Court affirms date of property transfer as physical possession date, not contract date.

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Case Name:

Commissioner of Income Tax vs Dr. Arvind S. Phake

Income Tax Appeal No.139 of 2015 

Key Takeaways

- The court confirmed that the date of property transfer is when physical possession is handed over, not when the contract is executed.

- This decision aligns with the precedent set in Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax.

- The investment made by the respondent-assessee in bonds was within the period specified under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act.

Issue

Whether the date of property transfer for tax exemption purposes should be the date of contract execution or the date of handing over physical possession.

Facts

- Dr. Arvind S. Phake entered into a Development Agreement on 13th September 2007 for his property.

- The total consideration was ₹5,32,00,000, with ₹20,00,000 adjusted against construction costs.

- Physical possession of the property was handed over on 1st March 2008.

- The respondent-assessee claimed tax exemptions under Section 54EC for investments made in bonds.

- The Assessing Officer disputed the timing of these investments, leading to the appeal.

Arguments

- Appellant (Commissioner of Income Tax):

- Argued that the date of transfer should be the contract execution date (13th September 2007).

- Cited Section 2(47)(v) of the Income Tax Act and the case of Potla Nageswara Rao v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax.

- Respondent (Dr. Arvind S. Phake):

- Argued that the date of transfer should be the date of handing over physical possession (1st March 2008).

- Cited the case of Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax.

Key Legal Precedents

- Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax:

Established that the date of contract is relevant if it indicates the transfer of complete control over the property.

- Section 2(47)(v) of the Income Tax Act:

Indicates that the year of chargeability is the year in which the contract is executed, even if the transfer is not complete under general law.

Judgement

The court upheld the Tribunal's decision that the date of transfer is 1st March 2008, when physical possession was handed over. This decision is consistent with the precedent set in Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax. The investment made by the respondent-assessee on 22nd August 2008 was within the period specified under Section 54EC.

FAQs

Q1: Why was the date of physical possession considered the date of transfer?

A1: The court found that the physical possession date indicated the transfer of complete control over the property, aligning with the precedent set in Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax.

Q2: What is Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act?

A2: Section 54EC provides tax exemptions for investments in specified bonds within six months of the transfer of a long-term capital asset.

Q3: What was the main argument of the Commissioner of Income Tax?

A3: The Commissioner argued that the date of transfer should be the contract execution date, citing Section 2(47)(v) of the Income Tax Act.

Q4: What was the outcome for Dr. Arvind S. Phake?

A4: The court upheld the Tribunal's decision, allowing the tax exemption for the investment made on 22nd August 2008.

Q5: How does this case impact future property transfer disputes?

A5: This case reinforces the importance of the physical possession date in determining the transfer date for tax purposes, provided it indicates the transfer of complete control over the property.

1. Heard the learned counsel appearing for the appellant. The challenge is to the judgment and order passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Pune Bench A at Pune (for short “Appellate Tribunal”) on 30th April, 2014. The substantial questions of law which are placed into service are the questions which reads thus:­

“ (i) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the ITAT is correct in holding, the date of transfer as the date of handling over of physical possession of the property i.e. 01.03.2008 by the assessee, as against the date of Execution of Development Agreement alongwith irrevocable General Power of Attorney i.e. 13.09.2007?

(ii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the ITAT is correct in ignoring the provisions of Section 2(47)(v) of the Income Tax Act, which indicates that the year of chargeability is the year in which the contract is executed even if the transfer of immovable property is not effective or complete under the general law?

(iii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case and in law, the ITAT has erred in ignoring the judgment of this Court in the case of Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. CIT (2003) reported in 260 ITR 491 (Bom) wherein it is held that if the contract, read as a whole, indicates passing of or transferring of complete control over the property in favour of the developer, then the date of contract would be relevant to decide the year of chargeability?”

