This Digest of case laws is prepared by KSA Legal and AIFTP from judgements reported in BCAJ, CTR, DTR, ITD, ITR, ITR (Trib), Chamber's Journal, SOT, Taxman, TTJ, BCAJ, ACAJ, www.itatonline.org and other journals
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S. 37(1) : Business expenditure—Purchase cost of programs and film rights—Amortisation of inventories–Consistent method of accounting–AO is not justified in treating programs and film rights as intangible assets and allowing deprecation @ 25%. [S. 32(2)(ii)]

ACIT v. Zee Media Corporation Ltd ( 2018) 193 TTJ 36 (UO) (Mum.) (Trib.)

S. 37(1) : Business expenditure-Commission expenses– Documentary evidences to prove genuineness of commission transaction was produced–Statement recorded cannot be used against the asseessee without giving an opportunity of cross examination. [S. 131]

Shree Bishandas Iron v. DCIT (2018) 162 DTR 209 / 191 TTJ 624 (Kol.)(Trib.)

S. 9(1)(vii) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Fees for technical services-Income arising from rendering of advisory services in a foreign country cannot be taxed as fees for technical service where the assesse does not have a permanent establishment in India- Reimbursement cannot be asseees as income – DTAA-India- USA. [S. 92, Art, 7, 12]

Add. CIT (I) v. Timken Company (2018) 192 TTJ 823 (Kol.)(Trib.)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India–Royalty- Purchase of software does not fall in realm of ‘royalty’-No liability to withhold tax-Cannot be held to be in default-DTAA-India–USA-Singapore–Germany. [S. 90(2), 194, 195, 201(1), 201(IA)].

Tata Technologies Ltd. v. Dy.CIT (IT)(2018) 193 TTJ 833 (Pune)(Trib.)

S. 2(9) : Benami transaction–Burden of proof-Property was purchased out of loan proceeds -Burden of proof on revenue-Appeal of revenue was dismissed. [S. 24(3)]

Akashdeep Iniatiing Officer v. Manpreet Estate LLP (AT PBPT Act), www.itatonline.org

S. 4 : Dharmada cannot be considered as trading receipts and was not part of the assessable value-No duty was payable on the component of Dharmada. [S. 5, 11AA, 173Q]

D. J. Malpani v. CCE (LB) ( 2019 ) 176 DTR 305/308 CTR 73(SC), www.itatonline.org

S. 261 : Appeal-Supreme Court-Binding precedent–Merger-Interpretation-Review-Special leave petition was dismissed against High Court order in limine without giving any reasons, review petition filed by appellant, in High Court would be maintainable. [Art. 136, 141]

Khoday Distilleries Ltd. v. Sri Mahadeshware Sahakara Sakkare Kharkhane Ltd. (LB) (2019) ( 2019) 262 Taxman 279/ 176 DTR 273/ 308 CTR 1 104 (SC), www.itatonline.org

S. 254(2) : Appellate Tribunal-Rectification of mistake apparent from the record–Penalty -Though the High Court observed that Tribunal’s decision of reducing the penalty as a “way to bypass the minimum limit” and the Tribunal was in error in granting the relief, the same does not constitute a “mistake apparent from the record” so as to enable the Tribunal to revisit its decision. [S.271(1)(c)]

ITO v. Devendra J. Kothari ( 2019) 176 DTR 289/ 199 TTTJ 1(Ahd.)(Trib.), www.itatonline.org

S. 226 : Collection and recovery-Assessee deemed in default-Stay –Strictures-Recovery proceedings were stayed-Revenue was directed to re deposit the amount with drawn from the Bank– Order seta side-Court also expressed dismay at the conduct of the Officers of the Revenue-The desire to collect more revenue cannot be at the expense of Rule of law-Revenue to pay cost of Rs.50,000 to the Petitioner for the unnecessary harassment. [S. 10(23FB) 10(35), 220(6), 226(3), 245, 281B, Art .226]

Milestone Real Estate Funds v. ACIT( 2019) 415 ITR 467/ 178 DTR 265/ 263 Taxman 523/ 311 CTR 953 (Bom.)(HC), www.itatonline.org

S. 201 : Deduction at source-Failure to deduct or pay–limitation- Cross objection – Non -residents–Additional grounds-Royalty–Fee for technical services -In cases of payments made to non-residents, an order passed after one year from the end of the financial year in which the proceedings were initiated is void ab initio and liable to be quashed. [S. 9(1)(vi), 9(1)(vii), 201(1), 201(3), 201(4), 253(1) 254(1)].

Atlas Copco (India) Ltd. v. DCIT (2019) 202 TTJ 395 / 184 DTR 73(Pune)(Trib), www.itatonline.org