Small Business Corp vs. DIT (AAR)

COURT:
CORAM:
SECTION(S):
GENRE:
CATCH WORDS:
COUNSEL:
DATE: (Date of pronouncement)
DATE: September 10, 2008 (Date of publication)
AY:
FILE:
CITATION:

For purposes of Article 20 of the India-Korea DTAA, a Government undertaking with corporate status cannot be equated to the Government. Even if the Articles of Incorporation make it clear that the Government has pervasive control over the undertaking, it still cannot be treated to be a wing or an integral part of the Government. However, the fundamental requirement of Article 20(1)(a) is that the remuneration should be paid by the Contracting State. Even if it is paid out of funds allocated by the Government to the undertaking specifically towards personnel expenses, the requirement of Article 20(1) is satisfied. It is as good as payment by the State itself. The expression “payment by a Contracting State” cannot be given a rigid or literal interpretation so as to cover the payments made directly by Government or a department of the Government. Even if the payment is made out of State’s funds set apart for that purpose, the requirement of Section 20(1)(a) will be attracted and the Indian income-tax cannot be levied in such a case.