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During the course of assessment proceedings, Assessing Officer noticed that Assessee has made investment in shares amounting to Rs. 95,45,400/-. Assessing Officer was of the view that the investment would generate exempt income and therefore provisions of section 14A becomes applicable.
Some of the investments made by the assessee are short term. Since assessee is paying capital gains tax on short term investments, the provisions of Rule 8D will not apply on them. The Assessing Officer is directed to re¬compute dis-allowance u/s. 14A r.w.r. 8D after excluding short term investments.
The first issue in the appeal of the assessee relates to dis-allowance made u/s. 14A r.w.r. 8D. The Assessing Officer has made dis-allowance to the tune of Rs. 4,32,66,500/-. The contention of the assessee is that the assessee has earned dividend income of Rs. 4.6 Lakhs which is fully exempt u/s.
In combined result, one appeal of assessee in ITA No. 1800/Ahd/2008 is partly allowed for statistical purposes and the remaining six appeals of Revenue in the case of three assessees are dismissed and all 16 COs of the three assessees are also dismissed.
From the above portion, we noticed that the Tribunal has bifurcated the expenditure in two parts – first related to investment of Rs. 5907.18 lakhs in foreign subsidiaries, it was held that the dividend income from such subsidiaries is taxable in India and that therefore, Section 14A would have no applicability. The remaining amount pertain to investment of Rs. 38 Crores [rounded off] made in Indian subsidiaries. In this respect, the Tribunal noted that the assessee had to its disposal, own interest free funds many times over the investment in question. As per the balance sheet as on 31st March 2005, the assessee had interest free fund of Rs. 929.57 Crores.
In our humble understanding, the provisions of Section 14A are indeed attracted whether or not the shares are held as stock in trade or as investments, even though the provisions of rule 8D(2)(ii) and (iii) cannot be invoked in such a case, and even though the provisions of rule 8 D(2)(i) are much narrower in scope than the scope of Section 14 A simplictor.
Disallowance u/s 14A required a finding of incurring of expenditure and where it was found that for earning exempted income, no expenditure had been incurred, disallowance u/s 14A could not stand. In the present case, as seen, the AO has not established any nexus whatsoever between the borrowed funds and the investment made. Therefore, Hero Cycles (supra), is applicable.
The correct sequence, in our considered opinion, for making any disallowance u/s. 14A is to, firstly, examine the assessee’s claim of having incurred some expenditure or no expenditure in relation to exempt income. If the AO gets satisfied with the same, then there is no need to compute disallowance as per Rule 8D. It is only when the AO is not satisfied with the correctness of the claim of the assessee in respect of such expenditure or no expenditure having been incurred in relation to exempt income, that the mandate of Rule 8D will operate.
Disallowance under section 14A has to be made in accordance with the principle laid down by the Hon’ble Bombay High Court in the case of Godrej & Boyce Mfg.Co.Ltd. Mumbai. Vs. Dy. Commissioner of Income . Rule 8D should not be applied and the AO has to adopt a reasonable basis or method consistent with all relevant facts and circumstances and after affording reasonable opportunity to the assessee to place all germane material on the record.
The matter came up in appeal before ITAT in the assessee’s own case and other cases in ITAs No. 453,454,456/M/2010 & 458 & 455/M/2010. During the continuance of these appeals, Hon’ble Bombay High Court came up with the decision in Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd. V/s DCIT, reported in 328 ITR 81 (Bom), wherein the Hon’ble Bombay High Court held that the operation of Rule 8D shall only be from 2008-09 onwards, and not being retrospective.
