Commissioner of Income Tax v. United India Fire and General Insurance Company Limited
1997-01-29
K.A.THANIKKACHALAM, S.M.SIDICKK
body1997
DigiLaw.ai
Judgment :- THANIKKACHALAM, J. At the instance of the Department, the Tribunal referred the following three questions, for the opinion of this Court, for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 to 1973-74 under s. 256(1) of the IT Act, 1961 "(1) Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal was right in holding that the reserve for bad and doubtful debts and the reserve for balance in Pakistan should be taken as capital for the levy of surtax for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 to 1973-74? 2. Whether the Tribunal was right in law in holding that the dividends declared subsequent to the first day of the accounting period should not be deducted from the general reserve while computing the capital for levy of surtax for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 to 1973-74? 3. Whether the Tribunal was right in holding that the capital should not be proportionately reduced in terms of r. 4 of the Second Schedule to the Companies (Profits) Surtax Act, 1964, consequent to the deductions allowed under Chapter VI-A of the IT Act, 1961, for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 and 1972-73?" * 2. In so for as Question No. 3 is concerned, the point for consideration is whether the capital should be proportionately reduced in terms of r. 4 of the Second Schedule to the Companies (Profits) Surtax Act, 1964, consequent to the deductions allowed under Chapter VI-A of the IT Act, 1961, for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 and 1972-73. A similar question camp up for consideration before the Supreme Court in ITO v. Stumpp Schuele & Somappa (P) Ltd. 1991 (187) ITR 108, 1995 (S1) SCC 151, 1991 (94) CTR 160, 1990 (94) CTR(SC) 160 (SC), wherein the Supreme Court held that the relief allowed under s. 80-I (priority industry) and s. 80-J (newly established industrial undertaking) of the IT Act, 1961, were not income, profits and gains, not includible in the total income of the company under r. 4 of Schedule II to the Companies (Profits) Surtax Act, 1964 and would not go to diminish the capital of the company to be computed for the purposes of the Surtax Act. In view of the above cited decision of the Supreme Court, we answer, question No. 3 in the affirmative and against the Department 3.
In view of the above cited decision of the Supreme Court, we answer, question No. 3 in the affirmative and against the Department 3. In so far as Question No. 2 is concerned, the point for consideration is whether the dividends declared subsequent to the first day of the accounting period should not be deducted from the general reserve while computing the capital for levy of surtax for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 to 1973-74. A similar question came up for consideration before the Full Bench of this Court in Southern Roadways Ltd. v. CIT 1981 (51) CC 513 , 1981 (130) ITR 545, 1981 (24) CTR(Mad) 30 (Mad)(FB), wherein this Court held that when the general body approved the recommendation of the board of directors for distribution of the dividend at the meeting hold on 30th September, 1969, the approval related back to the first day of the accounting year. A similar view was also taken by the Supreme Court in Indian Tube Co. (P) Ltd. v. CIT 1992 (194) ITR 102, 1992 (1) JT 112, 1992 (1) Scale 26, 1992 (1) SCR 22, 1992 (101) CTR 446, 1992 (60) TAXMAN 399, 1992 (101) CTR(SC) 446 (SC). Accordingly we answer question No. 2 in the negative and in favour of the Department 4. So far as Question No. 1 is concerned, it consists of two items. The first item is whether the reserve for bad and doubtful debts should be taken as capital for the levy of surtax for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 to 1973-74. The second item relating to reserve for balance in Pakistan should be taken as capital for the levy of surtax for the asst. yrs. 1971-72 to 1973-74. With regard to the bad debt, there is a decision of the Supreme Court in CIT v. Saran Engineering Co. Ltd. 1986 (58) CTR(SC) 183 : 1981 (161) ITR 741 (SC) wherein it was held that for computing the capital for the purpose of standard deduction in connection with the liability to tax under the Super Profits-tax Act, 1963, the bad and doubtful debts reserve (sic) for balance in Pakistan is concerned, it was contended that the reserve for balances in Pakistan should not be included in computing the capital base. The ITO had not included them, but on the assessee's appeal the CIT(A) had allowed the assessee's plea in this behalf.
The ITO had not included them, but on the assessee's appeal the CIT(A) had allowed the assessee's plea in this behalf. The Revenue contested the CIT(A's) order before the Tribunal. The Tribunal accepted the assessee's contention that the reserve was created not for a loan liability and was of the same nature as reserve for doubtful debts. The Tribunal, therefore, agreed that these sums in question should be treated as reserve for inclusion in the capital base. In view of the decision of the Supreme Court in State Bank of Patiala v. CIT 1996 AIR(SC) 1525, 1996 (4) AD(SC) 1, 1996 (219) ITR 706, 1996 (3) JT 317 , 1996 (3) Supreme 146 , 1996 (2) Scale 871 , 1996 (3) SCC 513 , 1996 (132) CTR 273, 1996 (85) TAXMAN 416, 1996 (2) TLR 451, 1996 (132) CTR(SC) 273 (SC), and another decision of the Supreme Court in CIT v. Jyoti Ltd. 1996 (219) ITR 388, 1996 (2) Scale 187 , 1996 (7) SCC 617 , 1996 (133) CTR 57, 1996 (85) TAXMAN 296, 1996 (2) TLR 304, 1996 (2) Supreme 129 , 1996 (2) JT 360 , 1996 (2) AD(SC) 509, 1996 (133) CTR(SC) 57 (SC), there is no infirmity in the order passed by the Tribunal on facts that the reserve for balances in Pakistan should be treated as reserve. Accordingly, in as much as the order passed by the Tribunal is in accordance with the abovecited decisions of the Supreme Court, we answer question No. 1 referred to us in the affirmative and against the Department. No costs.