COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX Vs. CALCUTTA ELECTRIC SUPPLY CORPORATION LTD
LAWS(CAL)-1986-9-31
HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
Decided on September 08,1986

COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX Appellant
VERSUS
CALCUTTA ELECTRIC SUPPLY CORPORATION LTD. Respondents

JUDGEMENT

Dipak Kumar Sen, J. - (1.) This reference arises out of the assessment of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Ltd., the assessee, in the assessment year 1967-68, the accounting year ending on March 31, 1967. On the applications of both the assessee and the Revenue under Section 256(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, the Tribunal has referred the following questions as questions of law arising out of its order, for the opinion of this court : "1. Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal was right in holding that the sum of Rs. 13,65,116 being the actuarial valuation of the assessee's liability on account of gratuity as on March 31, 1967 in accordance with the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, and under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, payable to its employees constituted an allowable deduction in the computation of the profits and gains of its business for the assessment year 1967-68? 2. Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, and having regard to the fact that the assessee is a sterling company maintaining accounts in pound sterling, the Tribunal was right in holding that the written down value of the fixed assets should be determined on the basis of the rate of exchange with reference to the date of contract or the date of delivery or the date of payment for the assessment year 1967-68 ? 3. Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, a revision of the written down value of the assets comprising service lines acquired prior to April 1, 1961, which written down value had been correctly arrived at under the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922, was required for the assessment year 1967-68 by virtue of the definition of 'actual cost introduced by the Income-tax Act, 1961, with effect from the assessment year 1962-63? 4. Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal was right in upholding the disallowance of the loss of Rs. 51,844 suffered by the company on the remittance of the profits from Calcutta to its head office in the U. K. ? 5. Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, the Tribunal was right in holding that the sum of Rs. 15,73,806 being the additional expenses incurred by the assessee due to devaluation of Indian rupee in redeeming its Sterling Debentures constituted an allowable expenditure deductible in the computation of its business income in the assessment year 1967-68 ?"
(2.) Question No. 2 which has been referred at the instance of the assessee is covered by a decision of this court in the case of the same assessee in Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation Ltd. v. Addl. CIT [1982] 136 ITR 777. Following the said decision, we answer the said question in the affirmative and in favour of the Revenue.
(3.) Similarly, question No. 3 which has also been referred at the instance of the assessee is covered by a decision of this court in Riverside (Bhatpara) Electric Supply Co. Ltd. v. CIT [1977] 109 ITR 399. Following the said decision, we answer this question by stating that the written down value is to be computed in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 1961 even with reference to assets in use in the previous year prior to the April 1, 1961.;


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