{"id":8467,"date":"2009-02-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-02-26T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/the-commissioner-of-income-tax-vs-anand-prakash-on-27-february-2009"},"modified":"2016-03-31T03:10:38","modified_gmt":"2016-03-30T21:40:38","slug":"the-commissioner-of-income-tax-vs-anand-prakash-on-27-february-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/the-commissioner-of-income-tax-vs-anand-prakash-on-27-february-2009","title":{"rendered":"The Commissioner Of Income Tax &#8230; vs Anand Prakash on 27 February, 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Delhi High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">The Commissioner Of Income Tax &#8230; vs Anand Prakash on 27 February, 2009<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_author\">Author: Badar Durrez Ahmed<\/div>\n<pre>*     THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI\n\n%                         Judgment delivered on 27.02.2009\n\n+     ITA 116\/2007\n\n\nTHE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME\nTAX DELHI-II                              ...   Appellant\n\n                      - versus -\n\nANAND PRAKASH                              ... Respondent<\/pre>\n<p>                        With<\/p>\n<p>ITA 118\/2007<\/p>\n<p>THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME<br \/>\nTAX DELHI-II                              &#8230;   Appellant<\/p>\n<p>                      &#8211; versus &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<pre>ANAND PRAKASH                               ... Respondent\n\n                        With\n\nITA 119\/2007\n\nTHE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME\nTAX DELHI-II                              ...   Appellant\n\n                      - versus -\n\nANAND PRAKASH                              ... Respondent\n\n                        With\nITA 120\/2007\n\nTHE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME\nTAX DELHI-II                              ...   Appellant\n\n                      - versus -\n\n\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                  Page No. 1 of 15<\/span>\n ANAND PRAKASH                        ... Respondent\n\n                       With\n\nITA 121\/2007\n\nTHE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME\nTAX DELHI-II                        ...   Appellant\n\n                     - versus -\n\n\nANAND PRAKASH                         ... Respondent\n\n\n                       With\n\nITA 122\/2007\n\nTHE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME\nTAX DELHI-II                        ...   Appellant\n\n                     - versus -\n\nANAND PRAKASH                         ... Respondent\n\n\n                     With\n\nITA 285\/2007\n\nTHE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME\nTAX DELHI-II                        ...   Appellant\n\n                     - versus -\n\n\n<\/pre>\n<p>MAHA MAYA GENERAL FINANCE LIMITED &#8230; Respondent<\/p>\n<p>                       With<\/p>\n<p>ITA 297\/2007<\/p>\n<p>THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                           Page No. 2 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n TAX DELHI-II                        &#8230;   Appellant<\/p>\n<p>                     &#8211; versus &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>\nMAHA MAYA GENERAL FINANCE LIMITED &#8230; Respondent<\/p>\n<p>                       With<\/p>\n<p>ITA 298\/2007<\/p>\n<p>THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME<br \/>\nTAX DELHI-II                        &#8230;   Appellant<\/p>\n<p>                     &#8211; versus &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>\nMAHA MAYA GENERAL FINANCE LIMITED &#8230; Respondent<\/p>\n<p>                       With<\/p>\n<p>ITA 299\/2007<\/p>\n<p>THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME<br \/>\nTAX DELHI-II                        &#8230;   Appellant<\/p>\n<p>                     &#8211; versus &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>\nMAHA MAYA GENERAL FINANCE LIMITED &#8230; Respondent<\/p>\n<p>                     With<\/p>\n<p>ITA 300\/2007<\/p>\n<p>THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME<br \/>\nTAX DELHI-II                        &#8230;   Appellant<\/p>\n<p>                     &#8211; versus &#8211;\n<\/p>\n<p>\nMAHA MAYA GENERAL FINANCE LIMITED &#8230; Respondent<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                           Page No. 3 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n Advocates who appeared in this case :\n<\/p>\n<p>For the Appellant  : Mr R.D. Jolly<br \/>\nFor the Respondent : Mr S.K. Khurana<\/p>\n<p>CORAM:-\n<\/p>\n<p>HON&#8217;BLE MR JUSTICE BADAR DURREZ AHMED<br \/>\nHON&#8217;BLE MR JUSTICE RAJIV SHAKDHER<\/p>\n<p>     1.   Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to<br \/>\n          see the judgment ?                                          YES<\/p>\n<p>     2.   To be referred to the Reporter or not ?                     YES<\/p>\n<p>     3.   Whether the judgment should be reported in Digest ?         YES<\/p>\n<p>BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J<\/p>\n<p>1.    Admit.\n<\/p>\n<p>2.    The following substantial questions of law arise for determination<\/p>\n<p>in this set of eleven appeals under Section 260A of the Income Tax<\/p>\n<p>Act, 1961 (hereinafter referred to as the &#8220;said Act&#8221;):-<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>          (1)Whether the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal was<br \/>\n          correct in law in holding that the levy of interest under<br \/>\n          Section 234B of the Income Tax Act, 1961 is in the<br \/>\n          nature of penalty and is not compensatory?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p>          (2)Whether the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has<br \/>\n          erred in law, in the facts and circumstances of the<br \/>\n          present cases, in deleting the levy of interest under<br \/>\n          Section 234B of the Income Tax Act, 1961?\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>3.    These appeals pertain to two Assessees &#8211; Anand Prakash and<\/p>\n<p>Maha Maya General Finance Ltd.           The appeals pertaining to the<\/p>\n<p>Assessee Anand Prakash arise out of the common order dated 20-04-<\/p>\n<p>2006 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (hereinafter<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                               Page No. 4 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n      referred to as the &#8220;Tribunal&#8221;) in ITA Nos 3424, 3425, 3432, 3433, 3434<\/p>\n<p>     and 3435\/Del\/2005 pertaining to the Assessment years 1990-91, 1991-<\/p>\n<p>     92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95 and 1995-96 respectively. The five<\/p>\n<p>     appeals pertaining to the assessee Maha Maya General Finance<\/p>\n<p>     Company Ltd arise out of the common order dated 07-07-2006 passed<\/p>\n<p>     by the Tribunal in ITA Nos 2215 to 2219\/Del\/2004 pertaining to the<\/p>\n<p>     Assessment years 1987-88 to 1991-92 respectively. The Tribunal&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>     order dated 7.7.2006 merely follows its order dated 20.4.2006 in the<\/p>\n<p>     case of Anand Prakash. The Tribunal noted that the facts in the case of<\/p>\n<p>     Maha Maya General Finance Company Ltd for the relevant assessment<\/p>\n<p>     years were identical to that of the Assessee Anand Prakash.<\/p>\n<p>     4.    In respect of Anand Prakash, the Tribunal, by its impugned order<\/p>\n<p>     dated 20.4.2006, inter alia, concluded that the chargeability of interest<\/p>\n<p>     was in the nature of quasi-punishment and applied the decision in the<\/p>\n<p>     case of <a href=\"\/doc\/679465\/\">Star India Private Limited v. Chief Commissioner of Central<\/p>\n<p>     Excise<\/a> 280 ITR 321 (SC) wherein the Supreme Court observed as<\/p>\n<p>     under:-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>           &#8220;The liability to pay interest would only arise on default and is<br \/>\n           really in the nature of a quasi-punishment. Such liability<br \/>\n           although created retrospectively could not entail the punishment<br \/>\n           of payment of interest with retrospective effect.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>It may be pointed out that these observations were made in respect of the<\/p>\n<p>liability to pay service tax for the service of broadcasting. This was not a<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">     ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                               Page No. 5 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n case under the Income Tax Act, 1961. However, applying the same, the<\/p>\n<p>Tribunal concluded that the levy of interest under Section 234B in the case of<\/p>\n<p>the assessee Anand Prakash was not justified. The same conclusion was<\/p>\n<p>arrived at by the Tribunal in the case of Maha Maya General Finance<\/p>\n<p>Company Ltd by virtue of the said order dated 07.07.2006.<\/p>\n<p>5.    Some background facts would be necessary for us to answer the<\/p>\n<p>questions posed. We shall take up the factual position as obtaining in the<\/p>\n<p>case of the assessee Anand Prakash. Land belonging to the assessee had been<\/p>\n<p>acquired by the Government of Haryana on 08.03.1989 under the provisions<\/p>\n<p>of the Land Acquisition Act, 1994. Possession of the land was also taken<\/p>\n<p>over by the Government of Haryana on 18.03.1989. The assessee was not<\/p>\n<p>satisfied with the compensation granted initially and, therefore, an application<\/p>\n<p>was moved before the Additional District Judge for enhancement of<\/p>\n<p>compensation. By an order dated 04.04.2000, the learned Additional District<\/p>\n<p>Judge enhanced the compensation which also included solatium and interest.