Summarize the following court judgment. ivil Appeal Nos. 1249/75 & 2075/79. From the Judgment and Order dated ' 26.9.1974 and 16.10.1978 of Gujarat High Court in I.T.R. Nos. 19 of 1973 and 318 of 1977. Harish N. Salve	 P.H. Parekh and Sunil Degra for the Appellant. 915 V. Gauri Shanker	 Sr. and section Rajappa for the Respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by RANGANATHAN	 J. These appeals raise a question of some complexity on the interpretation of the provisions of the Income Tax Act	 1961	 (The 1961 Act ')	 in regard to which there is a difference of opinion among various High Courts. In the judgment under appeal	 reported in 	 the Gujarat High Court has answered the question raised in favour of the Revenue and against the assessees. Hence these appeals by the assessee	 M/s. Garden Silk Weaving Factory	 Surat. The two appeals relate to the assessment years 1967 68 and 1968 69 for which the relevant previous years were the Saka years 2022 and 2023 respectively. The question arises in similar circumstances for both the years. We shall set out the facts relevant for the assessment year 1968 69 as the appeals and reference in respect of that year were disposed of earlier than those pertaining to the assessment year 1967 68. The assessee	 M/s. Garden Silk Weaving Factory	 is a registered firm. For the assessment year in question	 it returned a total income of Rs.3	96	483 and a provisional assessment	 under section 141 of the Act	 was made accepting the income returned. Subsequently	 the Income Tax Officer found that	 for the assessment year in question	 the assessee had made an income of Rs. 11	82	056 but deducted there three figures aggregating to Rs.7	87	573 to arrive at the net income of Rs.3	94	483 which had been returned and accepted. These three figures were figures carried over from the previous year for the assessment year 1967 68. They comprised of: (i) Unabsorbed Rs. 1	59	181 Depreciation (ii) Unabsorbed Rs. 2	79	150 Development Rebate (iii) Unabsorbed Rs. 3	49	242 Business loss Total : Rs. 7	87	573 The Income Tax Officer (I.T.O.) agreed that	 out of the above three months	 the unabsorbed development rebate pertaining to the assessment year 1967 68 had been rightly carried forward and set off in computing the total income for the assessment year 1968 69. However	 916 for reasons which will become clear later	 the Income Tax Officer was of the opinion that the sum of Rs. 1	59	181 (which represented the amount of unabsorbed depreciation relating to the assessment year 1967 68) and the amount of Rs.3	49	242 (which represented the unabsorbed loss pertaining to the assessment year 1967 68) could not be carried forward	 as done by the assessee	 to the assessment year 1968 69. He	 therefore	 added back the sum of Rs.5	08	423 (the aggregate of the above two amounts) to the returned income for determining the total income for assessment year 1968 69. This action of the Income Tax Officer was confirmed by the Appellate Assistant Commissioner (A.A.C.). However	 on further appeal	 the Income tax Appellate Tribunal (A.T.) took a different view. It upheld the Income tax Officer 's stand that the firm could not be allowed to carry forward and set off the business loss carried from the earlier year. But	 so far as the unabsorbed depreciation was concerned	 it upheld the assesses contention. A reference to the High	 Court followed. The following two questions were referred to the High Court of Gujarat for its decision: 1. Whether on the facts and in the circumstances of the case	 the Tribunal was right in law in holding that the assessee registered firm is entitled to carry forward unabsorbed depreciation from earlier years and that it will be deemed to be an allowance in the nature of depreciation in the previous year	 relevant to assessment year 1968 69? 2. Whether the claim of the assessee to carry forward and set off loss of Rs.3	49	242 against its total income for the assessment year 1968 69 has been rightly rejected?" The High Court	 in a very detailed judgment	 discussed the issues threadbare and answered both the questions against the assessee and in favour of the Revenue. Hence the assesse 's appeal for the assessment year 1968 69 under a certificate of fitness granted by the High Court. For the assessment year 1967 68	 a full paper book containing all the orders and statement of facts has not been placed before us. However	 the petition of appeal gives a few facts which may be sufficient to dispose of the appeal. The relevant facts are these. For this assessment year	 the assessee filed a return on 30/6/67 showing a loss of Rs.7	87	515 but filed a revised return on 22/3/72 showing a loss of Rs.5	46	351. On 14 3 73 the I.T.O. completed the assessment determining a loss of Rs.4	85	250. (It will be noticed that the assessment order for 1968 69 gives a different figure and also shows its composition as partly loss	 partly unabsorbed depreciation and partly unab 917 sorbed development rebate but this is not very material for deciding the principle in issue before us). The assessee 's request that this loss should be carried forward to the subsequent assessment year was rejected by the I.T.O. This was confirmed by the A.A.C. on further appeal	 the A.T. confirmed the order of the A.A.C.	 