IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NOs.10677-79 OF 2010
(arising out of S.L.P. (C) Nos. 25320-25322 of 2009)
Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai … Appellant(s)
versus
Tulsyan NEC Ltd. …
Respondent(s)
with
Civil Appeal Nos.10680-81/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) Nos. 29672- 73/09),
Civil Appeal No.10682/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 27584/09),
Civil Appeal No.10683/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 29674/09),
Civil Appeal No.10684/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 29675/09),
Civil Appeal No.10685/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 25691/09),
Civil Appeal No.10686/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 25850/09),
Civil Appeal No.10687/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 26330/09),
Civil Appeal No.10688/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 26523/09),
Civil Appeal No.10689/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 27353/09),
Civil Appeal No.10690/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30207/09),
Civil Appeal No.10691/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30209/09),
Civil Appeal No.10692/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30212/09),
Civil Appeal No.10693/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30235/09),
Civil Appeal No.10694/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30217/09),
Civil Appeal No.10695/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30214/09),
Civil Appeal No.10696/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30213/09),
Civil Appeal Nos.10697-98/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) Nos. 30237- 38/09),
Civil Appeal Nos.10699-10700/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) Nos. 30240- 41/09),
Civil Appeal No.10701/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30242/09),
Civil Appeal No.10702/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 32044/09),
Civil Appeal No.10703/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 32045/09),
Civil Appeal No.10704/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31396/09),
Civil Appeal No.10705/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31782/09),
Civil Appeal No.10706/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31812/09),
Civil Appeal No.10708/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 26265/09),
Civil Appeal No.10709/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30854/09),
Civil Appeal No.10710/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30254/09),
Civil Appeal No.10711/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31785/09),
Civil Appeal No.10712/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31786/09),
Civil Appeal No.10713/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31787/09),
Civil Appeal No.10714/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 33764/09),
Civil Appeal No.10715/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 33991/09),
Civil Appeal No.10716/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 33744/09),
Civil Appeal No.10717/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 33747/09),
Civil Appeal No.10718/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 33748/09),
Civil Appeal No.10719/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 33148/09),
Civil Appeal No.10720/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 34742/09),
Civil Appeal No.10721/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 34743/09),
Civil Appeal No.10722/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 34744/09),
Civil Appeal No.10723/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 34740/09),
Civil Appeal No.10724/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 34133/09),
Civil Appeal No.10725/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 35671/09),
Civil Appeal No.10726/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 35598/09),
Civil Appeal No.10727/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 1149/10),
Civil Appeal No.10728/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 668/10),
Civil Appeal Nos.10729-30/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) Nos. 1152- 53/10),
Civil Appeal No.10731/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 1130/10),
Civil Appeal No.10732/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 666/10),
Civil Appeal No.10733/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 642/10),
Civil Appeal No.10734/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 1702/10),
Civil Appeal No.10735/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 2416/10),
Civil Appeal No.10736/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 2971/10),
Civil Appeal No.10737/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 2969/10),
Civil Appeal No.10738/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 4542/10),
Civil Appeal No.10739/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 5435/10),
Civil Appeal No.10740/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31394/09),
Civil Appeal Nos.10745-46/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) Nos. 8601- 02/10),
Civil Appeal No.10747/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 8998/10),
Civil Appeal No.10748/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 12310/10),
Civil Appeal No.10749/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 13052/10),
Civil Appeal No.10750/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 13053/10),
Civil Appeal No.10751/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 9078/10),
Civil Appeal No.10752/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 17875/10),
Civil Appeal Nos.10753-55/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) Nos. 20258-60 /10),
Civil Appeal No.10756/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 22722/10),
Civil Appeal No.10757/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 23576/10),
Civil Appeal No.10758/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 30780 /10), Civil Appeal No.10759/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 31601/10) and Civil Appeal No.10760/2010 (@ S.L.P. (C) No. 638/10),
J U D G M E N T
S. H. KAPADIA, CJI
1. Leave granted.
2. The issue involved in this batch of civil appeals, by special leave, filed by the Department relates to the question whether
3. At the outset, it may be stated that there is no dispute in regard to eligibility of the assessee for set off of tax paid under Section 115JA. The dispute is only in regard to priority of adjustment for the
4. To answer the above, we set hereinbelow the provisions of Sections 115JA and 115JAA, which read as under: “Deemed income relating to certain companies. 115JA.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, where in the case of an assessee, being a company, the total income, as computed under this Act in respect of any previous year relevant to the assessment year commencing on or after the 1st day of April, 1997 but before the 1st day of April, 2001 (hereafter in this section referred to as the relevant previous year) is less than thirty per cent of its book profit, the total income of such assessee chargeable to tax for the relevant previous year shall be deemed to be an amount equal to thirty per cent of such book profit.
