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1998 DIGILAW 1275 (MAD)

Commissioner of Income Tax v. Dr. A. Mani

1998-09-21

A.SUBBULAKSHMY, R.JAYASIMHA BABU

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Judgment :- MRS. A. SUBBULAKSHMY, J. At the instance of the Revenue, the following question has been referred to us for our consideration : "Whether the Tribunal is correct in holding that the payment of family allowance of Rs. 250 per mensem made by the Government of Tamil Nadu to compensate for the high cost of living of the assessee's family at Madras, will not fall within the inclusive definition of salary in s. 17(1) of the IT Act, 1961 ?" The year of assessment is 1982-83. The assessee, while working in the defence service as a doctor in 1965, applied to the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission and secured appointment as Civil Assistant Surgeon in the Tamil Nadu Medical Service from 29th July, 1971. Under G.O. No. 1955 family allowance of Rs. 250 per month to each of the medical officers of the Tamil Nadu Medical Service, whether married or single, regular or temporary, who were seconded to the armed forces was granted and it was granted to the assessee. The assessee had claimed exemption for a sum of Rs. 17, 582. The ITO did not hold in favour of the assessee, as the Department had not accepted the decision quoted by the assessee and an appeal was preferred for allowing the claim for exemption. On appeal, the AAC directed exclusion of the amount. The Tribunal also upheld the order of the CIT. Similar question came up for consideration in Tax Case No. 722 of 1984, CIT vs. Dr. P. L. Meyyappan [reported at 2000 (164) CTR(Mad) 233] and this Court on 9th June, 1988, has held that the allowance received by the assessee should be treated as salary and assessed under the head "Salary" and the view taken by the Tribunal that the amount received is exempt under the IT Act is not justified.Following the decision of this Court decided on 9th June, 1998, in Tax Case No. 722 of 1984 (supra), we answer the question of law referred to us in favour of the Revenue and against the assessee.