CIT v Motorola India Electronics (P) Ltd. (ITA NO.447 OF 2007) (Kar HC) (dated 11.12.2013) Background: The assessee had outstanding borrowings by way of External Commercial Borrowings. The borrowings were for the business of STP undertaking. The Government had formulated a policy on pre-payment and the policy stated that approval of pre-payment would be granted only to the extent of 10% of the outstanding loan. Hence, it is required to temporarily park the funds, until the date of repayment, and also keep paying the interest on the loans. The assessee took a business decision to place these funds with various sister concerns as inter-corporate deposits. The assessee claimed that the interest income as derived from the business of export of articles or things or computer software and the same is eligible for exemption under section 10A of the Act. The AO disallowed the exemption claimed with respect to the interest income.
S. 10B
CIT v M/s Chelslind Textiles Ltd (ITA No: 361/2009 dtd 04/03/2009) – Karnataka HC Background: Assessee claimed deduction u/s 10B amounting to Rs.4,75,30,724/- on the business income of Rs.5,36,70,676. During the course of assessment proceedings, the AO allowed the deduction claimed by the assessee. The Commissioner of Income-tax observed that the AO allowed the deduction without setting-off unabsorbed depreciation amount of Rs.4,26,23,711. Therefore, the CIT in his jurisdiction under Section 263 of the Income Tax Act was of the view that the same resulted in excess deduction allowed under Section 10B of the Act and incorrect determination of loss was carried forward. Therefore, he set-aside the said order and directed the Assessing Officer to re-compute the total income after setting-off the unabsorbed depreciation. Further,the question arose as to whether an assessee incurring losses in the 10A unit has an option to opt out of the benefit under section 10A(8) and make inter-source and inter-head set-off u/s 72.