Commissioner Of Income-Tax, Bombay vs M/S. Walchand & Co. (Pvt.) Ltd., Bombay on 17 March, 1967
"Rival submissions of the parties have been considered carefully in the light of materials placed before us, as well as the case law referred to. The question before our consideration is whether the lower authorities were justified in disallowing the expenses incurred in marketing of its products. Admittedly, the assessee-company does not have any infrastructure of its own and, therefore, it had entered into an agreement with SBCH under which SBCH was required to provide the entire network for marketing the assessee's products. It was felt by both the parties that reimbursement of expenditure coupled with commission on sale were not adequate to cover the entire expenditure and, therefore, it was decided to ascertain the suitable criteria for reimbursement of the expenses incurred by SBCH. Accordingly, PWC was appointed to make an in-depth study to find a suitable criteria in respect of the expenditure incurred by SBCH. It is on this basis PWC made the study and prepared a report along with the formula under which suitable payments were to be made by the assessee to SBCH regarding the marketing of assessee's products. In our opinion, this was a bona fide exercise made by the parties. Under such circumstances, the question is whether the AO could reject such report and determine the expenditure which the assessee ought to have paid to SBCH. At this stage, it would be appropriate to refer to the judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of CIT v. Walchand and Co. (P) Ltd. (1967) 65 TTR 381 (SC) wherein it was held as under :