Holding

Interest accrued before the 30‑June‑1978 resolution is taxable for AY 1979‑80, interest after that date did not accrue for AY 1980‑81, and the penalty under Section 273(2)(a) is not justified.

Summary

The Commissioner of Income Tax, Ahmedabad appealed against the Gujarat High Court’s judgment in favour of Sarabhai Holdings Pvt. Ltd. concerning interest on a deferred sale consideration. The assessee had sold a business unit and agreed to pay interest at 11% on the unpaid balance, later modifying the payment terms by a board resolution dated 30‑June‑1978 which deferred interest. The Supreme Court held that interest accrued before the resolution (for AY 1979‑80) was taxable, but interest after the resolution (for AY 1980‑81) had not accrued and therefore was not taxable. Consequently, the penalty imposed under Section 273(2)(a) for filing a nil advance‑tax estimate was unwarranted. The Court affirmed the High Court’s decision and dismissed the Revenue’s appeals.

Issues considered

Whether interest on the deferred sale consideration accrued before the 30‑June‑1978 resolution is taxable in Assessment Year 1979‑80.
Whether interest accrued after the resolution is taxable in Assessment Year 1980‑81.
Whether the penalty under Section 273(2)(a) of the Income Tax Act can be levied for filing a nil advance‑tax estimate when the assessee relied on the resolution.
Whether the board resolution can have retrospective effect to avoid tax liability.

Legislation cited

Income Tax Act, 1961s. 210, s. 215, s. 271(1)(c), s. 273(2)(a), s. 274

Subjects

Income TaxInterest accrualDeferred paymentAdvance taxPenaltySection 273(2)(a)Assessment YearTax evasionCommercial contract modification

Judgment

[2008] 14 S.C.R. 988 ~'
',

A COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD ~
'I-
v.
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD.
(Civil Appeal Nos. 482-483 of 2003)
L
OCTOBER 21, 2008
B 1.-
j-
[LOKESHWAR SINGH PANTA AND V.S. SIRPURKAR, ~

JJ.]
'~
Income Tax Act, 1961 - ss. 210 and 273 (2)(a) -Asses- r
c see getting interest from 1.3.1977 on the deferred sale con- ,1
'\._
sideration which was to be paid in instalments - Subsequent
modification to the effect that the instalments were to be paid
w.e.f 1.7.1979- By Resolution dated 30.6.1.978 requirement
of payment of interest done away with - Demand of advance
tax by Revenue for the Assessment Years 1979-80 and 1980-
D
81 - Interest on the deferred amount computed in the assess-
able income -Assessee showing NIL amount of advance tax )-
for AY 1979-80 and showing loss for AY 1980-81 - Assess- ...,
ment order - Courts below holding that interest to be included
in the assessable income for· A Y 1979-80 and not to be in-
E eluded in the income for the A Y 1980-81 - Assessing Officer
"
also imposing penalty uls. 273(2)(a) for furnishing untrue es-
timate of advance tax - Penalty confirmed by appellate court
and Tribunal but set aside by High Court -On appeal held:
Interest was to be computed in the assessable income for A Y
F 1979-80 as the same had accrued vide agreement dated ~
)-
4.3. 1-977 - Interest not to be included in the income for the AY '
>- 'r
1980-81 8s the same did not accrue by virtue ~f resolution (
dated 30. 6. 1978 - Penalty rightly set aside by High Court- In ·,...
the facts of the case it cannot be said that the assessee had 1--

G reason to believe that the estimate of income filed by him was r
I

untrue.
f-
Assessee-..respondent sold industrial undertaking
and business activity of one of its units as a going con-

H 988
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 989
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD.

-1- cern, to its own subsidiary company (vendee company). A
The agreement dated 4.3.1977 provided an interest clat1se,
whereby interest was to be payable at the rate of 11% P.A.
on balance sale consideration which would remain un-
paid from time to time. Vendee Company by its letter dated
15.6.1978 proposed to modify the terms of payment ,by B
charging the interest on deferred sale consideration from
, 1.7.1979 instead of 1.3.77. The proposal was accepted by
y.
the assesee. In the meantime a resolution was passed on
30.6.1978 doing away with.the requirement of payment .of
interest.
c
Assessee-respondent received notices from the ap-
<I
pellant-Revenue demanding advance tax. Assessee filed
an P.stimate, showing NIL amount of advance tax for th.e
Assessment year 1979-80. In respect of Assessment year
1980-81, it filed its return declaring a loss. D
~ Assessing Officer passed assessment order deter-
'y mining the total income, which included the amount of
interest accrued on deferred sale consideration receiv-
able from the vendee company. CIT (Appeals) confirmed
the assessment orders. Income tax Appellate Tribunal held E
that so far as Assessment Year 1979-80 is concerned,
since the interest had already accrued vide agreement
dated 4.3.1977 i.e. prior to passing of resolution dated
30.6.1978, the resolution was of no consequence. In re-
-I spect of Assessment Year 1980-81, it held that the inter- F
·--< est income could not be said to have accrued as the reso-
lution dated 30.6.1978 was passed prior to commence-
ment of relevant accounting year.
Assessing Officer imposed penalty u/s. 273(2)(a) for
G
furnishing untrue estimate of advance tax. The same was
-~ confirmed by CIT (Appeals) as well as the Tribunal. Refer-
ences were filed at the instance of the Revenue as wen
as the asessee. In the reference which pertained to As-
sessment Year 1979-80, High court held in favour of Rev-
H
990 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A enue and so far as it pertained to Assessment Year 1980- +
81, High Court held in favour of assessee. In the refer-
ence as regards penalty proceedings u/s. 273(2)(a), High
Court held that though the finding was against the as-
sessee for the assessment Year 1979-80, still there would
B be no penalty u/s. 273(2)(a). Hence the present appeals
by Revenue.
Dismissing the appeals, the Court -~

