Case Law Details
The case of the revenue is that the package given to the workmen is a VRS package and it would fall within Section 10(10C)(viii) and accordingly, taxable if the receipt exceeds the exempted limit. The case of the petitioner is that the severance package received by them would fall within Section 10(10B) and shall not be included as income in computing total income of the employees. The contention of the revenue that TDS proceeding is independent of the other provisions of the Act cannot be disputed, but however, what the revenue seeks to a state is that it is for the Assessing Officer to examine as to whether the receipts in the hands of the employee is a compensation for a closure or a package received as a Voluntary Retirement settlement.
High held that the receipts in the hands of the employees of the HPF, pursuant to the severance package announced by the Central Government and intimated vide proceedings/circular is held to be a special privilege/protection granted to the employees of the HPF Ltd and therefore, the provisions of the Section 10(10B) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 are attracted and accordingly, the same shall not fall within the definition of income, while computing the total income of concerned employee and income tax cannot be deducted from the severance package paid to the employees of HPF.
Full text of the Judgment
The petitioners in Writ Petitions, except the petitioner in W.P.No.18608 of 2015, are the employees Union consisting of members, who were/are employees of the second respondent company, the Hindustan Photo Film Manufacturing Company Ltd., (in short HPF). The petitioner in W.P.No.18608 of 2015, is an association consisting of members who are officers, who were/are working in HPF.
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