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Selevel Media Services Pvt Ltd, Kolkata vs Department Of Income Tax

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal23 January 2015

Ratio decidendi

The rule this decision rests on

The Tribunal's dismissal of the Revenue's appeals on the deduction under section 80IA rests on the principle that where the identical issue has been decided in favour of the assessee in the assessee's own case for an earlier assessment year, and the facts for the year under appeal are the same, the earlier decision is followed and the department's contrary grounds fail absent any material showing a change in the position. The Tribunal's dismissal of the Revenue's appeal against the allowance of depreciation on the hoardings rests on the same principle: the issue having been decided in the assessee's favour in its own case for an earlier year on similar facts, and the Revenue having placed no material to contravene that decision, the departmental ground is not sustained. The Tribunal's dismissal of the Revenue's appeal on the rate of tax deduction at source rests on the principle that where the Revenue fails to controvert a finding that the issue is squarely covered by an earlier decision of the Tribunal in a sister concern of the assessee, that finding stands and no ground for interference exists.

Written by Miss Lucy from the judgment below, not taken from a headnote.

Judgment

As delivered

IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL, BENCH "A", KOLKATA

[Before & Hon'ble Sri N.K.Saini, AM & Hon'ble Sri Mahavir Singh, JM] ITA Nos.1601 & 1602/Kol/2012 Assessment Years : 2008-09 & 2009-10

(APPELLANT ) (RESPONDENT) A.C.I.T., Circle-12, -vs- M/s.Selvel Media Services (P)Ltd. Kolkata Kolkata (PAN: AADCS 7951 G)

For the Appellant Shri Sanjay, ACIT

For the Respondent None (exparte)

Date of Hearing : 23.01.2015 Date of Pronouncement : 23.01.2015.

ORDER

Per Shri N.K.Saini, AM

These two appeals by the department are directed against separate orders each dated 20.07.2012 of ld. C.I.T-(A)-XII, Kolkata and pertain to A.Yrs.2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively.

2. During the course of hearing nobody was present on behalf of the assessee. Notice for hearing was sent to the assessee through RPAD which has not yet been returned. So it is presumed that notice of hearing has been served on the assessee. Accordingly the appeals are decided exparte qua the assessee on merits after hearing the ld. DR.

3. First we will deal with the appeal in ITA No.1602/Kol/2012 for A.Yr.2009-10. Following grounds have been raised in this appeal :

"1. Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, Ld.CIT(A) was justified in allowing the deduction of Rs.98,66,819/- u/s 80IA in respect of revenue generated from the construction and maintenance of bus shelter when the same do not qualify as infrastructural facility as per explanation to Sec.80IA(4) of the I.T.Act, 1961.

2. That on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the CIT(A) has erred in allowing the claim of deduction of Rs.98,66,819/- made u/s 80IA ignoring the decision 2 ITA Nos.1601&1602/Kol/2012 M/s. Selvel Media Services Pvt.Ltd., A.Yrs.2008-09 & 2009-10 of the Hon' ble Supreme Court in the case of Liberty India vs CIT 183 Taxman 349 (SC) and the order of the ITAT, Chennai nin the case of L&T Transportation Infrastructure Ltd. Vs. ITO )ITA No.1680/MDS/10-A.Y.2007-08.

3. That on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the CIT(A) has erred in holding that the case is covered by the order of the ITAT ignoring the fact that the aforesaid decisions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and the ITAT, Chennai were passed subsequent to the order of the ITAT passed in the case of the assessee for A.Y. 2005-06.

4. " Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, Ld.CIT(A) was justified in treating the hoarding as temporary structure instead of permanent structure and allowing depreciation at 15% instead of 100%.

5. " Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, Ld. CIT(A)was justified in allowing non deduction of TDS on u/s 194C instead of 1941."

4. Ground Nos. 1,2 and 3 are co-related which relate to the deduction u/s 80IA of the I.T.Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the ' Act' ).

5. The facts of the case in brief are that the assessee filed the return of income on 30.09.2009 declaring an income of Rs.91,71,637/-. The case was selected for scrutiny. AO noted that assessee had claimed deduction u/s 80IA of the Act amounting to Rs.98,66,819/- against revenue generated from toilet blocks and foot bridges. He also noted that for A.Yr.2005-06 on the same issue by applying the ratio of judgement in the case of M/s.Vantage Advertising P.Ltd. where the Bus shelters were considered part of the road and hence infrastructure, ITAT had decided the issue in favour of the assessee. However, the A.O. did not allow the claim of the assessee by following the decision of the ITAT, Chennai in the case of M/s. L&T Transportation Infrastructure Limited vs ITO, CC.II(4), Chennai in ITA No.1680/Mds./10 order dated 22.08.2011.

