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
Click here to download the pdf versions of the Digest of case laws

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Advertisement services-Royalty-advertisement space on website owned by foreign company (ESPN)-right to use of equipment (Server)-ESPN India was merely a reseller of advertisement space, consideration paid by ESPN India for purchase of advertisement space to ESPN, UK was not taxable as royalty-DTAA-India-UK. [S. 9(1)(vii), Art. 13]

ESPN Digital Media (India) (P) Ltd. v. Dy. CIT (IT) (2022) 218 TTJ 785 / 140 taxmann.com 442 (Chennai)(Trib)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Royalty-Fees for Technical services-Right to use domain name which is in the nature of trade mark-Assessable as royalty-Web hosting services being ancillary to domain name registration services, consideration received had to be treated as FTS-DTAA-India-USA [S. 9(1)(vii), 115A, Art, 12(4)(a)]

Godaddy.com LLC v. DCIT (IT)(2022) 220 DTR 89 / 220 TTJ 785 / (2023) 146 taxmann.com 316 (Delhi)(Trib)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Royalty-Software user fee-Selling standard software and not providing any licence to reproduce or make copies-Customers having only use of Copyrighted Article and no rights therein-Payments are not royalty-Not liable to deduct tax at source. [S. 9(1)(i), 195]

GSX SARL v. ACIT (IT) (2022)96 ITR 69 (SN) (Delhi)(Trib)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Royalty-Consideration received for sale of software products-Not assessable as royalty-No permanent establishment in India-Net loss-Academic issue-DTAA-India-Finland. [S. 9(1)(vi), Expln.4. Art. 7(1)]

Nokia Solutions And Networks OY v. Add. CIT (IT) (2022) 97 ITR 79 (Delhi)(Trib.)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Royalty-Fees for technical services-Payment received from Indian from Indian hotels chargeable to tax in India.

Global Hospitality Licensing Co. Sarl v. Dy. CIT (IT (2022) 97 ITR 57 (SN) (Mum.)(Trib.)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Royalty-Fees for technical service-No material to substantiate that assessee transferred use or right to use copyright-Copyrighted articles-Additions not justified-DTAA-India-Singapore [Art.12(3), 12 (4)(b)]

Microstrategy Singapore Pte Ltd. v. Dy. CIT (IT) (2022) 97 ITR 26 (SN) (Delhi)(Trib)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Royalty-Research work-Neither royalties / fees for technical services-Unless service provider makes available his technical knowledge, experience, skill, know-how or process to recipient of technical service-Not liable to deduct tax at source-DTAA-India-USA. [S. 9(1)(vii), 195, Art. 12]

Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd v. ITO (IT) (2022) 219 TTJ 505/ 218 DTR 147 / (2023) 146 taxmann.com 137 (Ahd)(Trib)

S. 9(1)(vi) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Non-resident-Royalty-Selling licensed software and related services-No transfer of Copyright or any right to use-Neither royalty nor fees for technical services-Education cess-Education cess is of same nature as surcharge-Computed strictly in terms of treaty provisions-DTAA-India-Singapore. [S. 9(1)(vii), Art. 12(3), 12(4)(b)]

Microstrategy Singapore Pte. Ltd. v. ACIT (IT) (2022) 99 ITR 343 (Delhi)(Trib.)

S. 9(1)(i) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Business connection-Service Order Forms have commercial coherence and there is one contract for providing services-Amounts to be taxed as business profits-Matter remanded to AO to compute business profits in accordance with DTAA-DTAA-India-Norway. [S. 144C, Art. 7]

Telenor ASA v. DCIT (2022) 215 TTJ 563 (Delhi) (Trib)

S. 9(1)(i) : Income deemed to accrue or arise in India-Business connection-Purchase of equipment and other material to be used in manufacturing process-Remand for limited purpose-Assessing Officer exceeded jurisdiction-Assessment order quashed-Transactions on principal-to-principal basis-Non-Resident enterprise cannot be treated to have Permanent Establishment in India-Not liable to deduct tax at source. [S. 5(2)(b), 195]

Birla Corporation Ltd. v. ITO (IT) (2022) 95 ITR 418 /(2023) 224 TTJ 155(Indore)(Trib.)