(2) Every assessee, being a company, shall, for the purposes of this section prepare its profit and loss account for the relevant previous year in accordance with the provisions of Parts II and
Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, “book profit” means the net profit as shown in the profit and loss account for the relevant previous year prepared under sub-section (2), as increased by—
(a) the amount of income-tax paid or payable, and the provision therefor; or
(b) the amounts carried to any reserves by whatever name called; or
(c) the amount or amounts set aside to provisions made for meeting liabilities, other than ascertained liabilities; or
(d) the amount by way of provision for losses of subsidiary companies; or
(e) the amount or amounts of dividends paid or proposed; or
(f) the amount or amounts of expenditure relatable to any income to which any of the provisions of Chapter
(i) the amount withdrawn from any reserves or provisions if any such amount is credited to the profit and loss account : Provided that, where this section is applicable to an assessee in any previous year (including the relevant previous year), the amount withdrawn from reserves created or provisions made in a previous year relevant to the assessment year commencing on or after the 1st day of April, 1997 but ending before the 1st day of April, 2001 shall not be reduced from the book profit unless the book profit of such year has been increased by those reserves or provisions (out of which the said amount was withdrawn) under this Explanation; or
(ii) the amount of income to which any of the provisions of Chapter
(iii) the amount of loss brought forward or unabsorbed depreciation, whichever is less as per books of account. Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, the loss shall not include depreciation; or
(iv) the amount of profits derived by an industrial undertaking from the business of generation or generation and distribution of power; or
(v) the amount of profits derived by an industrial undertaking located in an industrially backward State or district as referred to in sub-section (4) and subsection (5) of section 80-IB, for the assessment years such industrial undertaking is eligible to claim a deduction of hundred per cent of the profits and gains under sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) of section 80- IB; or
(vi) the amount of profits derived by an industrial undertaking from the business of developing, maintaining and operating any infrastructure facility as defined as defined in the Explanation to sub-section (4) of section 80-IA and subject to fulfilling the conditions laid down in that sub-section; or
(vii) the amount of profits of sick industrial company for the assessment year commencing from the assessment year relevant to the previous year in which the said company has become a sick industrial company under sub-section (1) of section 17 of the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 (1 of 1986) and ending with the assessment year during which the entire net worth of such company becomes equal to or exceeds the accumulated losses. Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, “net worth” shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (ga) of sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 (1 of 1986); or
(viii) the amount of profits eligible for deduction under section 80HHC, computed under clause (a), (b) or (c) of sub-section (3) or sub-section (3A), as the case may be, of that section, and subject to the conditions specified in sub-sections (4) and (4A) of that section;
(ix) the amount of profits eligible for deduction under section 80HHE, computed under sub-section (3) of that section. (3) Nothing contained in sub-section (1) shall affect the determination of the amounts in relation to the relevant previous year to be carried forward to the subsequent year or years under the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 32 or sub-section (3) of section 32A or clause (ii) of sub-section (1) of section 72 or section 73 or section 74 or sub-section (3) of section 74A. (4) Save as otherwise provided in this section, all other provisions of this Act shall apply to every assessee, being a company, mentioned in this section. Tax credit in respect of tax paid on deemed income relating to certain companies. 115JAA.
(1) Where any amount of tax is paid under sub-section (1) of section 115JA by an assessee being a company for any assessment year, then, credit in respect of tax so paid shall be allowed to him in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) The tax credit to be allowed under sub-section (1) shall be the difference of the tax paid for any assessment year under sub-section (1) of section 115JA and the amount of tax payable by the assessee on his total income computed in accordance with the other provisions of this Act : Provided that no interest shall be payable on the tax credit allowed under sub-section (1).
(3) The amount of tax credit determined under subsection (2) shall be carried forward and set off in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4) and sub-section (5) but such carry forward shall not be allowed beyond the fifth assessment year immediately succeeding the assessment year in which tax credit becomes allowable under sub-section (1).