<\/p>\n<p>The interest amount was relatable to Assessment Years 1989-90 to 2000-01<\/p>\n<p>but the same was, as a matter of fact, received by the assessee in the course of<\/p>\n<p>the year relating to the Assessment Year 2001-02. The Assessing Officer<\/p>\n<p>subsequently issued notice under Section 148 of the said Act in respect of all<\/p>\n<p>the Assessment Years in question. The view of the Assessing Officer was<\/p>\n<p>that the interest awarded under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, was in the<\/p>\n<p>nature of income and that interest on enhanced compensation ordered by the<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                                Page No. 6 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n Court accrued from year to year. Consequently, since advance tax had not<\/p>\n<p>been paid thereon, interest under Section 234-B of the said Act became<\/p>\n<p>leviable, in the opinion of the Assessing Officer, on a year to year basis. It is<\/p>\n<p>in this context that the issue of levy on interest under Section 234B of the<\/p>\n<p>said Act has arisen in the present set of appeals before us. The position with<\/p>\n<p>respect of both the assessees is identical. The only difference being the<\/p>\n<p>amounts involved and the years in question. In the case of Anand Prakash,<\/p>\n<p>the Tribunal, by virtue of the impugned order, observed that at the time when<\/p>\n<p>assessee filed his original return of income for all the relevant years, there<\/p>\n<p>was no order for grant of interest on additional compensation and that the<\/p>\n<p>right to receive additional sums came to the assessee&#8217;s knowledge by the<\/p>\n<p>order dated 04.02.2000 passed by the learned Additional District Judge,<\/p>\n<p>which was much later than the dates of completion of assessments by the<\/p>\n<p>Assessing Officer. It may also be relevant to note that the amount of interest<\/p>\n<p>so accrued to the assessee had been disclosed and taxed in the year of receipt.<\/p>\n<p>As noted above, the Tribunal was of the view that chargeability of interest<\/p>\n<p>was in the nature of quasi-punishment and, therefore, should not be imposed<\/p>\n<p>retrospectively.   In coming to this conclusion, the Tribunal applied the<\/p>\n<p>decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Star India Pvt. Ltd (supra).<\/p>\n<p>Consequently, the Tribunal directed the Assessing Officer to delete the<\/p>\n<p>interest so charged under Section 234B of the Act in respect of the years<\/p>\n<p>under appeal. This order dated 20.04.2006 was followed by the Tribunal in<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                                 Page No. 7 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n the case of the other assessee, i.e. Maha Maya General Finance Company<\/p>\n<p>Ltd. by virtue of its order dated 07.07.2006.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>6.    Before us, Mr Jolly, the learned counsel appearing for the Revenue<\/p>\n<p>argued that interest under Section 234B was not of a penal nature and was<\/p>\n<p>clearly compensatory in nature and, therefore, the same could be levied<\/p>\n<p>retrospectively. He referred to the decision of the Supreme Court in the case<\/p>\n<p>of <a href=\"\/doc\/22794800\/\">Central Provinces Manganese Ore Co. Ltd v. CIT<\/a>: [1986] 160 ITR 961,<\/p>\n<p>which was rendered in the context of Section 215 of the said Act which is<\/p>\n<p>similar to Section 234B of the said Act. The Supreme Court observed that it<\/p>\n<p>was necessary to consider the nature of levy of interest under Section 139 (8)<\/p>\n<p>and Section 215. The Supreme Court observed:-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>     &#8220;it is not correct to refer to the levy of such interest as a penalty.<br \/>\n     The expression &#8220;penal interest&#8221; has acquired usage, but is, in fact,<br \/>\n     an inaccurate description of the levy. Having regard to the reason<br \/>\n     for the levy and the circumstances in which it is imposed, it is<br \/>\n     clear that interest is levied by way of compensation and not by<br \/>\n     way of penalty. The income-tax Act makes a clear distinction<br \/>\n     between the levy of a penalty and other levies under that statute.