Case: M/S. Synco Industries Ltd Vs. Assessing Officer,Income Tax Mumbai &amp;Anr

The appellant-assessee is a Company incorporated under the provisions of the Indian Companies Act, 1956. It is engaged in the business of oil and chemicals. It has a unit for oil division at Sirohi District, Rajasthan. It has also a chemical division at Jodhpur. The appellant had earned profit in the assessment year 1990-91 and 1991-92 in both the units. However, the appellant had suffered losses in the oil division in earlier years. The appellant claimed deductions under Section 80HH and 80-I of the Act, claiming that each unit should be treated separately and the loss suffered by the oil division in earlier years is not adjustable against the profits of the chemical division while considering the question whether deductions under Sections 80HH and 80-I were allowable. The Assessing Officer noticed that the gross total income of the appellant before deductions under Chapter VI-A was Nil. Therefore, he concluded that the assessee was not entitled to the benefit of deductions under Chapter VI-A. Feeling aggrieved the appellant carried the matters in appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) V, Mumbai who confirmed the view of the Assessing Officer by dismissing the same. Therefore, the appellant preferred two appeals before Income Tax Appellate Tribunal Mumbai Bench B, Mumbai. The Tribunal held that gross total income of the appellant had got to be computed in accordance with the Act before allowing deductions under any Section falling under Chapter VI-A and as the gross total income of the appellant after setting off the business losses of the earlier years, was Nil, the appellant was not entitled to any deductions either under Section 80HH or 80-I of the Act. In that view of the matter the Tribunal dismissed the appeals filed by the appellant. Thereupon, the appellant invoked jurisdiction of the High Court under Section 260-A of the Act by filing these appeals. The High Court has dismissed the same by Judgment dated July 23, 2001 giving rise to the instant appeals.

Court's reasoning:
11. The above discussion makes it very evident that predominant majority of the High Courts have taken the view that while working out gross total income of the assessee the losses suffered have to be adjusted and if the gross total income of the assessee is Nil the assessee will not be entitled to deduction under Chapter VI-A of the Act. It is well settled that where the predominant majority of the High Courts have taken certain view on the interpretation of certain provisions, the Supreme Court would lean in favour of the predominant view. Therefore, this Court is of the opinion that the High Court was justified in holding that gross total income must be determined, by setting off against the income, the business losses of earlier years, before allowing deduction under Chapter VI-A and if the resultant income is Nil, then the asessee cannot claim deduction under Chapter VI-A.12. The contention that under Section 80-I (6) the profits derived from one industrial undertaking cannot be set off against loss suffered from another and the profit is required to be computed as if profit making industrial undertaking was the only source of income, has no merits. Section 80-I (1) lays down that where the gross total income of the assessee includes any profits derived from the priority undertaking/unit/division, then in computing the total income of the assessee, a deduction from such profits of an amount equal to 20% has to be made. Section 80-I (1) lays down the broad parameters indicating circumstances under which an assessee would be entitled to claim deduction. On the other hand Section 80-I (6) deals with determination of the quantum of deduction. Section 80-I (6) lays down the manner in which the quantum of deduction has to be worked out. After such computation of the quantum of deduction, one has to go back to Section 80-I (1) which categorically states that where the gross total income includes any profits and gains derived from an industrial undertaking to which Section 80-I applies then there shall be a deduction from such profits and gains of an amount equal to 20%. The words "includes any profits used by the legislature in Section 80-I(1) are very important which indicate that the gross total income of an assessee shall include profits from a priority undertaking. While computing the quantum of deduction under Section 80-I(6) the Assessing Officer, no doubt, has to treat the profits derived from an industrial undertaking as the only source of income in order to arrive at the deduction under Chapter VI-A. However, this Court finds that the non-obstante clause appearing in Section 80-I(6) of the Act, is applicable only to the quantum of deduction, whereas, the gross total income under Section 80B(5) which is also referred to in Section 80I(1) is required to be computed in the manner provided under the Act which presupposes that the gross total income shall be arrived at after adjusting the losses of the other division against the profits derived from an industrial undertaking. If the interpretation as suggested by the appellant is accepted it would almost render the provisions of Section 80A(2) of the Act nugatory and therefore the interpretation canvassed on behalf of the appellant cannot be accepted. It is true that under Section 80-I(6) for the purpose of calculating the deduction, the loss sustained in one of the units, cannot be taken into account because Sub-Section 6 contemplates that only the profits shall be taken into account as if it was the only source of income. However, Section 80A(2) and Section 80B (5) are declaratory in nature. They apply to all the Sections falling in Chapter VI-A. They impose a ceiling on the total amount of deduction and therefore the non-obstante clause in Section 80-I(6) cannot restrict the operation of Sections 80A(2) and 80B(5) which operate in different spheres. As observed earlier Section 80-I(6) deals with actual computation of deduction whereas Section 80-I(1) deals with the treatment to be given to such deductions in order to arrive at the total income of the assessee and therefore while interpreting Section 80-I(1), which also refers to gross total income one has to read the expression gross total income as defined in Section 80B(5). Therefore, this Court is of the opinion that the High Court was justified in holding that the loss from the oil division was required to be adjusted before determining the gross total income and as the gross total income was Nil the assessee was not entitled to claim deduction under Chapter VI-A which includes Section 80-I also.13. The proposition of law, emerging from the above discussion is that the gross total income of the assessee has first got to be determined after adjusting losses etc., and if the gross total income of the assessee is Nil the assessee would not be entitled to deductions under Chapter VI-A of the