1 nma2946.10&group.sxw IN THE HIGH COURT OF JDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2946 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1434 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. Gagan Trading Co. Ltd. Jindal Mansion, 5-A, Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai -400 026 ...Respondent Mr. D.J. Khambata, A.S.G. with Ms Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Mr. Vipul Joshi a/w Mr. Sameer G. Dalal for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2948 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 3231 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. Gagan Trading Co. Ltd. Jindal Mansion, 5-A, Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai -400 026 ...Respondent Ms Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Mr. Sameer G. Dalal for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2949 OF 2010 2 nma2946.10&group.sxw IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1415 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. M/s. Gabriel India Ltd. 10, Prasad Chambers, Opera House, Mumbai 400 004 ...Respondent. Ms. Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Ms. Aarti Sathe for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2950 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1433 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. M/s. Gabriel India Ltd. 10, Prasad Chambers, Opera House, Mumbai 400 004 ...Respondent. Ms. Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Ms. Aarti Sathe for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2951 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1429 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 3 nma2946.10&group.sxw Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. Gagan Trading Co. Ltd. Jindal Mansion, 5-A, Deshmukh Marg, Peddar Road, Mumbai -400 026 ...Respondent Ms. Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Ms. Sameer Dalal for the Respondent. CORAM : J.P. DEVADHAR AND A.A. SAYED, JJ. DATE : 18TH APRIL, 2011. JUDGMENT (PER A.A.SAYED, J.) 1. The above notices of motion have been filed seeking condonation of delay in filing the Income Tax Appeals. 2. In Notice of Motion No. 2946 of 2010 in Appeal No. 1334 of 2010, there is delay of 1137 days in filing the Appeal. In Notice of Motion No. 2948 of 2010 in Appeal No. 323 of 2010, there is delay of 1543 days in filing the Appeal. In Notice of Motion No. 2949 of 2010 in Appeal No. 1415 of 2010, there is delay of 1000 days in filing the Appeal. In Notice of Motion No. 2950 of 2010 in Appeal No.1433 of 2010, there is delay of 1000 days in filing the Appeal. In Notice of Motion No. 2951 of 2010 in Appeal 4 nma2946.10&group.sxw No. 1429 of 2010, there is delay of 1330 days in filing the Appeal. Though the delay ranges from 1000 to 1543 days, the grounds for condonation of delay in filing the Appeals is more or less similar, as such the above Notices of Motion can be disposed of by this common judgment. 3. Initially, when the appeals were filed, the same were dismissed as barred by limitation by this Court vide order dated 2nd July, 2009. It is pertinent to note that at that time, no notices of motion was taken out by the Department for condonation of delay in filing the appeals. Even in the memo of appeals no material facts and/or particulars were disclosed giving explanation for delay in filing the appeals. In the circumstances, for want of notices of motion as well as for want of sufficient and reasonable cause for condoning the delay, the above Appeals were dismissed by this Court being barred by limitation by the said order dated 2nd July, 2009. 4. Aggrieved by the order dated 2nd July, 2009, the appellant (Commissioner of Income Tax-5) filed SLPs before the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The Hon'ble Supreme Court issued certain directions in the said SLPs`. The Hon'ble Supreme Court ultimately, whilst disposing of the SLPs passed the following order on 1st September, 2010 : 5 nma2946.10&group.sxw " In these cases, Action Taken Report has been submitted. Learned Solicitor General states that further status report will also be submitted to the Court within eight weeks from today. Action Taken Report is taken on record and be treated as an interlocutory application. This interlocutory application shall stand over for eight weeks. Delay condoned. After passing of the impugned order, the Parliament has amended the law vide Finance Act No.14 of 2010. In the circumstances, impugned order is set aside and the matters are remitted to the High Court to consider the question of condonation of delay in the light of the amended law. We make it clear that the Department will take out Notice of Motion within eight weeks from today and will satisfy the High Court that there is sufficient cause for condonation of delay. It is, however, made clear that if the Department fails to take out Notice of Motion within eight weeks from today, then the matter will not be considered by the High Court. Subject