Income Tax Appellate Tribunal - Mumbai
Emsons Exim Private Limited, Mumbai vs Income Tax Officer (Tds) 1(2)(3), ... on 28 August, 2019
IN THE INCOME TAX APPELLATE TRIBUNAL
"E" BENCH, MUMBAI
BEFORE SHRI SAKTIJIT DEY, JUDICIAL MEMBER AND
SHRI RAMIT KOCHAR, ACCOUNTANT MEMBER
ITA no.4406/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2016-17)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(3), Mumbai
ITA no.4407/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2015-16)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(2), Mumbai
2
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
ITA no.4408/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2015-16)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(3), Mumbai
ITA no.4409/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2015-16)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(3), Mumbai
ITA no.4410/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2015-16)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(3), Mumbai
3
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
ITA no.4411/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2015-16)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(3), Mumbai
ITA no.4412/Mum./2017
(Assessment Year : 2015-16)
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
001, Turf Estate, Shakti Mills Lane
Near Famous Studio, Off. Dr. E. Moses ................ Appellant
Road, Mumbai 400 011
PAN - AABCE1643B
v/s
Income Tax Officer (TDS)
................ Respondent
Ward-1(2)(3), Mumbai
Assessee by : None
Revenue by : Shri Chaitanya Anjaria
Date of Hearing - 23.08.2019 Date of Order - 28.08.2019
ORDER
PER BENCH Captioned appeals by the assessee are directed against common order dated 27thMarch 2017, passed by the learned Commissioner of 4 Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
Income Tax (Appeals)-59, Mumbai, pertaining to the assessment year 2015-16 and 2016-17.
2. The common ground of challenge in all these appeals is levy of fee under section 234E of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (for short "the Act") while processing the TDS statement u/s 200A of the Act.
3. It is the say of the assessee that the provision empowering levy of fee under section 234E of the Act was introduced to section 200A of the Act with insertion of sub-clause (c) to sub-section (1) by Finance Act, 2015, w.e.f. 1st June 2015. Therefore, it will apply prospectively and not to the TDS statements for any period prior to 1st June 2015. While deciding the issue, there was a difference of opinion between the members constituting the Bench. While the Accountant Member held that the provision of section 200A(1)(c) will apply retrospectively, the Judicial Member held that levy of fee under section 200A(1)(c) would apply prospectively to any period falling after 1st June 2015. Due to difference in opinion between the Members constituting the Bench, the Hon'ble President referred the issue to the Third Member, who framed the following question for deciding the issue:-
"Whether the fees prescribed u/s 234E of the Act can be levied while processing return u/s 200A of the Act for any assessment year / period prior to 1st June 2015 in the instant cases, when there is no decision of jurisdictional High Court and when there are two divergent views expressed by two non-jurisdictional High Courts?5
Emsons Exim Pvt. Ltd.
4. While deciding the issue, the Third Member agreed with the view expressed by the Judicial Member and held that fee under section 234E of the Act can only be charged in respect of delay in filing the statement of TDS for the period after 1st June 2015. Thus, as per the majority view, appeals are allowed for statistical purposes.
5. In the result, assessee's appeals are allowed for statistical purposes.
Order pronounced in the open Court on 28.08.2019 Sd/- Sd/-
RAMIT KOCHAR SAKTIJIT DEY
ACCOUNTANT MEMBER JUDICIAL MEMBER
MUMBAI, DATED: 28.08.2019
Copy of the order forwarded to:
(1) The Assessee;
(2) The Revenue;
(3) The CIT(A);
(4) The CIT, Mumbai City concerned;
(5) The DR, ITAT, Mumbai;
(6) Guard file.
True Copy
By Order
Pradeep J. Chowdhury
Sr. Private Secretary
Assistant Registrar
ITAT, Mumbai