<br \/>\n     Interest is levied under Sub Section (8) of Section 139 and under<br \/>\n     Section 215 because, by reason of the omission or default<br \/>\n     mentioned in the relevant provision, the Revenue is deprived of<br \/>\n     the benefit of the tax for the period during which it has remained<br \/>\n     unpaid.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>7.    The learned counsel also referred to the decision of the Supreme Court<\/p>\n<p>in Ganesh Das v. Income Tax Officer: 169 ITR 221 wherein, the question of<\/p>\n<p>levy of interest under Section 139 (1) was considered. It had been contended<\/p>\n<p>before the Supreme Court on behalf of the assessee therein that the interest<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                                 Page No. 8 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n levied takes the character of penalty. The Supreme Court observed that it had<\/p>\n<p>already been decided by it in Central Provisions (supra) that interest is<\/p>\n<p>levied by way of compensation and not by way of penalty. The Supreme<\/p>\n<p>Court also observed that a similar view had been taken in CIT v.<\/p>\n<p>Chandershekher: 151 ITR 433.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>8.    Mr Jolly submitted that the observations contained in Star India Pvt.<\/p>\n<p>Ltd (supra), which have been relied upon by the Tribunal, would not be<\/p>\n<p>applicable to the question of chargeability of interest under the Income Tax<\/p>\n<p>Act. He submitted that the decision of the Supreme Court in Star India Pvt.<\/p>\n<p>Ltd (supra) was rendered in the context of the liability to pay service tax in<\/p>\n<p>respect of the service of broadcasting. Reference was also made to the<\/p>\n<p>decision of the Division Bench of this Court in the case of Union Home<\/p>\n<p>Products Ltd v. Union of India and Another: 215 ITR 758, wherein this<\/p>\n<p>Court observed, in the context of interest under Section 234A of the said<\/p>\n<p>Act, that it is manifest that the amount of which interest is levied, is the<\/p>\n<p>amount, which can legitimately be said to be public revenue payable by the<\/p>\n<p>assessee but not paid by him. Levy of interest on such amount which an<\/p>\n<p>assessee withholds and makes use of cannot be said to be anything but a<\/p>\n<p>compensatory measure, meant to offset loss or prejudice which the Revenue<\/p>\n<p>suffers on account of non-payment of the said amount. In the context of<\/p>\n<p>Section 234 B also, this Court held the interest liability to be only of a<\/p>\n<p>compensatory nature.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                              Page No. 9 of 15<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p> 8.    Mr Jolly finally referred to the Supreme Court decision in <a href=\"\/doc\/99069\/\">Bikram<\/p>\n<p>Singh and Others v. Land Acquisition Collector and Others<\/a>:           224 ITR<\/p>\n<p>551: where one of the questions considered was whether the interest on<\/p>\n<p>delayed payment on the acquisition of the immovable property under the<\/p>\n<p>Land Acquisition Act would not be exigible to Income Tax? The Supreme<\/p>\n<p>Court observed that interest on delayed payment of the compensation amount<\/p>\n<p>was in the nature of a revenue receipt. The Court further held that once it is<\/p>\n<p>considered to be a revenue receipt, necessarily, unless there is an exemption<\/p>\n<p>under the appropriate provision of such Act, the Revenue receipt would be<\/p>\n<p>exigible to tax. The Supreme Court further observed:-<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>            &#8220;&#8230;&#8230;..the appellants are entitled to spread over the income<br \/>\n            for the period for which payment came to be made so as to<br \/>\n            compute the income for assessing tax for the relevant<br \/>\n            accounting year.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>9.    In the context of the above observations Mr Jolly submitted that<\/p>\n<p>undoubtedly, the interest receipt was income of the asessee and as<\/p>\n<p>indicated by the Supreme Court, the same was liable to be spread over<\/p>\n<p>the relevant year for which the payments came to be made.<\/p>\n<p>Consequently, according to him, the same became amenable to<\/p>\n<p>payment of advance tax in the respective years. Since, admittedly, the<\/p>\n<p>advance tax was not paid in those orders, interest under Section 234B<\/p>\n<p>became chargeable. He also contended that in the light of the aforesaid<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                             Page No. 10 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n decisions, the Tribunal&#8217;s orders that the levy of interest under Section<\/p>\n<p>234B was in the nature of quasi-punishment cannot be sustained.<\/p>\n<p>10.   