publication)
AY: 2001-02, 2004-05, 2005-06
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Indian agent of foreign company cannot be regarded as "Dependent Agent Permanent Establishment" if agent has no power to conclude contracts. If the agent is remunerated at arms' length basis, no further profit can be attributed to the foreign company. It is doubtful whether retrospective amendment to s. 9(i)(vi) can apply the DTAA. However, question is left open

The Indo-Mauritius DTAA requires that the first enterprise in the first mentioned State has and habitually exercised in that State an authority to conclude contracts in the name of the enterprise unless his activities are limited to the purchase of goods or merchandise for the enterprise is a condition which is not satisfied. Therefore, this is not a case of B4U India being an agent with an independent status. The findings of the Supreme Court judgment in Morgan Stanley & Co. that there is no need for attribution of further profits to the permanent establishment of the foreign company where the transaction between the two is at arm’s length but this was only provided that the associate enterprise was remunerated at arm’s length basis taking into account all the risk taking functions of the multinational enterprise. Thus, assuming B4U India is a dependent agent of the assessee in India it has been remunerated at arm’s length price and, therefore, no profits can be attributed to the assessee

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DATE: April 29, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 9, 2015 (Date of publication)
AY: 2001-02
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CITATION:
S. 9(1)(vii)/ Article 13(4): Amount paid by Indian entities as “share of cost” of utilizing automated telecommunications system is not assessable as “fees for technical services” if there is not profit element in it

utilization of the Maersk Net Communication system was an automated software based communication system which did not require the assessee to render any technical services. It was merely a cost sharing arrangement between the assessee and its agents to efficiently conduct its shipping business. The Maersk Net used by the agents of the assessee entailed certain costs reimbursement to the assessee. It was part of the shipping business and could not be captured under any other provisions of the Income Tax Act except under DTAA

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DATE: April 21, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 7, 2015 (Date of publication)
AY: 2008-09
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S. 153A: No addition can be made in respect of an unabated assessment which has become final if no incriminating material is found during the search. An ICD is an "infrastructural facility" for s. 80-IA(4)

Once it is held that the assessment has attained finality, then the AO while passing the independent assessment order under Section 153A read with Section 143 (3) of the I.T. Act could not have disturbed the assessment / reassessment order which has attained finality, unless the materials gathered in the course of the proceedings under Section 153A of the Income-tax Act establish that the reliefs granted under the finalised assessment/ reassessment were contrary to the facts unearthed during the course of 153A proceedings

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DATE: April 9, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 6, 2015 (Date of publication)
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S.22/28: Law on whether income from letting of properties is assessable as "business profits" or as "Income from house property" explained

Where there is a letting out of premises and collection of rents the assessment on property basis may be correct but not so, where the letting or sub-letting is part of a trading operation. The diving line is difficult to find; but in the case of a company with its professed objects and the manner of its activities and the nature of its dealings with its property, it is possible to say on which side the operations fall and to what head the income is to be assigned

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DATE: April 14, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 5, 2015 (Date of publication)
AY: 2008-09
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CITATION:
No s. 14A and Rule 8D disallowance can be made for shares held as stock-in-trade

One can at best disallow the expenses which are incurred for earning dividend income. For that purpose, the figures under the head “Investment” could be taken and some charges apportioned for the purpose of computing the expenses

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DATE: April 30, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 2, 2015 (Date of publication)
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CITATION:
S. 80-IB(10): Law on availability of deduction for "housing projects" explained

There was much debate on the answer given in para (b) above. It was argued by Mr. Gurukrishna Kumar, learned senior counsel, that a project which is cleared as “residential plus commercial” project cannot be treated as housing project and therefore, this direction is contrary to the provisions of Section 80(I)(B)(10) of the Act. However, reading the direction in its entirety and particularly the first sentence thereof, we find that commercial user which is permitted is in the residential units and that too, as per DCR. Examples given before us by the learned counsel for the assessee was that such commercial user to some extent is permitted to the professionals like Doctors, Chartered Accountants, Advocates, etc., in the DCRs itself. Therefore, we clarify that direction (b) is to be read in that context where the project is predominantly housing/ residential project but the commercial activity in the residential units is permitted

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DATE: April 15, 2015 (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: May 1, 2015 (Date of publication)
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CITATION:
ITAT’s practice of routinely consolidating appeals is “most unfortunate, disturbing and dangerous” and leads to “pile-up” of cases. Such “elementary mistakes” should not be committed in future. ITAT is expected not to sign judgments and decisions unless they are checked thoroughly after transcription. It may be a boring task but it has to be performed by none other than the decision makers

The factual situation the backdrop of which this question is raised to be most unfortunate, disturbing and dangerous to say the least. The Tribunal as a matter of routine goes on consolidating appeals …. We think that our observations made above are enough to guide the Tribunal and we hope that such mistakes and elementary in nature are not committed in future. We also expect the Tribunal not to sign judgments and decisions unless their checked thoroughly by them after their transcription. It may be a boring task but it has to be performed by none other than the decision makers