to above, the special leave petitions are disposed of." 5. Pursuant to the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Department has filed the above Notices of Motion within period as stipulated and has set out the reasons for the delay in filing the appeals in the affidavits in support of the motions. It is stated in the affidavits that the work relating to filing of the appeals of the Income Tax Department in this Court was decentralized by the Ministry of law with effect from 1st December, 2005 to the Department and it took few months time in receiving back the dockets from the Advocates concerned during the post decentralization period. It is also stated in the affidavits that after scrutiny report was received in the office of CIT-5, Mumbai, the approval of the CIT was obtained for filing of the 6 nma2946.10&group.sxw appeals under section 260A of Income Tax Act and the file was sent to CCIT-III, Mumbai. CCIT-III thereafter granted approval for filing appeals. The appeal proposals were thereafter handed over to the Central Government Advocates, Ministry of Law by the Deputy CIT-5 (1), Mumbai for drafting the appeals. However, in view of decentralization by the Ministry of Law with effect from 1st December, 2005 to the Department, it took few months time in receiving back the dockets from the Advocates concerned during the post decentralization period. It is further stated in the affidavits that since the Counsel on the Panel were neither drafting the appeals to be filed in time nor representing the cases properly it was proposed to change the entire panel of Counsel sometime in November, 2007 and a process for selection of fresh Counsel was initiated by way of Notification on the Income Tax website. Sometime, in June, 2008, the CBDT approved the shortlist of the advocates as Department Counsel and the new panel was accordingly formed in the month of July, 2008 and thereafter the appeal proposals were given to the Panel Counsel and accordingly appeals were filed. It is averred in the affidavits that from the record available in the office there was no documentary evidence to show the exact movement of judicial folders/records, consequent to de-linking of judicial work from the Ministry of Law, among different authorities/officials between 18th October, 2006 and the date of filing of the appeals. It is further 7 nma2946.10&group.sxw stated that non satisfactory representation by the old Panel Counsel and transfer of 3 assessing officers i.e. DCIT/ACIT 5(1), Mumbai between the period 2004 to 2008 contributed to the delay in filing of the appeals before this Court. 6. Further affidavits in support of motions have also been filed by the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax-5(1) pursuant to the order of this Court, wherein it is stated that the Action Taken Report ATR-I in sealed cover was tendered to the Hon'ble Supreme Court and it was also undertaken that further status report from 1-9-2010 will be filed. It is also stated in the said affidavits that subsequent to the hearing before the Apex Court, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has forwarded two further reports to the learned Solicitor General for submission in the hearing of the Interlocutory Applications before the Hon'ble Supreme Court in sealed cover on 28-10-2010 and the Hon'ble Supreme Court by its order dated 28-01-2011 accepted the Action Taken Report and disposed of the interlocutory applications. 7. Affidavit in replies have been filed by the respondents opposing the motions. In the replies it is essentially stated that the Department has not given any cogent or plausible reasons for the delay in filing the appeals. It is 8 nma2946.10&group.sxw pointed out in the replies filed in Notices of Motion Nos.2946, 2948 and 2951of 2010 that the Department took nearly three months to prepare the scrutiny report and no cause of this delay at this first stage is made out. It is averred that as regards second stage of delay, there was absolutely no explanation for delay from the Department side after handing over the said file to the Central Government Advocate for filing the appeals. It is pointed out that the decentralization took place actually on 1-12-2005 and no reason has been set out about the delay prior thereto. It is stated that the same Advocate was again assigned the work of filing of the Appeals. In replies filed in all the Notices of motion it is asserted that no sufficient cause for condonation of delay has been made out. It is averred that right has been created in favour of the assessees after end of the limitation period and the respondent assessees would suffer prejudice if the delay is condoned. 