(4) The tax credit shall be allowed set-off in a year when tax becomes payable on the total income computed in accordance with the provisions of this Act other than section 115JA or section 115JB, as the case may be. (5) Set off in respect of brought forward tax credit shall be allowed for any assessment year to the extent of the difference between the tax on his total income and the tax which would have been payable under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 115JA or section 115JB, as the case may be for that assessment year. (6) Where as a result of an order under sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) of section 143, section 144, section 147, section 154, section 155, sub-section (4) of section 245D, section 250, section 254, section 260, section 262, section 263 or section 264, the amount of tax payable under this Act is reduced or increased, as the case may be, the amount of tax credit allowed under this section shall also be increased or reduced accordingly.”
5. As per provisions of Section 115JA, a company is liable to pay tax on 30% of book profits, if the income computed under normal provisions of the Act is less than 30% of the book profits. Thus, the assessee is required to compute income chargeable to tax on two alternative basis - (i) income computed under normal provisions of the Act and (ii) 30% of book profits as disclosed in the P & L Account prepared in accordance with Parts II and
6. The relevant provisions under Section 115JAA of the Act, introduced by Finance Act, 1997 w.e.f. 1.4.1997, i.e., applicable for assessment years 1997-98 and onwards, governing the carry forward and set off of credit available in respect of tax paid under Section 115JA, show that when tax is paid by the assessee under Section 115JA, then the assessee becomes entitled to claim credit of such tax in the manner prescribed. Such a right gets crystallized no sooner the tax is paid by the assessee under Section 115JA, as per the return of income filed by that assessee for a previous year (say, year one). [See Section 115JAA(1)]. The said credit gets limited to the tax difference between tax payable on book profits and tax payable on income computed under the normal provisions of the Act [see Section 115JAA(2)] in year one. Such credit is, however, allowable for a period of five succeeding assessment years, immediately succeeding the assessment year in which the credit becomes available (say years 2 to 6) [See Section 115JAA(3)]. However,
7. In the present batch of cases, it is not in dispute that the assessees are entitled to set off of
8. The effect of the stand of the Department is as follows: In Titan’s case, the assessee files its returns for assessment year 2001-02. The total income declared in the return was `23,48,68,460/-. The assessee claimed a refund of `10,60,394/-. The A.O. initially processed the return under Section 143(1) and accepted it. Subsequently, the A.O. rectified the alleged mistake and charged interest under Section 234B of `1,10,67,561/-. The A.O. further charged interest under Section 234C of `40,18,170/-. This levy of interest took place because the A.O. took the view that credit of the tax paid under Section 115JA(1) was to be given in terms of Section 115JAA only after computing the interest to be charged under Sections 234B and C. The result was that claim for refund in favour of the assessee of an amount of `10,60,394/- having regard to the pre-paid taxes got converted into the demand by Department of `1,50,58,707/- after giving full credit for the prepaid taxes only because the A.O. gave a set off of
9. We have discussed hereinabove the scheme of Section 115JA(1) and Section 115JAA. The entire scheme of Sections 115JA(1) and 115JAA shows that if an assessee is entitled to a tax credit as a consequence of the assessee making payment of tax under Section 115JA(1) in the year one, then, the set off of such tax credit follows as a matter of course once the conditions mentioned in Section 115JAA are fulfilled and the grant of such credit is not dependent upon determination by the A.O. save and except that the ultimate amount of tax credit to be allowed will be dependent upon the final determination of the total income for the first assessment year. There is no provision under Section 115JAA which postpones the right of the assessee to claim set off to the determination of the total income by the A.O. in the first assessment year. Entitlement/right to claim set off is different from the quantum/quantification of that right. Entitlement of
10. The issue which crops up for decision is – how should the advance tax be calculated when the Company has
11. To answer, we need to look at Section 234B. Under that section, “assessed tax” means the tax on the total income determined under Section 143(1) or on regular assessment under Section 143(3) as reduced by the amount of tax deducted or collected at source in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XVII on any income which is subject to such deduction or collection and which is taken into account in computing such total income. The definition, thus, at the relevant time excluded
12. From the above, it is evident that any tax paid in advance/pre-assessed tax paid can be taken into account in computing the tax payable subject to one caveat, viz, that where the assessee on the basis of self computation unilaterally claims set off or
13. Lastly, it is immaterial that the relevant form prescribed under Income Tax Rules, at the relevant time (i.e. before 1.4.2007), provided for set off of
14. For the above reasons, there is no merit in the civil appeals filed by the Department and the same are dismissed with no order as to costs.
……..……………………….CJI
(S. H. Kapadia)
……..……………………………..J.
(K.S. Panicker Radhakrishnan)
……..……………………………..J.
(Swatanter Kumar)
New Delhi;
December 16, 2010