Tribunal held that once sufficient funds of its own were available with the assessee for making investments, there could not be any disallowance of interest under second limb of rule 8D(2) of the Rules, even though erroneously made by the assessee in the return of income. While this direction may eventually go to reduce the returned income of the assessee, taxes are to be collected in accordance with law in terms of article 265 of the Constitution of India and not based on the consent or acceptance of the assessee either in the return or during the course of assessment or appellate proceedings. There is no estoppel against the statute. The Tribunal also held that, with regard to disallowance of indirect expenses under the Assessing Officer was to consider only those investments which had actually yielded exempt income for working out the disallowance thereon, and to recompute and reduce the disallowance already made by the assessee in the return under the third limb of rule 8D(2). (AY. 2013-14)
Dy.CIT v. Godrej Properties Ltd. (2020) 84 ITR 13 (SN) (Mum.) (Trib.)
S. 14A : Disallowance of expenditure-Exempt income-Interest-Own funds more than the investment-Presumption is investment is from own funds-No disallowance of interest can be made-Erroneous disallowance shown in the return-Indirect expenses-Only investments actually yielding exempt income to be considered for working out disallowance-Assessment cannot be based on consent or acceptance of assessee either in return or during course of assessment or Appellate Proceedings. [S. 143(3), R. 8D(2)(iii), Art. 265]