5.1. Being aggrieved the assessee carried the matter to ld. CIT(A), who decided the issue in favour of the assessee by observing that besides the decision of ITAT in the assessee's own case, the identical issue in the case of assessee's sister concern viz. Vantage Advertising Pvt. Ltd., has been decided in favour of the assessee.

6. Now the department is in appeal. The ld. DR although strongly supported the order of the AO, however, could not controvert this fact that for A.Yr.2005-06 the issue has been decided by ITAT in favour of the assessee in assessee's own case in 3 ITA Nos.1601&1602/Kol/2012 M/s. Selvel Media Services Pvt.Ltd., A.Yrs.2008-09 & 2009-10

ITA No.1065/Kol/2008 vide order dated 31.07.2009 and the facts for the year under consideration are similar to the facts involved in the said assessment year 2005-06. Therefore we do not see any infirmity in the order of ld.CIT(A) on this issue. Accordingly we do not see any merit in this appeal of the department.

7. Vide ground No.4 the grievance of the department relates to the deletion of addition made by the AO on account of depreciation.

8. The facts relating to this issue in brief are that the AO considered the holdings as permanent structure and did not allow 100% depreciation amounting to Rs.1,39,80,376/- claimed by the assessee. When the assessee carried the matter to ld. CIT(A), he allowed the claim of the assessee, by observing that this issue was covered in favour of the assessee in assessee's own case by the decision of ITAT in ITA NO.1065/Kol/2008 (supra)

9. Now the department is in appeal. However, the ld. DR failed to bring any material on record in contravention of the decision taken by the ld. CIT(A) i.e. the issue has been decided in favour of the assessee in assessee's own case by ITAT for A.Yr.2005-06 in ITA No.1065/Kol/2008 (supra). We, therefore do not see any merit on this issue of the departmental appeal.

10. Vide ground no.5 the grievance of the department relates to the action of the ld. CIT(A) in allowing the deduction of TDS u/s 194C instead of 194 I of the Act as directed by the AO.

11. The facts relating to this issue in brief are that the assessee had deducted TDS @2% u/s 194C of the Act on an amount of Rs.17,81,85,502/-. AO was of the view that on payments towards these, TDS was required to be deducted @10% u/s 194 I of the Act and not u/s 194C of the Act. He disallowed a sum of Rs.17,60,71,247/-. (value for payments more than Rs.1,20,000/-) on account of lower deduction of TDS.

4 ITA Nos.1601&1602/Kol/2012 M/s. Selvel Media Services Pvt.Ltd., A.Yrs.2008-09 & 2009-10

12. Being aggrieved the assessee carried the matter to the ld. CIT(A), who allowed the claim of the assessee by following the decision of ITAT in the case of sister concern of the assessee i.e. M/s. Selvel Advertising Pvt. Ltd. in ITA No.820/Kol/2008 order dated 11.12.2007 and in the case of Mr. S.K.Tekriwal in ITA NO.1135/Kol/2010 for A.Yr.2007-08 order dated 21.10.2011.

13. Now the department is in appeal. During the course of hearing the ld. DR although supported the order of AO, but could not controvert the findings given by the ld. CIT(A) that the issue is squarely covered by the earlier decision of ITAT in the case of assessee's sister concern i.e. M/s. Selvel Advertising Pvt. Ltd.. We therefore do not see any valid ground to interfere with the findings given by the ld. CIT(A).

14. Now we will deal with the issue in ITA NO.1601/Kol/2012. The only grievance of the department in this appeal relates to the action of the ld. CIT(A) in allowing the claim of deduction u/s 80IA of the Act.

15. It is noticed that the facts for this A.Yr. are identical with the facts in A.Yr.2009-10 which we have already adjudicated in the former part of this order. The only difference for this issue in the year under consideration i.e. A.Yr. 2008-09 and the subsequent year i.e. A.Yr.2009-10, is in the amount of deduction claimed by the assessee u/s 80IA of the Act otherwise all other facts are identical. Therefore our findings given in the former part of this order shall apply mutatis mutandis for this year also.

16. In the result both the appeals of the department are dismissed.

Order pronounced in the open court on 23.01.2015.

Sd/- Sd/- [ Mahavir Singh ] [N.K.Saini] Judicial Member Accountant Member

Date: 23.01.2015.

R.G.(.P.S.) 5 ITA Nos.1601&1602/Kol/2012 M/s. Selvel Media Services Pvt.Ltd., A.Yrs.2008-09 & 2009-10

Copy of the order forwarded to:

1. M/s.Selvel Media Services Pvt. Ltd., 10/1G, Diamond Harbour Road, Kolkata-

700027.

2 A.C.I.T., Circle-12, Kolkata.

3. CIT(A)- XII, Kolkata 4. CIT- Kolkata

CIT(DR), Kolkata Benches, Kolkata.

True Copy, By order,

Asst. Registrar, ITAT, Kolkata Benches

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