Case Law Details
IMS AG Vs DCIT (ITAT Mumbai)
The issue under consideration is whether AO is correct in making addition for royalty on account of alleged royalty taxable under section 9 (l)(vi) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 read with Article 12(3) of India Switzerland Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)?
ITAT states that, the conclusions so arrived at by the Authority for Advance Ruling, which now stand approved by Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court, are equally applicable in the context of Indo Swiss DTAA as well. It is only elementary that when the assessee is not taxable under the provisions of the respective DTAA, there is no occasion to examine the taxability under the Income Tax Act 1961, since the provisions of the Income Tax Act 1961 apply only when these provisions are more favourable to the assessee vis-a-vis the provisions of the applicable DTAA. When the above position was brought to the notice of the learned Departmental Representative, he simply placed his reliance on the stand of the authorities below. He could not, however, neither point out any legally distinguishable features between the case before Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court vis-a-vis this case, nor any other reasons for not following the binding precedent from Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court. Once our Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court has expressed a view, it cannot be open for us to be swayed by a contrary view expressed by any other Hon’ble High Court. No decision from Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court, contrary to the above decision of Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court, was brought to our notice. In view of the above discussions, as also bearing in mind entirety of the case, ITAT delete the impugned addition of royalty in the hands of the assessee. The assessee gets the relief accordingly.
FULL TEXT OF THE ITAT JUDGEMENT
1. This appeal challenges correctness of the order dated 31st August 2016, passed by the learned Assessing Officer under section 143(3) r.w.s. 144C(13) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for the assessment year 2013-14.
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