Document Fragment View
Fragment Information
Showing contexts for: charitable trust objects in Shri Shruthiparampara Gurukulam, ... vs Ito, Ward-3, Exemptions, Bangalore on 9 January, 2023Matching Fragments
13. After the formation of the Trust, the assessee conducted various workshop to disseminate the knowledge of Vedas. General public irrespective of caste, creed, gender or "religion were invited to witness the said events and to know the significance and importance of Vedas. The Vedic Scholars were identified and felicitated irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. The assessee-trust has given financial assistance to various people, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, involved in Indian Heritage Education. Trust conducts teaching of Vedas by various scholars to students, ITA Nos.1082, 1083/Bang/2022 working people, retired persons etc. irrespective of caste, creed, religion. The trust has conducted the vedic classes by going to the houses of all interested people irrespective of caste, creed, gender or religion and has taught them the importance of Vedas. During Covid, the trust provided financial assistance to the poor Vedic scholars and distributed food kit, cloths, medicines for the needy. All the expenses to carry out the above charitable objectives are met out of donations received. No fees or honorarium or money is charged by the trust or by any Trustees for conducting the vedic classes, chanting or for any programmes. All trustees work selflessly for achieving the charitable objects of the Trust.
"To reiterate, Explanation 3 does not require the ascertainment of whether the whole or substantially the whole of the institution or fund's charitable purpose is of religious nature. If it did, it would read differently. It requires the ascertainment of whether there is one purpose within the institution or fund's ITA Nos.1082, 1083/Bang/2022 overall charitable purpose which is wholly, or substantially wholly, of a religious nature. There is little doubt that clause 2(h) of the trust deed which permits the trustees to support prayer halls and places of worship sets out a purpose the whole or substantially the whole of which is of religious nature, and this has not been seriously disputed. Therefore, in our view, the trust and the donation by the assessee to it fall outside the scope of section 80G." (p. 582) The aforesaid case is clearly distinguishable from the facts of the present case as there is no clause in the trust deed in the present case which indicates that income of the petitioner-trust was to be applied wholly or substantially for any particular religion. Therefore, the said case has been clearly wrongly applied by the learned CIT(A) in the present case. In Sri Marudhar Kesari Sthanakwasi Jain Yadgar Samiti Trust's case (supra) also relied upon by the learned Counsel for the revenue, the facts of the case were distinguishable in the said case. Thus, the judgments cited and relied upon by the learned Counsel for the revenue are distinguishable on facts and do not support the case of the respondents. Since the law in the case of Upper Ganges Sugar Mills (supra) was laid down while dealing the case of deduction under section 80G of the Act in the hands of donor so also in the case of Sri Marudhar Kesari Sthanakwasi Jain Yadgar Samiti Trust (supra) by this Court, those judgments do not advance cause of the revenue. On the other hand, the case laws relied upon by the learned counsel for the petitioner fully support the case of the petitioner when the Courts have consistently held that it is the dominant object of the trust which is important and contribution and expenditure incurred by the petitioner-trust has to be viewed in light of the objects with which charitable trust in question was constituted."
25. In the above judgment, it was held by the Hon'ble Rajasthan High Court that approval under section 80G cannot be refused if one particular expenditure was made for repair and renovation of Lord Vishnu's temple ITA Nos.1082, 1083/Bang/2022 and that too by way of contribution to another trust. Relevant observations are as under:-
"The line of distinction between religious purposes and charitable purposes is very thin and no watertight compartment between the two activities can be established. Unless the objective of the charitable trust in question itself is to spend its income for a particular religion and it is so found in the trust deed, the Income-tax Department cannot reject the renewal of the trust as charitable trust under section 80G of the Income-tax Act, 1961, merely because one particular expenditure is for an activity which may be termed as spending for a particular religion."
"Some overlap between the 'religious' and the 'charitable' is inherent in the very definitions of the two concepts, and has to ITA Nos.1082, 1083/Bang/2022 be admitted and respected. Continuing further, we also observe that the activities of the trust are not confined to these activities alone, but is also undertaking purely charitable activities. As apparent from the Object Clause 2(c), (d), (f ), (i), (j) and (k ) of its Trust Deed, as well as the activities undertaken in pursuance of the same, as listed in the 'Note on its activities' (refer PB pgs. 8,9 and 10). In our considered view, therefore, the appellant-trust qualifies to be a charitable trust as well. Accordingly, it is to be allowed the status of a religious and charitable trust."