CBDT Circular No.12 dated 23.8.2001 which provides that “the AO shall not make any adjustment to the arm’s length price determined by the taxpayer if such price is unto 5% less or unto 5% more than the price determined by the AO” was in the context of the proviso to s. 92C (2) inserted by FA 2001 w.e.f. AY 2002-03. Though the proviso provided for only arithmetical mean of the prices to be taken and did not provide for any concession, the Circular was issued considering practical difficulties. The said Proviso was amended by FA 2002 w.e.f AY 2002-03. The effect is that the Proviso in the context of which Circular No. 12 was issued never came into operation and so the Circular No. 12 became otiose and cannot be relied upon

U/s 149(1)(b) a notice u/s 148 cannot be issued after the issue of 6 years from the end of the AY. In Haryana Acrylic vs. CIT 308 ITR 38 it was held that a notice u/s 148 without the communication of the reasons there for is meaningless inasmuch as the AO is bound to furnish the reasons within a reasonable time. It was held that a case where the notice has been issued within the said period of six years but the reasons have not been furnished within that period is hit by the bar of limitation because the issuance of the notice and the communication and furnishing of reasons go hand-in-hand. The expression ‘within a reasonable period of time’ as used in GKN Driveshafts 259 ITR 19 (SC) cannot be stretched to such an extent that it extends even beyond the six years stipulated in s. 149

The TPO rejected the assessee’s contention with regard to inclusion of the three super-normal profit companies without any cogent reason. It is undisputed that the three companies have shown super-normal profits as compared to other comparables. Their exclusion from the list of comparable is quite correct. After excluding the three companies the arithmetic mean of the comparables falls within the +-5% range permitted by s.92(C)(2)

The fact that the international transactions are at ALP does not mean that no addition can be made on the funds kept by the assessee with the AE. If the assessee had received funds within the normal period, it could have earned interest on the same. The potential loss is a factor to be considered while evaluating the financial impact of the international transactions between the assessee and the AE. However, a reasonable period has to be provided as interest-free period

Under the Proviso to s. 92C(2) (pre-amendment w.e.f. 1.10.09) the option to the assessee to choose a price which may vary from the arithmetical mean by an amount not exceeding five per cent is available only where more than one price is determined and not where there is only one comparable instance (Sony India vs. DCIT 114 ITD 448 (Del) & DCIT vs. BASF India not followed. Perot System TSI (India) Ltd 130 TTJ 685 followed)