HELD: 1.1 The genuine nature of the Re.solution
c dated 30.6.1978 was not and could not be disputed. Merely
because by Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, the assessee agreed
to defer the payment of interest, would not mean that it
tried .to evade the tax. In the commercial world, the par-
ties are always free to vary the terms of contract. The .law
permits the contracting parties to lawfully change their
D
stipulations by mutual agreement and, therefore, the as-
);_
sessee and the vendee had no legal impediment in modi-
tying the terms of their contract. What is material Jn the ~

tax jurisprudence is the evasion of the tax, not the benefi-
cial lawful adjustment therefor. Considering the genuine
E nature of the transaction based on tfle letter dt. 15.6.1978
and the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, it cannot be said that !
the whole transaction was in order to evade the tax. [Paras
.)
23 and 26] (1002-C, E, F; 1003-F)

F 1.2 So far as the Assessment Year 1980-81 is. con,.
)-
cerned, the interest had not accrued and before it accrued,
the assessee deferred the same by passing Resolution
dt. 30.6.1978. Thus, there was a full scope to the asses-
see to adjust the interest or as the case may be to defer
the same which it did. There is no ill-intention on the part
G
of the assessee to evade the tax. [Para 24] (1003-8, C)
1.3 The Resolution dated 30.6.1978 being a valid
stipulation, changed the mode of payment from the date
!-
".
I

of the resolution and, therefore, under the changed mode '
H of payment adopted under the resolution dt. 30.6.1978,

~-
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 991
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD.

~- no interest was to accrue during the accounting period A
from 1.7.1978 up to 30.6.1979 and, therefore, the reason-
ing of the Tribunal on that count appears to be correct as
regards the Assessment Year 1980-81 is concerned. Since
no interest had accrued in the Accounting Year 1. 7 .1978
to 30.6.1979, there could arise no question of relinqui$h- B
ment of interest for any commercial expediency. Th~re
was no such question because a party cannot relinquish
·>--/ income that has not accrued at all. [Pa.ra 26] (1003-G, H;
1004-A, B)
2. The Resolution dated 30.6.1978 could not be given c
any retrospective effect so as to facilitate evasion of tax
liability that had already arisen for the Assessment Year
1979-80. The High Court has correctly found that in view
of the categorical stipulation that interest will be payable
on the deferred consideration amount in respect of th.e
D
sale, which became effective from 1.3.1977, the intere$t
_.,(_
started accruing on that time basis, from 1.3.1977 deter-
.,.. mined by the amount outstanding from time to time and
the rate applicable which both were stipulated in clearest
possible terms in the Deed of Assignment dt. 28.6.1977
and the agreements which preceded it. The High Court E
has assessed the facts correctly and has further observed
that what already accrued during the Accounting Year
1.7.1977 to 30.6.1978 could not be nullified by the Reso-
lution dt. 30.6.1978.[Para 26] (1003-G; 1004-C, D, E)
y 3.1 High Court was right in setting aside the penalty, F
..... inflicted against the assessee u/s. 273 (2) (a) of the Act.
The assessment for the Assessment Year 1980-81 was,
finalized by the Tribunal by holding that the interest could.
not be included. Therefore, the said interest could not be.
treated as an income, so as to co.mpel the assessee to G
pay advance tax on the same. There is no justification for
~
a Show Cause Notice under Section 274 r/w Section 273
(2)(a) of the Act on the ground that the assessee had de-
liberately filed an untrue estimate of the advance tax which
he had known or reason to believe to be untrue. The Tri- H
992 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A bunal as well as the High Court were right in holding the +
transaction to be genuine. [Paras 25 & 30] (1008-D; 1003-
D, E)
3.2 It is not correct to say that once the interest was
found to have been accrued for the Assessment Year 1979-
B 80 and once on that count, the income of the assessee
was declared, then the penalty under Section 273(2)(a) of
the Act was a natural consequence. The assessee had,
undoubtedly, claimed the waiving of that interest as a '+
natural corollary of the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978. It was
c also claimed that the assessee had commercial expedi-
ency for doing the same. If the assessee in this case pro-
ceeded on the basis of Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, it has to
be held that the assessee had reasonably believed that
the income of interest which was written off by the Reso-
lution, could not be adqed to its income. If it genuinely
D proceeded under that bonafide impression, then the High
Court was right in writing off the penaJty and upsetting )c
the view of the Tribunal. No definite conclusion can be ".f
drawn that the assesse had reason to believe that the Nil
estimate filed. by it was untrue. [Paras 27, 28 and 29] (1006-
E B, C; 1007-B; 1008-A, B; 1005-D)
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal Nos.
482-483 of 2003
From the final Judgment and Order dated 6.2.2002 of the
High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad in ITR Nos. 56 of 1986 &
F y
220 of 1995
.__
P.V. Shetty, Arunav Patnaik and Lakshmi Iyengar (for B.V.
Balaram Das) for the Appellant.
E.R. Kumar, Sameer Parekh and Rukhmini Bobde (for M/
G s. Parekh & Co.) for the Respondent.
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by r-
V.S. SIRPURKAR, J. 1. This Judgment will dispose of
two Appeals, they being Civil Appeal Nos. 482 of 2003 and
H 483 of 2003. These Appeals are filed by the Commissioner of
I\ COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 993
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [V.S. SIRPURKAR, J.]