following the High Court 's decision for assessment year 1968 69 which had by then been announced. Thereupon the following question of law was referred to the High Court for its opinion: "Whether	 on the facts and circumstances of the case	 the Tribunal was justified in rejecting the claim for carry forward of business loss in the hands of the firm in view of the decision reported in " The High Court answered the question in the affirmative following its earlier decision but granted a certificate of fitness for appeal to this Court. This is how the second appeal is before us. It will be seen from the above that	 though there are two appeals before us	 the question involved in both the appeals is the same. Before discussing the question at issue	 it may be useful to briefly summarise the procedure under the statute for determining the total income of an assessee in respect of a previous year. All income accruing or arising to the assessee and includible in his total income	 is	 to begin with	 classified (see section 14) under six different heads: A. Salaries. B. Interest on Securities: (recently omitted) C. Income from Property. D. Profits and gains of business	 profession or vocation. (briefly	 "business income") E. Capital gains F. Income from other sources. In computing the income of the assessee according to this classification	 two aspects have to be borne in mind. One is that	 even under the same head	 an assessee may have different sources. If so	 the 918 income has first to be arrived at in respect of each such source. Thus	 if an assessee carries on several businesses	 the income of each and every such	 business has to be separately computed by allowing against the gross profits and gains of that business only the deductions relevant and appropriate to that business. The second is that	 for arriving at the figure of income assessable under a particular head	 the individual figures in respect of all the sources have to be aggregated. Thus	 to take up the head	 "profits and gains of business	 profession or vocation"	 the statute contemplates the computation of the profits and gains of each business	 profession or vocation carried on by the assessee separately. The result of such computation may be either a profit or a loss. If all the businesses end in profits	 the profits are aggregated to arrive at a resultant figure of profits from "business". On the other hand	 if some of the businesses make profit and some of them result in a loss	 the profits and the losses have to be added together in order to arrive at the consolidated income under the head "profits and gains of business. " If the total amount of profits exceeds the total amount of losses	 there will be a positive income under this head	 assessable for that particular assessment year. If on the other hand the losses exceed the profits	 they will be "adjusted" against the profits	 so as to reduce the assessable income under the head to nil; in addition	 the losses of one or more businesses will remain "unabsorbed". There will thus be one resultant figure of profit or loss under each head. This is one aspect of the matter. This is the first stage of computation which we may call "intra head adjustments". This was not specifically provided for in the Indian Income tax Act	 1922 (the 1922 Act) but now finds specific mention in section 70 of the 1961 Act. section 24(1) of the 1922 Act and section 71 of the 1961 Act next contemplate a mutual set off of the losses under one head against the income under some other head subject to some exceptions (like speculation loss	 capital loss etc. which	 to avoid unnecessary complications and confusion	 we shall leave out of account). Thus if	 in any particular assessment year	 an assessee has incurred a loss under the head "business"	 this loss can be set off against the income earned by the assessee during that previous year under other heads. Thus	 for example	 if an assessee has got income by way of salary of Rs.20	000 and income from house property of Rs.25	000 but has sustained a loss of Rs.40	000 in business	 the Act envisages the set off of the loss of Rs.40	000 against the income of Rs.45	000 resulting in a total income of Rs.5	000 only. This is the second stage in the process of assessment which we may describe as "inter head adjustment" or "set off". 919 The Acts [section 24(2) of 1922 Act and section 72 of the 1961 Act] next envisage a third stage in the process of assessment which can ' be described as the process of "carry forward and set off". By this process	 the assessee is permitted to carry forward a loss he had not been able to adjust or set off in the first and second stages of assessment. This benefit is not available to all kinds of losses but	 subject to certain conditions and restrictions on which we need not dilate	 it is available to business losses. A business loss of one assessment year which remains "unabsorbed" by the processes of intra and inter head ;adjustments can be carried forward to the succeeding assessment years 	and can be set off against any other business income in those years. A modification to the above scheme had to be enacted in respect of partnership. Partnership firms are treated as separate assesses for the purposes of the Income Tax Acts. Under the Acts	 