2. In this Appeal, we are concerned with the Assessment Year 2008­09. A return was filed by the respondent­assessee declaring his income on account of Long Term Capital Gain on sale of immovable property, income from business and profession of medical practitioner and other sources. The dispute before the Appellate Tribunal was in respect of part disallowance of exemption claimed by the assessee under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act, 1961 while computing the Long Term Capital Gain on the sale of immovable property. The respondent­assessee was holding immovable property at Pune. He entered into a registered Development Agreement dated 13th September, 2007 in respect of the said property. The total consideration was agreed to be 5,32,00,000/­ out of which a sum of `.20,00,000/­ was to be adjusted against the cost of construction of the area in the reconstructed building which was to be retained by the respondent- assessee. The construction of the said area was to be made by the developer. The Long Term Capital Gain was accordingly claimed at 5,32,00,000/­. The deduction under Section 54 of the said Act amounting to `.20,00,000/­ was claimed by way of investment in new residential property. The exemption under Section 54EC of the Act to the tune of `.50,00,000/­ was claimed on account of investment in National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Bonds. Initially net taxable Capital Gain was claimed at `.2,74,88,690/­. A revised return filed on 31st March, 2008 was filed as a result of a supplementary deed entered into on 30th March, 2010. As per the revised return, the Long Term Capital Gain was quantified at 1,87,28,690/­.

3. As indicated earlier, the real dispute before the Appellate Tribunal was in relation to the claim of deduction under section 54EC. The investment of `.50,00,000/­ was made in the Bonds of NHAI on 28th March, 2008 and `.50,00,000/­ in the Bonds of REC Ltd. on 22nd August, 2008. The Assessing Officer held that investment in the bonds of NHAI was within the period specified under Section 54EC of the Act and the investment of `.50,00,000/­ made in the bonds of REC Ltd. was beyond the period provided in the said provision inasmuch as the investment made on 22nd August, 2008 was not within six months from the date of the transfer of assets. The finding recorded by the Appellate Tribunal in the impugned judgment and order is that the physical possession of the property was given by the respondent­assessee to the developer on 1st March, 2008. The Appellate Tribunal observed that on the date of execution of the development agreement, full consideration was admittedly not paid, and therefore, the contention of the department that the transfer was effected on 13th September, 2007 cannot be accepted. Therefore, taking the date of transfer as 1st March, 2008 on which day the possession was delivered, it was held that investment made on 22nd March, 2008 was well within the time specified under Section 54EC.

4. The learned counsel appearing for the appellant­Revenue relied upon a decision of High Court of Andhra Pradesh in the case of Potla Nageswara Rao v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax in Income1 He submitted that in the said decision, the law laid down by a Division Bench of this Court in the case of Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax has been distinguished.

He also relied upon a decision of the Tribunal in the case of Jasbir Singh Sarkaria, In Re.2

He pointed out that the said decision relies upon the decision of this Court in Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax3 . He would, therefore, submit that considering the terms and conditions incorporated in the development agreement, the date of transfer for the purposes of Income Tax Act ought to be taken as 13th September, 2017 when the agreement was executed.

5. The learned counsel for the respondent on a query made by the Court pointed out that when the possession was handed over by the respondent­assessee to the developer on 1st March, 2008 the entire consideration under the development agreement was received by the respondent­assessee.

6. We have carefully considered the submissions. What binds this Court is that the judgment of the Division Bench in the case of Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia v/s. Commissioner of Income Tax (supra). The Division Bench held that the date of contract is relevant provided the terms of the contract indicate passing off or transferring of complete control over the property in favour of the developer. The Division Bench laid down the test for determining the date which should be taken into account for determining the relevant accounting year in which the liability accrues. In the present case, the Appellate Tribunal has taken into consideration various clauses in the development agreement. Sub­clause (d) of clause (3) of the agreement provides that after full payment of consideration, the construction shall be undertaken by the developer. Admittedly, on the date of execution of the development agreement, the entire consideration was not received by the respondent­assessee. The physical possession of the property subject matter of development agreement was parted with by the respondent­assessee on 1st March, 2008. It was held that on that day, complete control over the property was passed on to the developer. After having perused the various clauses in the agreement and the aforesaid factual aspects, the Tribunal has taken 1st March, 2008 as the date of transfer. This finding is fully consistent with the law laid down by the Division Bench in the case of Chaturbhuj Dwarkadas Kapadia (supra). Therefore, no fault can be found with the impugned judgment of the Tribunal when it was held that the investment made in the sum of 50,00,000/­ by the respondent­assessee on 22nd August. 2008 was within the period specified under Section 54EC of the said Act.

7. In the circumstances, no substantial question of law arises. Hence, there is no merit in the appeal and the same is accordingly disposed of.

(A. K. MENON, J.) (A.S.OKA, J.)