... ~ Income Tax, Ahmedabad (hereinafter referred to as "Revenue").
In both the Appeals, the Revenue challenges the common judg-
A

ment passed by the Gujarat High Court, wherein, the High Court
was considering Income Tax Reference (ITR) Nos. 56 of 1986,
58 of 1993, 220 of 1995 and 75 of 1987. These References
were made out of the order of dncome Tax Appellate Tribunal B
(hereinafter referred to as "the Tribunal").
-~ 2. It is agreed before us that presently we would be con-
cerned only with two References, they being Reference No. 56
of 1986 and Reference No. 220 of 1995. Insofar as Reference
~
' No. 75 of 1987 is concerned, though the High Court had an- c
swered in favour of Revenue and against the assessee, the
assessee did not file any appeal and, therefore, that part of the
High Court Judgment dealing with Income Tax Reference No.
75 of 1987 becomes final. The learned Counsel for the asses-
see very fairly agreed with the same. As regards the Income D
:;,J., Tax Reference No. 58 of 1993, the Revenue had filed an ap-
7"
peal against the impugned judgment dealing with the same,
however, this Court had dismissed the appeal filed by the Rev-
enue on the grounds of limitation. The learned Senior Counsel
Mr. P.V. Shetty, appearing on behalf of the Revenue very fairly E
admitted this position. We are, therefore, left with only two Ref-
erences, which are as under:-
Income Tax Reference No. 56 of 1986

-<( (which emanated from the quantum proceedings in respect
F
-~ of the Assessment Years 1979-80 and 1980-81):-
For the Assessment year 1979-80 - at the instance
of the assessee:-
(i) Whether on facts and in the circumstances of the
G •
case, the Tribunal was right in law in holding that the
~- interest of Rs.66,29,236/- being the amount of interest
as determined by the Income Tax Officer on a notional
basis from 1.7.1977 to 30.6.1978 was liable to tax
on accrual basis for the Assessment Year 1979-80?
H
994 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R. ,
A (ii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the ..,.. '

case, the Tribunal was justified in law in holding that ~
the interest accrued from day-to-day as a result of
supplementary agreement and as such, the same
was eligible to tax as income for Assessment Year
B 1979-80?
0
(iii) Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the
case, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal was justified ~·
in law in holding that giving up of interest on .the
ground of commercial expediency was not justified
c as no direct or indirect benefit had accrued to the
,...
asses see?
For the Assessment Year 1980-81 - at the instance
of the Revenue:-
D (i) Whether the Appellate Tribunal has not erred in law
and on facts in holding that no income could be said -~
to be accrued to the assessee as the interest would
~
start accruing from 1.7.1979, i.e., after the end of the
accounting year?
E (ii) Whether the finding of the Tribunal that the interest
could not be said to be accrued to the assessee
during the accounting period in question and hence,
question of relinquishment of any right does not arise
is correct in law?
F
Income Tax Reference No. 220 of 1995:- ~

Income Tax Reference No. 220 of 1995 was filed at the
instance of the assessee in respect of the penalty levied
under Section 273 (2) (a) of the Income Tax.Act, 1961
G (hereinafter referred to as "the Act") and the Reference
was worded as under:-
t"
"Whether on facts and in the circumstances of the case,
the Tribunal was justified in law in confirming the penalty
of Rs. 4 lakhs levied under Section 273 (2)(a) of the Act?"
H
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 995
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [V.S. SIRPURKAR, J.]

~ 3. Before we go further, it must be clarified that insofar as A
Assessment Year 1979-80 is concerned, the High Court an-
swered the Reference No. 56of1986 in favour of the Revenue,
while insofar as Assessment Year 1980-81 is concerned, the
High Court answered it in favour of the assessee and against
the Revenue. The assessee has not challenged the judgment B
of the High Court insofar as Assessment Year 1979-80 is con-
cerned, therefore, we need not consider that part of the High
~-
Court judgment, though we might be required to incidentally re-
fer to the same. Thus, we are left with Reference No. 56of1986
insofar as it pertains to Assessment Year 1980-81 and the Ref-
c
erence No. 220 of 1995. We must again clarify that though in
Reference No. 220 of 1995, the High Court found against the
assessee in respect of Assessment Year 1979-80, the penalty,
however, of Rs.4 lakhs was set aside. We are, therefore, con-
cerned in Reference No. 220 of 1995, only with Assessment
D
Year 1979-80.
_;._
4. Following factual panorama would have to be consid-
-· ered for properly considering the background.
5. The assessee herein indisputably, follows the Mercan-
tile System of Accounting. E

