WITH India getting rapidly integrated to the global economy, making payments either for services or reibursement to a non-resident company or individual has become common for the India Inc. But what has not become common is the practice of deducting tax at source (TDS) under Sec 195. And this case is illustrated best in the latest decision of the ITAT which has held that it is obligatory for the payer to a non-resident company to deduct TDS u/s 195 without going into any other aspect with regard to nature and taxability of the payment and rejected assessee i.e. payer’s contention that reimbursements made by it were not in the nature of income in the hands of payee. As to the consequences of such non-deduction of TDS, it held that provisions of Sec 40(a)(i) are attracted as per which, any claim of such amount will not be allowed as deduction during computation of income of payer and can be claimed only on deduction and deposition of such tax which though is subject to subsequent assessment by the A.O.
Commissioner of Income Central vs Suresh N. Gupta On 17.1.2001 a search under Section 132 of the 1961 Act was carried out at the premises of the respondent-assessee , an individual. The search unearthed an unexplained investment of Rs. 65,000/- being the value of household valuables and Rs. 97,427/- on account of unexplained marriage expenses (undisclosed income). Accordingly, in the block assessment, the A.O. determined the assessee’s undisclosed income at Rs. 1,62,427/-. He computed tax thereon at 60% in terms of Section 113 of the 1961 Act amounting to Rs. 97,456/- on which surcharge was levied at 17%, i.e., Rs. 16,504/-. The levy of surcharge was challenged by the assessee in appeal before the CIT(A). The said appeal was allowed. The decision of CIT(A) has been confirmed by the Tribunal and the High Court. Hence, this civil appeal.
CIT vs Dharmendra Sharma – This decision was taken in appeal before the Supreme Court and by an order dt. 7th March, 2007 [reported as CIT vs. Vinay Cement Ltd. (2007) 213 CTR (SC) 268—Ed.], the Supreme Court observed that it was concerned with the law as it stood prior to the amendment of s. 43B of the Act. The assessee was entitled to claim the benefit provided under s. 43B of the Act for that period particularly in view of the fact that he had contributed to provident fund before filing the return. Accordingly, the SLP filed by the Revenue against the decision of Gauhati High Court was dismissed.