firms are classified into two registered firms and unregistered firms. Unregistered firms are distinct assesses which are liable to pay tax on their total income. The Acts provided that any unabsorbed loss in the case of such a firm could be carried forward only by the firm and not by it 's partners. However	 under the 1922 Act	 as it stood between 1939 and 1956	 registered firms were treated as assesses only to this extent that the total income (or loss) of the firm in any previous year was computed. However	 the firm itself was not liable to any income tax. The income of the firm was apportioned among its partners and each partner was assessed on his share of income from the firm. In this scheme	 it was obvious that	 as soon as the income or loss of a firm was computed	 there was nothing further to be done in the case of the firm; the income or loss became that of the partner for all practical purposes. A partner 's share of a business loss of the firm which remained unabsorbed became business loss in the hands of the partner liable to intera head adjustments	 inter head adjustments and carry forward as if the loss had been incurred by the partner himself. The Act	 therefore	 provided that in the case of registered firms the loss which could not be absorbed in the same assessment year by the other income of the firm could be carried forward to the subsequent year not by the firm itself but only by the partners. In other words	 each partner carried forward to subsequent years his share of the business loss of the firm and set it off against his business income	 whether from the firm or otherwise. There is a third category of unregistered firms assessed as registered the provisions regarding which are not relevant for our present purposes. Leaving them out of account	 the Acts outlined a very simple scheme stemmed from the basic fact that a registered firm was not liable to pay tax whereas an unregistered firm had to pay 920 tax. Under this scheme the full advantage of carry forward of the loss incurred by the firm was enjoyed by the partners in the case of a registered firm and in the case of an unregistered firm by the firm itself. The simplicity of the above scheme of assessment of registered and unregistered firms	 however	 was not allowed to last. In 1956	 the legislature decided that registered firms should also be made to pay a tax. This tax	 called "firm 's tax" was at rates lower than those applicable to unregistered firms and other assesses. Under the new scheme	 which became effective from 1.4.1956	 the total income of a registered firm is determined and it is liable to income tax thereon. The income of the firm (less the firm 's tax) is then apportioned among the partners (subject to certain adjustment as before). The share income of each partner is aggregated with the rest of his income to arrive at his total income on which he also pays tax. In this new scheme the question arises: "when the net result of a business carried on by a registered firm in a particular year is a loss	 who is to carry forward such loss? Is it the firm (as in the case of unregistered firms) or is it is the partners (as	 earlier	 in the case of registered firms) or both?" The answer to this question is furnished by the statute which	 while broadly continuing the scheme of assessment of registered firms with the modification indicated above	 makes a specific provision in regard to carry forward of losses. The provisions of Ss. 75 and 77 in their present form can be usefully extracted here (though they contain references to certain amended provisions which we need not touch upon): 75. Losses of registered firms: (1) Where the assessee is a registered firm	 any loss which cannot be set off against any other income of the firm shall be apportioned between the partners of the firm	 and they alone shall be entitled to have the amount of the loss set off and carried forward for set off under sections 70	 71	 72	 73	 74 and 74A. (2) Nothing contained in sub section (1) of section 72	 sub section (2) of section 73	 sub section (1) or sub section (3) of section 74 or sub section (3) of section 74A shall entitle any assessee	 being a registered firm	 to have its loss carried forward and set off under the provisions of the aforesaid section. 921 76. Losses of unregistered firms assessed as registered firms: In the case of an unregistered firm assessed under the provisions of clause (b) of section 183 in respect of any assessment year	 its losses for that assessment year shall be dealt with as if it were a registered firm. Losses of unregistered firms or their partners: 1) Where the assessee is an unregistered firm which has not been assessed as a registered firm under the provisions of clause (b) of section 183	 any loss of the firm shall be set off or carried forward and set off only against the income of the firm. (2) Where the assessee is a partner of an unregistered firm which has not been assessed as a registered firm under the provisions of clause (b) of section 183 and his share in the income of the firm is a loss	 then	 whether the firm has already been assessed or not (a) such loss shall not be set off under the provisions of section 70	 section 71	 sub section (1) of section 73 or section 74A; (b) nothing