6. For Assessment Year 1979-80, the Accounting Year is
1.7.1977 to 30.6.1978, while for the Assessment Year 1980-
81, the Accounting Year is 1.7.1978 to 30.6.1979.

y' 7. The assessee, which was previously known as Sarabhai F
Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. has now become Sarabhai Holdings Pvt.
Ltd. They would be referred to as "assessee" for short.
8. There was an agreement on 28.2.1977, whereby, the
assessee agreed to transfer its industrial undertaking and busi-
G
ness activity known as Sarabhai Common Services Division,
-;1- which was its unit. This was to take place with effect from
1.3.1977. The unit was sold as going concern in favour of
assessee's own subsidiary Mis. Elscope Pvt. Ltd. for a total
consideration of Rs.11,44,10,253/-.
H
996 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A 9. Under this agreement, the amount of Rs.49 lakhs was
to be paid by way of deposit/earnest money and Rs.4.41 crores
was to be set off against the due amount from the respondent-
assessee to M/s. Elscope Pvt. Ltd. as consideration for equity
shares in Elscope held by the respondent-assessee. The bal-
B ance sale consideration (approx. Rs.6.55 crores) was to be
paid in eight equal annual installments, starting with 1.10.1979.
Such installment was to become payable on the 1st of October
each year. . "'
10. A further agreement was entered into between the as-
C sessee and Elscope on 4.3.1977. This agreement provided
for an interest clause, which was agreed at the rate of 11 % per
annum and that it would be payable on balance sale consider-
ation which would remain unpaid from time to time. In short, the
earlier agreement dt. 28.2.1977 was varied/altered. The inter-
D est clause was as under:-
"The purchaser shall pay simple interest at the rate of 11 %
per annum on the balance of the unpaid purchase
consideration remaining outstanding from time to time
and, if the purchaser commits any default or delay in paying
E any installment or installments on the due date, the
purchaser shall pay interest at such rate as is equal to the
rate of interest which the vendor pays to its bankers in the
ordinary course or business· from the due date of payment
of installment until the date of payment thereof."
F )
There were some other changes made in the payment
terms. However, it is again admitted that the amount covered
by the installments was going to be Rs.4.54 crores approxi-
mately.
G 11. It may be incidentally mentioned here that Elscope, in
turn, transferred this industrial undertaking, purchased by it to
its subsidiary Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises Ltd. on 25.4.1978
vide the Assignment Deed of the even date. On 15.6.1978,
Elscope wrote to the respondent-assessee proposing modifi-
H cation in terms of payment and requested, inter alia, that the
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 997
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [VS. SIRPURKAR, J.]

-t interest be charged on deferred sale consideration from A
1.7.1979 instead of 1.3.1977. It was proposed by this letter,
firstly, Rs.1.84 crores (approx.) will be payable as and when
demanded by the respondent-assessee and will not carry any
interest and secondly, Rs.4. 7 crores will be payable in 5 an-
nual installments, the first installment becoming payable on B
1.3.1987 and the said amount shall carry simple interest at
-Y the rate of 11% per annum with effect from 1. 7.1979. The
Elscope also offered to secure the amount of 4.7 crores to the
satisfaction of the respondent-assessee.
12. On 30.6.1978, the proposal sent by Elscope vide let- C
ter dt. 15.6.1978 was decided to be accepted by the assessee
and a Resolution to that effect was passed in the meeting of the
Board of Directors. The said Resolution is on record and the
relevant portion reads as under:-
D
" .... the Company doth hereby approve, accept and adopt
the following revised mode of payment as contained in
·letter No. ELSCOPE/MC dt. 15th June, 1978 received
from Elscope Pvt. Ltd."
It must be noted here that firstly, in keeping with its pro- E
posal, Elscope furnished to the respondent-assessee secured
bonds of Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises Ltd. Secondly, it must
be noted that as proposed in the letter dt. 15.6.1978, the inter-
est was to start from 1.7.1979. While, before this interest was
to start, the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978 was passed, doing away F
with the requirement of payment of interest in terms of the ear-
lier agreement dt. 4.3.1977. So far so good.

13. The assessee received a notice under Section 210 of
the Act on 17.10.1978, requiring it to pay the advance tax of
Rs.1,22,22,757/-, while the second notice was served on G
8.12.1978, asking the respondent-assessee to pay the advance
-}
tax of Rs.1,28, 74,172/-.