8. Today, supplementary affidavits in support of the notices of motion have been tendered in Court on behalf of the Department annexing thereto copies of the three Action Taken Reports. Learned ASG Mr. Khambata appearing in Notice of Motion No. 2964 of 2010, reiterated the assertions made in the affidavits filed on behalf of the Department. He submitted though there has been considerable delay in filing the Appeals, looking to the facts and circumstances of the case, there was sufficient cause for 9 nma2946.10&group.sxw condonation of the delay. The learned ASG has taken us through the three Action Taken Reports, which were submitted to the Hon'ble Supreme Court which inter alia sets out details of the reasons for the delay, fixation of responsibility for the delay caused and the remedial action taken. The said reports are annexed as Exhibits to the supplementary affidavits. The learned ASG submitted that insofar as the delay at the hands of the Counsel on behalf of the revenue is concerned, the Department cannot be penalized for the inaction of the Counsel. The learned ASG therefore urged that considering the facts and circumstances of the case as set out in the affidavits in support of the motions, the delay may be condoned. 9. The learned ASG has relied on the following judgments in support of his contention that in such matters a liberal view is required to be taken to advance the cause of justice particularly where the reasons for the delay as set out in the affidavits in support of motions were bonafide and also in support of his contention that the party should not be made to suffer for the inaction of the Counsel :- 1. Commissioner of Income Tax, Kolkata-II Vs. West Bengal Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation Limited, Civil Appeal No.10462 of 2010 (Arising out of S.L.P. (C) 10472 of 2009). 2. State of M.P. Vs. S.S. Akolkar, (1996) 2 Supreme Court Cases 10 nma2946.10&group.sxw 568. 3. State of Nagaland Vs. Lipok AO and others, (2005) 3 Supreme Court Cases 752. 4. Divisional Manager Plantation Division, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Vs. Munnu Barrick and others, AIR 2005 SC 1158 5. State of Haryana Vs. Chandramani and others, (1996) 3 SCC 132 6. Collector, Land Acquisition Anantnag and another Vs. Mst. Katiji and others, (1987) 2 SCC 107. 7. Ramnath Sao alias Ram Nath Sahu and others Vs. Gobardhan Sao and others, (2002) 3 SCC 195. 8. Rafiq and another Vs.Munshilal and another, AIR 1981 S.C. 1400 Ms Suchita Kamble Counsel appearing for the Revenue in rest of the Notices of Motion submitted that the explanation for the delay in the affidavit in support of the Notice of Motion No. 2964 of 2010 and the affidavits in support of other Notices of Motion were more or less similar. She supported the arguments canvassed by the learned ASG. 10. On behalf of the respondents, it is vehemently submitted that no sufficient cause has been made out to condone the delay in filing the appeals and there is a delay of more than 1000 days to 1543 days in filing the Appeals and no proper explanation has been offered for the delay and there was total negligence and callousness on the part of the officers of the Department. It is submitted that a right had accrued in favour of the 11 nma2946.10&group.sxw respondents upon the expiry of the limitation period and therefore the delay ought not to be condoned. It is submitted that merely because the appeals are filed on behalf of Department who may enjoy certain latitude in certain cases, would not mean even in the cases of inordinate delay in filing the appeals, the same ought to be condoned. It is submitted that at every stage, there is delay and the department and its officers have been completely negligent in the matter. It is therefore urged that the notices of motion be dismissed with costs. The following judgments are cited on behalf of the respondents in support of their contentions : 1 Ornate Traders Pvt. Ltd. Vs. Income Tax Officer, (2009) 312 ITR 193 (Bom.). 2. Commissioner of Income Tax & Others Vs. Reliance Capital Ltd. & Others, (2009) 225 CTR (Bom.) 275. 3. Union of India Vs. Tata Yodogawa Limited, 1988 (38) E.L.T. 339 (S.C.). 4. The State of West Bengal Vs. The Administrator, Howrah Municipality and others etc., AIR 1972 S.C. 749. 11. We have considered the rival contentions of the parties. We have also gone through the amended Finance Act No. 14 of 2010 which provides that the delay can be condoned if sufficient cause is made out. It is by now trite that in cases of condonation of delay, there cannot be any straight jacket formula and the cases have to be decided on their own merits. Indeed, there 12 nma2946.10&group.sxw has been substantial delay on the part of the Revenue in filing the above appeals, which ranges from 1000 to 1543 days. Infact as mentioned above, the aforesaid appeals had also been dismissed at one stage on 2-7-2009 and the Revenue had filed SLPs before the Hon'ble Supreme Court, and the matters were ultimately remitted back to this Court by granting an opportunity to the Department to explain the delay. Insofar as the three Action Taken Reports are concerned, we find that the Department has taken remedial measures after a Committee headed by the Chief Commissioner of Income Tax-II, Mumbai was appointed by the Finance Minister looked into the the aspect of the delays