contained in sub section (1) of section 72 or sub section (2) of section 73 or sub section (1) or sub section (3) of section 74 or sub section (3) of section 74A shall entitle the assessee to have such loss carried forward and set off against his own income. In view of this specific provision the High Court	 following an earlier decision of the same High Court in C. I. T. vs Dhanji Shamji Mana vdar	[ 1974 ] I.T.R. 173 (Guj.) answered the second question referred to it in the reference relating to assessment year 1968 69 and the only referred in regard to the assessment year 1967 68 in favour of the Revenue and against the assessee. The correctness of this answer has not been challenged before us. The first question referred to the High Court in respect of assessment year 1968 69	 however	 arises in a slightly different way. It arises the context of "depreciation" which is one of the notional 922 allowances by which expression we mean a deduction in respect of an outgoing which is not an item of actual expenditure or is one	 which cannot be treated as an outgoing of a revenue nature permitted by the statute to be deducted in the computation of the profits and gains	 of a business. In a sense	 where the depreciation allowance exceeds the profits	 otherwise arrived at	 in respect of the business	 there will be a resultant "loss" in the business; and	 indeed	 the Department 's contention is that there is no difference between an unabsorbed loss and unabsorbed depreciation. It would	 however	 be useful to refer to the treatment meted out by the statute in respect of three items of deductions allowed in the computation of the profits of a business	 which may be larger than the profits of the business otherwise computed. One is the development rebate regarding which the statute provides that it has to be set off against the total income of the assessee so as to reduce it to nil and that the balance is	 to be carried forward to succeeding assessment years to be accorded a similar treatment. [See Ss. 10(2)(vib) of the 1922 Act and 33(2) of the 1961 Act]. This is an allowance which cannot be a constituent element of a figure of loss to be carried forward to later years and stands on a totally different footing. The second is the allowance for depreciation under S10(2)(vi) of the 1922 Act. In respect of this allowance	 section 10(12)(vi) provided that if full effect to the allowance could not be given in the assessment of an assessee for any assessment year	 the unabsorbed allowance could be carried forward and set off against business profits in succeeding assessment years indefinitely. This provision	 namely clause (b) of the proviso to section 10(2)(vi) of the 1922 Act after an addition in 1953 of the words underlined in the extract below reads thus	: " 10(2)(vi) . . Provided that . . (a) . . . (b) where	 in the assessment of the assessee or	 if the assessee is a registered firm	 in the assessment of its partners	 full effect cannot be given to any such allowance in any year not being a year which ended prior to the I April	 1939	 owing to there being no profits or gains chargeable for that year	 or owing to the profits	 or gains chargeable	 being less than the allowance	 then	 subject to the provisions of clause (b) of the proviso to sub section (2) of section 24	 the allowance or part of the allowance to which effect has not been given	 as the case may be	 shall be added to the. amount of the allowance for depreciation for the following year and 923 deemed to be the allowance for that year	 and so on for succeeding years. " This provision has	 in substance	 there are certain verbal differences which are not material for our purposes been re enacted as section 32(2) of the 1961 Act	 which now reads thus: B "32(2) Where	 in the assessment of the assessee (or	 if the assessee is a registered firm or an unregistered firm assessed as a registered firm	 in the assessment of its partners) full effect cannot be given to any allowance under clause (ii) of sub section ( 1) in any previous year	 owing to there being no profits or gains chargeable for that previous year	 or owing to the profits or gains chargeable being less than the allowance	 then	 subject to the provisions of sub section (2) of section 72 and sub section (3) of section 73	 the allowance or part of the allowance to which effect has not been given	 as the case may be	 shall be added to the amount of the allowance for depreciation for the following previous .year and deemed to be part of that allowance	 or if there is no such allowance for that previous year	 be deemed to be the allowance for that previous year	 and so on for the succeeding previous years. " The third type of allowance of this nature	 a carry forward of which is contemplated	 is an allowance in respect of expenditure on capital assets related to a business. This	 by virtue of clause (f) of the proviso to section 10(2)(xiv) of the 1922 Act	 re enacted in section 35(4) of the 1961 Act	 is treated on the same lines as the depreciation allowance dealt with in section 10(2)(vi) and section 32(2). We shall	 however	 leave this out of account in our future discussion as it is not material for the purposes of the present case and as	 in any event	 whatever is decided in regard to unabsorbed