14. On 14~12.1978, however, the respondent-assessee
filed an estimate, showing NIL amount of advance tax payable
H
998 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A for the Assessment Year 1979-80. It further filed the returns on 'f-
29.6.1979, declaring the total income of Rs. 772/- for the As-
sessment Year 1979-80. Insofar as the Assessment Year 1980-
~ 81 is concerned, the assessee filed the returns on 27.6.1980,
declaring a loss of Rs.17,345/-. The Assessing Officer passed
B an assessment order dt. 20.9.1982, determining the total in-
come to be Rs.68,99,202/-, which included the amount of inter-
est accrued on deferred sale consideration, receivable from
Elscope. The Assessing Officer also levied interest under Sec- ·+
tion 215 of the Act on a finding that the assessee had failed to
pay advance tax. The Assessing Officer also directed that the
c penalty proceedings under Section 273(2)(a) and 271 (1 )(c) of
the Act should be initi;:ited against the assessee.
15. Insofar as Assessment Year 1980-81 was concerned,
an addition of income by way of interest on the deferred sale
D consideration was taken into account and the amount of Rs.55
lakhs (approximately) was added to the taxable income of the ~
assessee.
-<-
16. Two separate appeals came to be filed at the instance
of the assessee before Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals)
E [CIT (Appeals)] in relation to the Assessment Years 1979-80
and 1980-81. The CIT(Appeals) upheld the assessment orders
in both the Assessment Years and also confirmed the addition
of interest amount to the income of the assessee. The Appel-
late Authority refused to accept the plea of the assessee re-
F garding the waiver of interest by the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978. )'
Two appeals came to be filed before the Tribunal, they being
ITA No. 1137/Ahd/84 concerning the Assessment Year 1979-
80 and ITA No. 1138/Ahd/84 concerning the Assessment Year
1980-81 respectively.
G
17. The appeals were heard together and disposed of by
a common order dated 15.2.~985. Insofar as Assessment Year ~-
1979-80 is concerned, the Tribunal held that the interest had
alre_ady accrued vide further agreement dt. 4.3.1977 and as
such, the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978 was of no consequence, as
H
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 999
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [V.S. SIRPURKAR, J.]

4' there was no commercial expediency for making it retrospec- A
tively operative. However, it accepted the plea as regards the
interest under Section 215 of the-Act. The Tribunal viewed the
question involved to be a highly complex issue and held that the
mere fact that the decision had gone against the assessee could
not be viewed as being determinative of the assessee's liabil- B
ity to pay advance tax. The Tribunal relied on Gujarat High Court
Judgment for that purpose.
18. However, insofar as the Assessment Year 1980-81 is
concerned, the Tribunal held that the amount of interest could
not be included in income of assessee, since the Resolution dt. C
30.6.1978 was passed prior to the commencement of the rel-
evant Accounting Year, which was 1.7.1978 to 30.6.1979 and,
therefore, it could not be said that the interest income had
acrrued.
19. The Tribunal also held that it was permissible for the D
...., parties to alter the agreement regarding the charging of inter-
~ est in the wake of the fact that the said Resolution was found to
be a genuine Resolution. The Tribunal came to the finding that
the interest could not have accrued insofar as Assessment Year
1980-81 was -concerned-. E

20. However, in 1988, the show Cause Notice came to be
issued under Section 274 read with Section 273 (2)(a) of the
Act as to why the penalty should not be levied for furnishing an
untrue estimate of advance tax. Replies were given to this No- F
•
r
1
tice. However, by order dt. 9.8.1988, the Assessing Officer im-
posed a penalty of Rs.4 lakhs upon the respondent-assessee
under Section 273(2)(a) of the Act for knowingly furnishing wrong
estimate of advance tax on 14.12.1978, which it had reason to
believe to be untrue. An appeal came to be filed being Appeal G
No. CAB/IV-14/88-89, which appeal was dismissed by the CIT
~ (Appeals), which confirmed the levy of Rs.4 lakhs as penalty.
This order was challenged by way of an appeal before the Tri-
bunal being ITA No. 2572/Ahd/1989. That appeal also came to
be dismissed by the order of Tribunal. However, as stated ear-
H

\
1000 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A lier, four References came to be filed before the High Court of 'f-.
Gujarat, .arising from various orders of Tribunal with respect to
the respondent-assessee for the Assessment Year 1979-80. In
the earlier part of the judgment, we have already shown that
there will be no question of considering the part of Reference
B No. 56 of 1986relating to the Assessment Year 1979-80 and
Reference No. 75 of 1987, which was at the instance of the
Revenue, as also the Reference No. 58of1993 for the reasons
stated earlier. The High Court heard four References together -~
and delivered a common judgment dt. 6.2.2002. In Income Tax
C Reference No. 56 of 1986, insofar as it pertains to Assessment
Year 1979-80, the High Court held in favour of Revenue and·
since there is no appeal by the assessee, we need not go into
that aspect. Insofar as the said Reference pertains to Assess-
ment Year 1980-81, the High Court held in favour of the asses-
D see and against Revenue, which finding is in challenge by the
Revenue. Insofar as Income Tax Reference No. 75 of 1987 is
concerned, that pertains to the levy of interest under Section ,..._
215 of the Act for the Assessment Year 1979-80, the High Court -.-
held in favour of Revenue. Again, we need not go into that ques-
tion in this appeal. So also in Income Tax Reference No. 58 of
E 1993, the finding of the High Court was in favour of the asses-
see, whereby, the High Court did away with the penalty under
Section 271 (1 )(c) of the Act for the Assessment Year 1979-80,
the appeal against which is, dismissed by this Court on the
ground of limitation on 4.10.2004 in SLP(C) No. CC 8632 of
F 2004. Therefore, even that need not deter us. The only remain- 1
ing issue was in Income Tax Reference No. 220of1995, wherein, ,-
the High Court held that though the finding was against the as-
sessee for the Assessment Year 1979-80, still there would be
no penalty under Section 273(2)(a) of the Act, was not justified.
G We would have to deal with that issue in this appeal.
21. The Learned Senior Counsel, appearing on behalf of {'-
the Revenue very painstakingly, took us through all the findings
of the High Court, as well as the Tribunal and urged that both
the Tribunal as well as the High Court had erred in holding that
H
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 1001
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [V.S.-SIRPURKAR, J.]