The learned counsel appearing for the assessees contended that<\/p>\n<p>under the advance tax scheme, an assessee who earns income in a<\/p>\n<p>particular year is required to pay tax in that financial year. Section<\/p>\n<p>234B applies to situations where there is a default in payment of<\/p>\n<p>advance tax. But it would only apply where there is a liability upon the<\/p>\n<p>assessee to pay the advance tax in that year and if he has failed to do so.<\/p>\n<p>Section 208 of the said Act clearly stipulates that advance tax is<\/p>\n<p>payable during the financial year. Section 209 also indicates that it<\/p>\n<p>must be paid in that year. The learned counsel submitted that in the<\/p>\n<p>present cases in the relevant years the assessee was not in default in<\/p>\n<p>those years inasmuch as the assessee had no way of knowing as to<\/p>\n<p>whether there would be enhancement of the compensation and interest<\/p>\n<p>amount on a subsequent date. It was, of course, contended on behalf of<\/p>\n<p>the assessees\/respondents that the Tribunal&#8217;s conclusion that the levy of<\/p>\n<p>interest was in the nature of quasi-punishment, was an additional<\/p>\n<p>argument available to them. In case, it is held to be a levy in the nature<\/p>\n<p>of a penalty or a quasi-punishment, it cannot be imposed<\/p>\n<p>retrospectively following the principle laid down in Star India Pvt Ltd<\/p>\n<p>(supra).\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                                Page No. 11 of 15<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p> 11.   We have examined the decisions cited by the counsel on both<\/p>\n<p>sides and after considering the submissions made by them, we agree<\/p>\n<p>with the learned counsel for the Revenue that the levy under Section<\/p>\n<p>234B of the said Act is compensatory in nature and is not in the nature<\/p>\n<p>of penalty. We may also note the decision of the Bombay High Court<\/p>\n<p>in the case of <a href=\"\/doc\/134220282\/\">CIT v. Kotak Mahendra Finance Ltd<\/a>: 265 ITR 119<\/p>\n<p>(Bom), wherein the Bombay High Court observed that it was well<\/p>\n<p>settled that interest under Section 234B was compensatory in character<\/p>\n<p>and that it was not penal in nature. Another decision which would be<\/p>\n<p>relevant is of a Division Bench of this Court in the case of <a href=\"\/doc\/1639125\/\">Dr Prannoy<\/p>\n<p>Roy v. Commissioner of Income-tax and Another<\/a> : 254 ITR 755<\/p>\n<p>(Del.). In that case, the provisions of Section 234A were in issue. The<\/p>\n<p>question before the court was whether interest could be charged under<\/p>\n<p>Section 234A when, though the return had not been filed in time, the<\/p>\n<p>tax had been paid. The argument raised on behalf of the Revenue that<\/p>\n<p>such payment of tax did not strictly comply with the meaning of<\/p>\n<p>advance tax and would therefore, have to be disregarded for the<\/p>\n<p>purposes of charging interest under Section 234A, was rejected.     The<\/p>\n<p>Court also held that interest under section 234A was compensatory in<\/p>\n<p>nature and unless any loss was caused to the Revenue, the same could<\/p>\n<p>not be charged from the assessee.   It may be relevant to point out that<\/p>\n<p>the matter was taken up in appeal before the Supreme Court and by its<\/p>\n<p>decision dated 17.09.2008 in <a href=\"\/doc\/1676056\/\">CIT v. Prannoy Roy<\/a> [Civil &#8216;Appeal No.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                             Page No. 12 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n 448\/2003], the Supreme Court noted that: &#8220;the High Court, while<\/p>\n<p>accepting the writ petition and setting aside the interest charged under<\/p>\n<p>section 234A of the Act, has come to the conclusion that interest is not<\/p>\n<p>a penalty and that the interest is levied by way of compensation to<\/p>\n<p>compensate the revenue in order to avoid it from being deprived of the<\/p>\n<p>payment of tax on the due date.&#8221;.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>      &#8221; Having heard counsel on both the sides we entirely agree with the<\/p>\n<p>      finding recorded by the High Court as also the interpretation of Section<\/p>\n<p>      234A of the Act as it stood at the relevant time.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>12.   