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assessee by the judgments of the Hon‟ble High Court of Bombay in the case of North Karnataka Expressway Ltd. Vs. CIT-10 (2015) 272 ITR 145 (Bom) and CIT Vs. West Gujarat Expressway Ltd. (2017) 390 ITR 398 (Bom). On the contrary, it is the claim of the assessee that the issue raised in the aforesaid cases was confined to the aspect, as to whether an Infrastructure Development Company which had constructed a "toll road" on BOT basis on land owned by the Central Government would be entitled for depreciation on the same, or not. It is the claim of the ld. A.R, that as the issue as to whether an Infrastructure Development Company which had constructed a "toll road" on BOT basis on land owned by the Central Government would be entitled towards claim of depreciation under Sec. 32(1)(ii) in respect of its intangible rights i.e. "right to collect toll", was neither raised before or adjudicated upon by the Hon‟ble High Court in either of te aforesaid cases, therefore, the reliance placed by the revenue on the said judicial pronouncements which were distinguishable in the backdrop of the issue involved in the said matters, would thus not assist its case.

ITA No. 3147/Mum/2019

Sagar Damoh Toll Roads Ltd, Mumbai.

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9. As observed by us hereinabove, the view taken by the Hon‟ble High Court of Bombay in its order passed in the case of North Karnataka Expressway Ltd.(supra), was thereafter once again reiterated by the Hon‟ble Court in the case of CIT-10, Vs. M/s West Gujarat Expressway Ltd. (ITA No. 2357 of 2013, dated 05.04.2016). We find that both of the aforementioned judgements of the Hon‟ble jurisdictional High Court were rendered in context of the issue, as to whether an Infrastructure Development Company which had constructed a „toll road‟ on BOT basis on the land owned by Central Government would be entitled for depreciation on such "toll road", or not. We find that the Hon‟ble High Court had observed that in the absence of ownership of the „toll road‟, which belonged to the Central Government, the assessee would not be entitled to claim depreciation on the same. The issue as to whether an Infrastructure Development Company which had constructed a „toll road‟ on BOT basis on the land owned by Central Government would be entitled to claim depreciation under Sec.32(1)(ii) in respect of its "right to collect toll" i.e an intangible asset, was not raised in both of the aforesaid cases. Our aforesaid view stands fortified from a perusal of the order of the Hon‟ble High Court in the case of North Karnataka Expressway Ltd. Vs. CIT-10(2015) 272 ITR 145 (Bom), wherein at Para 20 the Hon‟ble High Court had observed, that the question before them was as to when a person who is in the business of Infrastructure Development constructs a road on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis on the land owned by the Government, can it claim depreciation on such „toll road‟. We find that the Hon‟ble High Court had observed that though an Infrastructure Development company which had constructed a road on BOT basis on land owned by the Central Government, was not entitled to claim Sagar Damoh Toll Roads Ltd, Mumbai.

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depreciation on the „‟toll roads" as it was not owner of the same, however, it could definitely claim depreciation on its investments made in the project and such other asset in the form of building and plant and machinery etc. Accordingly, it was observed by the Hon‟ble High Court at Para 47 of its order, that the claim for depreciation could be validly raised and granted to the extent stated hereinabove. Also, it was observed by the Hon‟ble High Court that it was concerned only with the claim of the assessee as regards depreciation on the road itself. To sum up, the Hon‟ble High Court in its aforesaid judgment, had confined its adjudication to the issue as to whether an Infrastructure Development Company which had constructed a road on BOT basis on land owned by the Central Government would be eligible to claim depreciation on such „toll road‟ so constructed and operated by it, or not. Accordingly, we are of the considered view, that the issue as to whether an Infrastructure Development company which had constructed a road on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis on the land owned by the Central Government would be entitled to claim depreciation under Sec. 32(1)(ii) in respect of its intangible rights i.e "right to collect toll", had not been adjudicated by the Hon‟ble High Court in its aforesaid order in the case of North Karnataka Expressway Ltd. (supra). We find that the Hon‟ble High Court of Bombay had thereafter once again reiterated its aforesaid view, while disposing off the appeal of the revenue in the case of CIT-10 Vs. M/s West Gujarat Expressway Ltd. (ITA No. 2357 of 2013, dated 05.04.2016). As is discernible from the order, the only two issues which were raised by the revenue in its aforesaid appeal before the High Court, were viz. (i). Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the Tribunal was right in directing the A.O to Sagar Damoh Toll Roads Ltd, Mumbai.

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32(1)(ii) of the Act. Relying on the judgment of the Hon‟ble High Court of Bombay in the case of CIT-10, Vs. M/s West Gujarat Expressway Ltd. (ITA No. 2357 of 2013, dated 05.04.2016), it was the claim of the revenue that the issue was covered against the assessee. We find, that the Tribunal rejected the aforesaid claim of the revenue, for the reason, that the issue s regards the entitlement of an Infrastructure Development company which had constructed a road on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis on the land owned by the Central Government, towards claim depreciation under Sec. 32(1)(ii) in respect of its intangible rights i.e "right to collect toll", had not been adjudicated by the Hon‟ble High Court in its aforesaid order. In fact, it was observed by the Tribunal, that the Hon‟ble High Court in the aforesaid case had adjudicated, that an Infrastructure Development company which had constructed a road on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis on the land owned by the Central Government, would not be entitled to claim depreciation on such "toll road". The observations of the Tribunal, are as under: "The Mumbai bench of the Tribunal in the aforesaid decision in ACIT Vs. M/s Andhra Pradesh Expressway by a later decision dated 28/02/2018 duly considered various decisions including the decision reversed by the Hon‟ble High Court in CIT Vs. West Gujarat Expressway Ltd. (2016) 73 taxmann.com 139; (2017) 390 ITR 400 (Bom)., order dated 05/04/2016. Before us also, the Ld. CITDR/Ld. D.R contended that in view of this decision from the Hon‟ble High Court, the assessee is not entitled to depreciation. We have gone through this order and found that the issue before the Hon‟ble High Court was with respect to treating toll road as plant and machinery and if that situation decided in favour of the revenue." In the backdrop of the aforesaid facts, we are of the considered Sagar Damoh Toll Roads Ltd, Mumbai.