there was no accrual of interest insofar as the Assessment Year A

•
~·

,
1980-81 was concerned. The learned Senior Counsel invited
our attention to the basic agreement of transfer dt. 28.2.1977,
as also to the subsequent agreement dt. 4.3.1977. We were
also taken through the letter dt. 15.6.1978, as also the Resolu-
tion dt. 30.6.1978 and on that basis, the Ld. Senior Counsel B
urged that this was nothing, but an attempt on the part of the
assessee to avoid payment of tax on the interest which it was
r bound to pay. The learned Senior Counsel urged that consider-
ing the whole transaction and the relations between the asses-
see Company and the transferee Company, the assessee Com-
pany tried to wriggle out the liability to pay the tax. The Id. Se- .
c
---; nior Counsel also urged that ordinarily the assessee Company
could not be expected to defer the interest as it did vide Reso-
lution dt. 30.6.1978. The Learned Senior Counsel, therefore,
urged that the High Court erred in confirming the order of the
D
Tribunal, insofar as the tax liability pertaining to the.Assessment
""'- Year 1980-81 is concerned. The Learned Senior Counsel, sec-
_.,. ondly, argued that at any rate, the Tribunal and the High Court
had erred in absolving the assessee of the penalty, when it was
clear that the assessee had failed to furnish the true returns and
also failed to pay the due advance tax. E

22. As against this, Shri E.R. Kumar, learned counsel for
the assessee, assisted by Shri Sameer Parekh and Ms.
Rukhmini Bobde, Advocates supported the judgment of the High
Court and urged that the finding in respect of the Assessment
F
r Year 1980-81 was correct finding, as in commercial transac-
,.. .
tion, the parties were free to negotiate to vary the terms ofthe
commercial transactions. The learned counsel pointed out that
the Resol.ution dt. 30.6.1978 was indisputably a genuine Reso-
lution and though the said Resolution could not wipe out the
interest. already accrued for the Assessment Year 1979-80 ' it G
could defer the future liability of interest in the manner it did.
--r
The learned Counsel, therefore, supported the impugned judg-
ment. It was further urged that once it was held that the asses-
see was justified in acting on the basis of the Resolution ·dt.
H
1002 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A 30.6.1978 and once it was held that there would be no liability 'f-
on account of the interest as the interest had been accrued af- 4
ter that date, there would be no question of proceeding under
the penalty provisions of Section 273(2)(a) and 271 (1 )(c) of the
Act. The learned Counsel also supported the finding of the Tri-
B bunal as confirmed by the High Court in respect of the penalty
under Section 271(1)(c) of the Act, being waived and pointed
out that the reasons given by the Tribunal and the High Court
-~-
were absolutely justified.
23. We cannot understand the criticism of learned Senior
c Counsel appearing on b~half of the Revenue that by Resolution
dt. 30.6.1978, the assessee was avoiding the payment of tax
on the interest which had accrued. The genuine nature of the
Resolution was not and could not be disputed. When we see
the letter dt. 15.6.1978 and also note that the letter was com-
D plied with by Elscope in providing adequate security of the pay-
able amounts, there is nothing to dispute or suspect the genu- ,)..
ineness of the transaction. The whole transaction would have to
...---
be viewed on that backdrop. In the commercial world, the par-
ties are always free to vary the terms of contract. Merely be-
E cause by Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, the assessee agreed to
defer the payment of interest, would not mean that it tried to"
evade the tax. What is material in the tax jurisprudence is the
evasion of the tax, not the beneficial lawful adjustment therefor.
Considering the genuine nature of the transaction based on the
.. F letter dt. 15.6.1978 and the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, it cannot
be safe that the whole transaction was in order to ev_ade the 1
tax.
..._
24. There is also no dispute that the assessee was follow-
ing the Mercantile System of Accounting and that the Account-
G ing Year for the Assessment Year 1980-81 was 1. 7 .1978 to
30.6.1979. The High Court has correctly held and confirmed
the Tribunal's finding that insofar as the accrued interest for the f- <

Assessment Year 1979-80 was concerned, since the interest
had already accrued to the assessee, it cannot be wiped out
H later on by passing a Resolution dt. 30.6.1978. The interest,
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 1003
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [V.S. SIRPURKAR, J.]