in filing the appeals by the Department in this Court. It is noticed that at the relevant time when the above appeals were initially dismissed by this Court vide its order dated 2-7-2009, no notices of motion were filed for condonation of delay and therefore there was no explanation on record for condoning the delay and the appeals were dismissed for want of notice of motion as well as for want of sufficient and reasonable cause for condoning the delay, being barred by limitation. However, subsequently pursuant to the order of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the Notices of Motion have been filed and the explanation has been offered for the delay in filing the appeals. It is noticed that at the relevant time the work relating to filing of the appeals of Income Tax Department before this Court was decentralized by the Ministry of Law w.e.f. 1-12-2005 to the 13 nma2946.10&group.sxw Department and it took few months for receiving back the documents from the Advocates concerned during the post decentralization period. It is also noticed that sometime in November, 2007 the entire panel of Counsel of Income Tax Department were proposed to be changed and the process of selection of Counsel was initiated by way of Notification on the Income Tax website and accordingly, new panel of Counsel was formed in July, 2008. It is further noticed that the papers for drafting of the appeal matters were handedover to the Counsel before the decentralization took place and that there was delay on the part of the Counsel also in filing the appeals and that after de centralization the Counsel were required to be appointed again. We hope that the steps taken due to the intervention of the Hon'ble Supreme Court will ensure that henceforth the appeals are filed in time. Perusal of the Action Taken Reports, show that as per the latest statistics, during the A.Y. 2009-10 about 91% of the Appeals were filed in time. 12. In these circumstances though the delay is substantial and the explanation given is not entirely satisfactory and strictly speaking would not constitute sufficient cause for condoning the delay in filing the appeals, in our opinion, in the interest of justice, it would be just and proper to condone the delay subject to payment of costs. 14 nma2946.10&group.sxw 13. Accordingly, we condone the delay in filing the above appeals, subject to costs of Rs. 10,000/- in each of the above Appeals to be paid by the Department to the respective respondent-assessees within a period of 4 weeks from today. The costs in the first instance shall be paid by the Department and we leave it open to the Department to recover the same from the concerned Officers/Counsel responsible for the delay in filing the Appeals. 14. Subject to what is stated above, the Notices of Motion are allowed. ( A.A. SAYED, J. ) (J.P. DEVADHAR, J.) 15 nma2946.10&group.sxw IN THE HIGH COURT OF JDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2946 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1434 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. Gagan Trading Co. Ltd. Jindal Mansion, 5-A, Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai -400 026 ...Respondent Mr. D.J. Khambata, A.S.G. with Ms Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Mr. Vipul Joshi a/w Mr. Sameer G. Dalal for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2948 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 3231 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. Gagan Trading Co. Ltd. Jindal Mansion, 5-A, Deshmukh Marg, Mumbai -400 026 ...Respondent Ms Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Mr. Sameer G. Dalal for the Respondent. 16 nma2946.10&group.sxw WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2949 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1415 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. M/s. Gabriel India Ltd. 10, Prasad Chambers, Opera House, Mumbai 400 004 ...Respondent. Ms. Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Ms. Aarti Sathe for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2950 OF 2010 IN INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1433 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. M/s. Gabriel India Ltd. 10, Prasad Chambers, Opera House, Mumbai 400 004 ...Respondent. Ms. Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Ms. Aarti Sathe for the Respondent. WITH NOTICE OF MOTION NO. 2951 OF 2010 IN 17 nma2946.10&group.sxw INCOME TAX APPEAL NO. 1429 OF 2010 The Commissioner of Income-Tax-5 Aayakar Bhavan, M.K. Road, Mumbai- 400 020 ...Appellant. Vs. Gagan Trading Co. Ltd. Jindal Mansion, 5-A, Deshmukh Marg, Peddar Road, Mumbai -400 026 ...Respondent Ms. Suchitra Kamble for the Appellant. Ms. Sameer Dalal for the Respondent. CORAM : J.P. DEVADHAR AND A.A. SAYED, JJ. DATE : 18TH APRIL, 2011. P.C. For the reasons separately recorded in the judgment, following order is passed. Subject to what is stated above, the Notices of Motion are allowed. ( A.A. SAYED, J. ) (J.P. DEVADHAR, J.)