PCIT v. Solar Turbines India Ltd (2020) 272 Taxman 268/ 192 DTR 145/ 316 CTR 172 (Bom)(HC) .Editorial : SLP of revenue is dismissed, PCIT v. Solar Turbines India Ltd (2022)285 Taxman 1 (SC)

S. 92C : Transfer pricing – Arm’s length price – Providing market services to Associated enterprises – Deletion of addition is held to be justified – No question of law [ S.260A ]

Dismissing the appeal of the revenue the Court held that Tribunal examined the relevant clauses of the contract and noted that eligibility condition for participating in tender was submission of registration certificate under Delhi Value Added Tax Act, 2004, besides submission of certificate of being original equipment manufacturer of gas turbines. Admittedly, assessee was not a manufacturer of gas turbines but its AE was. However, the AE did not have VAT registration certificate. Therefore, it was not qualified to participate in the tender. On the other hand, assessee had registration certificate under the Delhi VAT Act, 2004. Therefore, for participating in the tender and for obtaining the contract the bid was submitted in assessee’s name though it was clearly understood by the contracting parties that the original equipment manufacturer of gas turbines was the AE. Tribunal found that there was nothing on record to suggest that the assessee had provided any services to its AE for sale of its gas based turbines either to PWD or to other customers in India. It was found as a matter of fact that in case of sales made by the Assessing Officer to other parties in India, the assessee was in no way involved in the sales affected. The six parties had stated that they had negotiated directly with the AE for purchase of gas turbines and the assessee was in no way involved in such transactions .  Tribunal also noted that for earlier assessment years too there were no transfer pricing adjustments. Thus, there was no basis for concluding that assessee had provided any market support services to the AE or received any commission from the AE for providing such marketing support services. In the absence of concrete evidence, transfer pricing adjustment could not have been made merely on presumptions and surmises. Therefore, the transfer pricing adjustment was deleted. Accordingly the order of Tribunal is affirmed .  (AY.  2011-12)