indeed had accrued in the Accounting Year which began from A
-t 1. 7.1977 to 30.6.1978 and as such, the subsequent passing of
the Resolution could not result into wiping out that accrual. The
assessee could not have refused to pay tax on that. We are
·indeed not concerned with Assessment Year 1979-80, but in-
sofar as the Assessment Year 1980-81 is concerned, the inter- 8
est had not accrued and before it accrued, the assessee de-
ferred the same by passing Resolution dt. 30.6.1978. Thus, there
was a full scope to the assessee to adjust the interest or as the
.. ~ '
·r- case may be to defer the same which it did. We, therefore, do
not find any ill-intention on the part of the assessee to evade thec
tax.
25. At this juncture, we cannot forget that the assessment
for the Assessment Year 1980-81 was finalized by the Tribunal
by holding that the interest could not be included. We, there-
fore, fail to follow, as to how, the said interest could be treated D
as an income, so as to compel the assessee to pay advance
-<(
tax on the same. We, therefore, do not see any justification for
a Show Cause Notice under Section 274 read with Section
273 (2)(a) of the Act on the ground that the assessee had delib-
erately filed an untrue estimate of the advance tax which he had E
{
known or reason to believe to be untrue. In our opinion, the Tri-
bunal as well as the High Court were right in holding the trans-
action to be genuine.
26. We agree with the High Court's finding that the law
permits the contracting parties to lawfully change their stipula- . F
,., tions by mutual agreement and, therefore, the assessee and
,,. \ the vendee had no legal impediment in modifying the terms of
their contract. We also agree with the further finding 0f the High
Court that the Resolution could not be given any retrospective
effect so as to facilitate evasion of tax liability that had already G '

arisen for the Assessment Year 1979-80. We further agree with
the .High Court's finding that it being a valid stipulation, changed
~ the mode of payment from the date of the Resolution and, there-
'< fore, under the changed mode of payment adopted under1he
Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, no interest was to accrue during the H
1004 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A Accounting period from 1.7.1978 up to 30.6.1979 and, there-
fore, the reasoning of the Tribunal on that count appears to be
correct as regards the Assessment Year 1980-81 is concerned.
We further confirm the finding that since no interest had accrued
in the Accounting Year 1.7.1978 to 30.6.1979, there could arise
B no question of relinquishment of interest for any commercial
expediency. There was no such question because a party can-
not relinquish income that has not accrued at all. We, therefore,
accept the judgment of the High Court insofar as it pertains to
the Reference No. 56 of 1986. The High Court has correctly
C found that in view of the categorical stipulation that interest will
be payable on the deferred consideration amount in respect of
the sale, which became effective from 1.3.1977, the interest
·started accruing on that time basis, from 1.3.1977 determined
~ by the amount outstanding from time to time and the rate appli-
D cable which both were stipulated in clearest possible terms in
the Deed of Assignment dt. 28.6.1977 and the agreements
which preceded it. The High Court has assessed the facts cor-
rectly and has further observed in para 14. 7 that what already
accrued during the Accounting Year 1. 7.1977 to 30.6.1978 could
not be nullified by the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, however, the
E same rule could not be applicable to the subsequent Account-
ing Year, when the interest had not accrued. We, therefore, con-
firm the finding of the High Court im~ofar as Reference No. 56
of 1986 is concerned and hold thatthe High Court had correctly
decided the Reference No. 56 of 1986 insofar as it pertains to
F Assessment Year 1980-81 .
27. This takes us to the finding of the High Court insofar
as the Reference No. 220 of 1995 is concerned. In this case, .-
the authorities below and the Tribunal had held that while filing
the Nil estimate of advance tax on 14.12.1978, the appellant
G had full knowledge of the interest income of Rs.66,29,236/- which
had accrued and though all this was known to the assessee, he
had filed the Nil estimate knowingly or it had reason to believe
that the Nil estimate was untrue. The High Court while dealing
with the issue, took the view that the burden was on Revenue to
H
COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 1005
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [V.S. SIRPURKAR, J.]

_, establish under Section 273 (2)(a) of the Act that the assessee, A
when it filed the Nil estimate, knew or had reason to believe
that it was not genuine and was spurious. The High Court, how-
ever, took the view that the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978 was not
doubted by the authorities to be spurious and under that Reso-
lution, the date of accrual of interest was shifted to 1. 7.1979 by B
substituting the mode of payment as was incorporated in the
agreement and the Deed of Assignment. It was pointed out by
-r the High Court further that the Nil estimate, was filed on
14.12.1978, i.e., much after the said Resolution was passed.
The High Court, therefore, took the view that in the background C,
of the said Resolution, by which the assessee intended to shift
the accrual of interest to 1. 7.1979, it is difficult to accept that
the assessee had reason to believe that the Nil estimate was
untrue. The High Court further holds the possibility that the as-
sessee reasonably believed that in view of the Resolution dt.
D
30.6.1978, it could legitimately file the Nil estimate, cannot be
"/(,
ruled out. Further, in view of the nature of the change in stipula-
tion of mode of payment made by Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, no
-' definite conclusion can be drawn that the assessee had rea-
son to believe that the Nil estimate filed was untrue. Merely be-
cause on assessment, the assessee's stand that the Resolu- E
tion which was passed on the last day of its Accounting Year,
i.e., on 30.6.1978, was not accepted on the ground that the in-
terest that had already accrued during the Accounting Year on
the strength of the contractual terms, cannot be made 'not to
accrue after its actual accrual, it cannot be inferred with any F
-t' certainty that the assessee had reason to believe that its Nil
,. .
estimate was untrue'. The High Court has then held that the
penalty under Section 273 (2)(a) of the Act is not an automatic
outcome of the addition of such income. It is on this ground that ·
the High Court has set aside the finding of the Tribunal confirm- G
ing the penalty of Rs.4 lakhs levied under Section 273(2)(a) of
'.I -~
the Act on the assessee.
(
28. We must clarify here that insofar as Assessment Year -
1980-81 is concerned, there will be no question of any penalty
H
1006 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A whatsoever and it had to go as it has been found on facts and
law that the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978 had become effective and f-
under the same, the interest was already deferred and, there-
fore, there was no accrual of interest in that year. However, the
question is as to whether the High Court was right in absolving
8 the assessee of the penalty, which was inflicted even for the
year 1979-80. The learned Senior Counsel, appearing on be-
half of Revenue very earnestly argued that once the interest was
found to have been accrued for the Assessment Year 1979-80
and once on that count, the income of the assessee was held to
C beRs.66,29,236/-, then the penalty under Section 273(2)(a) of
the Act was a natural consequence and that the High Court
should not have put a specific burden on Revenue to prove that
the estimate of advance tax payable by it was not only untrue,
but the assessee also knew and had reason to believe it to be
untrue.
D
29. We do not agree, considering the specific language
of the Section squarely. The Section runs as under: >f.

