The Court held that though employees’ contribution and employer’s contribution stand on a different footing and employees’ contribution is allowable only if deposited within the due date prescribed under the relevant welfare enactment, where the statutory due date for deposit of employees’ PF / ESI contribution fell on a national holiday, i.e., 15-8-2018, and the assessee deposited the amount on the immediately succeeding working day, such payment had to be regarded as having been made within time. Accordingly, while affirming the legal position that section 43B does not override section 36(1)(va) and that Explanation 5 to section 43B is clarificatory, the Court held that the Tribunal was not justified in sustaining the disallowance on the peculiar facts where the delay occurred only because the due date itself was a national holiday. The addition made in processing under section 143(1)(a) to that extent was unsustainable and the assessee was entitled to deduction. (AY. 2019-20)