Kandla Dock Labour Board, Gandhidham vs Assessee on 12 December, 2008
original order of the ITAT, we find that the ITAT has discussed the provisions of
Sec.11(1)(a) and 11(1)(2) of the Act. The ITAT had also considered the
judgment of the Hon'ble Madras High Court in the case of C.I.T. Vs. G.R.
Govindarajulyu & Sons Charities 271 ITR 145 (Mad) and the judgment of the
Hon;ble Supreme Court in the case of C.I.T. Vs. Nagpur Hotel Owners
Association 247 ITR-201 wherein it has been held that it is mandatory for the
person claiming the benefit of Sec.11 to intimate to the assessing authority the
particulars required under Rule 17 in Form No.10 applicable at the relevant time.
It is further held that if during the assessment proceedings, the A.O. did not have
the necessary information, question of excluding such income from assessment
does not arise at all. It is further held that if Form No.10 is available then no
income can be taxed and the assessee is entitled for deduction. After these
discussions, the ITAT sent back the matter to the file of the A.O. to decide the
issue afresh, in view of provisions of Sec.11(1)(a) and 11(2)(b) and also that if
the assessee filed Form No.10 along with the return of income. To be more
specific, the direction of the Tribunal reads, thus - "Therefore, we reverse the
finding of the C.I.T.(A) and restore the matter to the file of the Assessing Officer
to decide the issue afresh keeping in view the provisions of Sections 11(1)(a) and
11(2)(b) and if the assessee has filed form No.10 alongwith the return of income,
the Assessing Officer is directed to reframe the assessment as per law." So, the
assessing officer had to reframe the assessment order in accordance with law
only, albeit all other directions, whatever may there be. In the conjoined direction
issued by the Tribunal, the words "reframe the assessment as per law" prevail
over all other directions. In nutshell, whatever may be the other directions of the
Tribunal, still, finally, the assessing officer was directed to frame the assessment
as per law only. So skirting the direction only to the extent of "keeping in view
the provisions of Sections 11(1)(a) and 11(2)(b) and if the assessee has filed
form No.10 alongwith the return of income", in our opinion, would go to show that
the department wanted to recognize and accept the direction only to the extent
which was suitable to them. This is not in accordance with the law propounded
by the judiciary. The direction of the Tribunal has to be read as a whole.