"273(2) If the Assessing Officer, in the course of any
proceedings in connection with the regular assessment
E for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of
April, 1970, or any subsequent assessment year, is
satisfied that any assessee- (a) : 1s furnished under sub-
section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-
section (5) of Section 209A, or under sub-section (1) or
F sub-section (2) of Section 212, an estimate of the advance
tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe
to be untrue." . "'
(b) ...................................... ············ ........................... .
G / (c)..........................................................·.................... "

The specific wording would signify that there has to be a
satisfaction of the Assessing Officer that the estimate of ad-
vance tax furnished by the assessee was not only untrue, but
the assessee also knew or had reason to believe the same to
H
~

COMMNR. OF INCOME TAX, AHMEDABAD v. 1007
SARABHAI HOLDINGS PVT. LTD. [VS. SIRPURKAR, J.]
-1
be untrue. In the present case, there can be no dispute that the A
claim of the assessee in respect of the Assessment Year 1979-
80 was not accepted. However, in our opinion, in the peculiar
facts of this case, it cannot be said that the assessee had know/-
edge of its estimate of advance tax to be untrue or had reason
to believe the same to be untrue. The assessee had, undoubt- 'B
edly, claimed the waiving of that interest as a natural corollary
-I of the Resolution dt. 30.6.1978. It was also claimed that the
assessee had commercial expediency for doing the same. It
' was tried to show that such commercial expediency arose by
the subsequent agreement, whereby, the Elscope had agreed
.. to provide the security for the amount due from it. Assessee
c
had, therefore, furnished its estimate for the advance tax as Nil,
as it claimed that it had the income of only about Rs.800/-. In
the subseque11t year, the assessee claimed the loss of about
Rs.17,000/-. Though the attempt on the part of the assessee
D
)I was to give up the accrued interest in the name of commercial
expediency, there was no valid justification to relinquish the
same, as has been found by the High Court. The High Court
has also specifically found that the only aim was to avoid pay-
ment of tax which had become due on the basis of the accrual
of interest and commercial expediency was only a dignified E
guard in which the arrangement made to evade the tax was
sought to be covered. However, it was shown to the High Court
that the penalties levied under Section 273(2)(a) of the Act were
determined in case of two companies of the same Group, they
¥
..
,;. being, Fabriquip Pvt. Ltd. and Packart Pvt. Ltd., wherein, it was F
held that the Resolution passed on 30.06.1978 for the forego-
ing interest had become applicable from 1.7.1978. The High
Court took the view that the levy of interest under Section 215
of the Act and the levy of penalty under Section 273(2)(a) of the
Act stand on different footings. We have no hesitation to ac- G
'l cept this view of the High Court. Indeed, while the levy of inter-
est under Section 215 of the Act is automatic, that is not the
~ case with the penalty under Section 273(2)(a) of the Act, where
the mensrea on the part of the assessee would have to be shown
to the extent, it has been indicated in the language of the Sec- H.
1008 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 14 S.C.R.

A tion, where, therefore, there was some scope for the assessee
to justify the estimate given by it and that the penalty could not
be inflicted. Indeed, if the assessee in this case proceeded on
the basis of Resolution dt. 30.6.1978, it has to be held that the
assessee had reasonably believed that the income of interest
B which was written off by the Resolution, could not be added to
its income. If it genuinely proceeded under that bonafide im-
pression, then in our opinion, the High Court was right in writing ·1f·
off the penalty and upsetting the view of the Tribunal. We ac-
cept the finding of the High Court, which is in the following words:
C ".... no definite conclusion can be drawn that the assesse
had reason to belive that the Nil estimate filed by it was
untrue ..... "
30. Considering the overall facts in this case, we are
of the clear opinion that the High Court was right in setting aside
0
the penalty of Rs.4 lakhs inflicted against the assessee under
Section 273(2)(a) of the Act. We answer the issue accordingly.
In the result, the appeals filed by the Revenue fail and the judg-
ment of the High Court is confirmed without any costs.
E K.K.T. Appeals dismissed.

. ...