Coming back to the present appeals, we are of the view that Section<\/p>\n<p>234A, Section 234B and Section 234C are of the same class. On going<\/p>\n<p>through these provisions, it is clear that interest is sought to be charged on<\/p>\n<p>account of the fact that the Government is deprived of its revenue. Under<\/p>\n<p>Section 234A, interest is charged if tax whichever to be paid at the time of<\/p>\n<p>filing of the return is not paid at that point of time, Section 234B provides for<\/p>\n<p>levy of interest for default in payment of advance tax and Section 234C<\/p>\n<p>stipulates the charging of interest for default in the payments of advance tax<\/p>\n<p>on the appointed dates of payment. It is clear that under the said Act tax is<\/p>\n<p>payable at different dates and, through different modes. Where specific dates<\/p>\n<p>of payment of tax are not adhered to, it can be said that the Government is<\/p>\n<p>deprived of tax on those dates. Interest is chargeable under the provisions of<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                                Page No. 13 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n the Act such as Sections 234A, 234B and 234C in order to compensate the<\/p>\n<p>Government for such deprivation. It is clear from the scheme of the Act and<\/p>\n<p>the nature of these provisions that they are compensatory and not penal. We,<\/p>\n<p>therefore, conclude that the levy of interest under Section 234B of the Income<\/p>\n<p>Tax Act is compensatory in nature. The Tribunal, having taken a contrary<\/p>\n<p>view has clearly erred.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>13.   This takes us to the second question as to whether the Tribunal has<\/p>\n<p>erred in law in deleting the levy of interest under Section 234B of the Income<\/p>\n<p>Tax Act. We feel that although the conclusion of the Tribunal with regard to<\/p>\n<p>the levy of interest under Section 234B being penal in nature is not correct,<\/p>\n<p>the ultimate conclusion arrived at the Tribunal cannot be interfered with. We<\/p>\n<p>are of this view because interest under Section 234B is clearly by way of<\/p>\n<p>compensation.     What the Revenue proposes to do in the facts and<\/p>\n<p>circumstances of the cases is to charge interest for the default in payment of<\/p>\n<p>advance tax in the years in question. It can only justify such a levy or charge<\/p>\n<p>if it has suffered a loss. This follows from the conclusion that the levy of<\/p>\n<p>interest under Section 234B is compensatory in nature. The fact remains that<\/p>\n<p>no money belonging to the Government was withheld by the assessee in the<\/p>\n<p>years in question.    In fact, the interest payable on account of enhanced<\/p>\n<p>compensation was not even known to the assessee till much latter. How<\/p>\n<p>could the assessees then be expected to have paid advance tax on something<\/p>\n<p>which had not been received by the assessees and which would not have even<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                              Page No. 14 of 15<\/span><br \/>\n been in their contemplation. In other words the assessee could not have<\/p>\n<p>included the interest received on enhanced compensation in the assessment<\/p>\n<p>year under consideration while estimating his income for the purposes of<\/p>\n<p>calculation of advance tax for the relevant years. It is a well known principle<\/p>\n<p>that the law cannot compel any one to do the impossible. The Government,<\/p>\n<p>itself, on the one hand delayed the payment of compensation to the assessees<\/p>\n<p>and on the other it expects to levy interest on the assessee for having<\/p>\n<p>allegedly defaulted in making payments towards advance tax. We are clear<\/p>\n<p>in our minds that the Revenue has not suffered any loss and, therefore, there<\/p>\n<p>can be no question of levying interest under Section 234B of the said Act.<\/p>\n<p>14.   Thus, while we decide question 1 in favour of the Revenue and against<\/p>\n<p>the Assessees, question 2 is decided in favour of the Assessee.<\/p>\n<p>      In view of this, the appeals are liable to be dismissed. It is ordered<\/p>\n<p>accordingly. The parties shall bear their own costs.<\/p>\n<p>                                        BADAR DURREZ AHMED, J<\/p>\n<p>                                             RAJIV SHAKDHER, J<br \/>\n      February 27, 2009<br \/>\n      J<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"hidden_text\">      ITA Nos.116\/07&amp;Ors                                              Page No. 15 of 15<\/span>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Delhi High Court The Commissioner Of Income Tax &#8230; vs Anand Prakash on 27 February, 2009 Author: Badar Durrez Ahmed * THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Judgment delivered on 27.02.2009 + ITA 116\/2007 THE COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX DELHI-II &#8230; Appellant &#8211; versus &#8211; ANAND PRAKASH &#8230; Respondent With ITA 118\/2007 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-delhi-high-court","category-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Commissioner Of Income Tax ... vs Anand Prakash on 27 February, 2009 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; 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