depreciation would apply equally in respect of such allowance as well. From the above discussion	 it will be seen that unabsorbed losses and unabsorbed depreciation are to be carried forward to future years to be set off against future income. There is	 however	 one important difference. Unabsorbed losses can be carried forward only for a period of eight years whereas unabsorbed depreciation can be carried forward indefinitely. A rule of priority of set off as between these two therefore becomes necessary and this is provided by section 72(2) of the 1961 Act which deals with carry forward of losses the counterpart of 924 the proviso to section 24(2) of the 1922 Act which reads thus: "Where any allowance or part thereof is	 under sub section (2) of section 32 or sub section (4) of section 35	 to be carried forward	 effect shall first be given to the provisions of this section. " This is the historical context and statutory language on the basis of which the issue before us has to be resolved. The issue is: when there is an unabsorbed depreciation computed in the assessment of a registered firm for any year	 how is it to be treated for purposes of carry forward? Three alternatives are possible: (i) It should be retained (without apportionment) and carried forward by the firm only. (ii) It should be apportioned among the partners. Thereafter	 it can be dealt with even for carry forward purposes only in the assessments of each of the partners in respect of his aliquot share thereof. (iii) It should be apportioned among the partners each of whom may set off his share thereof against his other income. If	 after this	 any amount remains unabsorbed	 it will revert to the firm. The firm will carry it forward. set it off against its other income in the succeeding year. This operation will be repeated every year indefinitely until the unabsorbed depreciation gets absorbed. The three alternatives will yield widely different results and hence the present controversy. On the above issue there has been a strong cleavage of opinion between the various High Courts. The view that unabsorbed depreciation once allocated to the partners cannot be taken back to the firm 's assessment for being carried forward by the firm and that the partners alone are entitled to carry forward the unabsorbed depreciation for being set off against their income	 has been taken in the following cases: (a) K. T. Wire Products vs Union of India	 (b) Garden Silk Weaving Factory	 and Garden Silk Weaving Factory	 (c) CIT vs Ram Swarup Gupta	 and Raj Narayan Aggarwala vs CIT	 ; (d) Shankaranarayana Construction Co. vs CIT	 The view that the unabsorbed depreciation	 after being carried forward by the partners and set off against their income	 reverts back to the registered firm for being carried forward and set off against its income and that any depreciation still remaining unabsorbed will again go to the partners and that if it still remained unabsorbed would revert back to the firm and so on	 has been accepted in: (a) Ballarpur Collieries Co. vs CIT	 219 and CIT vs Nagpur Gas & Domestic Appliances	 ; (b) CIT vs Nagapattinam Import and Export Corp.	 ; CIT vs Madras Wire Products	 and CIT vs Madras Wire Products	 ; (c) CIT vs Singh Transport Co.	 ; (d) CIT vs J. Patel & Co.	 ; (e) CIT vs Shrinivasa Sugar (Co.	 (f) Pearl Woollen Mills vs CIT	 and CIT vs Mahavir Steel Rolling Mills	5	 & H); and (g) CIT vs R. J. Trivedi & Sons	 Shri Harish Salve	 learned counsel for the assessee	 canvassed the latter of the above views but with a slight modification. He submitted that	 in the present case	 the firm as well as the partners had been returning losses all along with the result that no part of the unabsorbed depreciation of the firm had been set off in the partners ' hands. He	 therefore	 submitted that it was sufficient for him to urge the first of the three alternatives set out earlier and that he need not	 for the purposes of this case	 seek to support the third alternative	 upheld in some of the decisions	 which may create an impression in the mind that the assessee was deriving a double benefit by having the unabsorbed depreciation set off in the hands of both the firm and the partners. On the other hand	 Dr. Gaurishankar	 for the Revenue	 strongly advocated the second alternative. According to him	 once the assessment is completed	 and the total income or loss of the firm ascertained	 it has to be apportioned amongst the partners. Thereafter	 there remained nothing in the assessment of the firm to be carried forward. Only each of the partners can carry forward his share of the unabsorbed loss (and this	 according to him	 will include also the unabsorbed depreciation) for set off in his future assessments. The answer to the problem before us has to be discovered in the language of section 32(2) supplemented by that of other sections which deal with the mode of assessment of a firm and its partners. Before turning to these provisions	 it will be necessary to clear up one aspect of section 32(2) to which Sri Salve drew attention in the course of his reply. He pointed out that section 32(2) permits the carry forward of the depreciation allowance "where full effect cannot be given to it" owing to there being no profits or gains chargeable for that previous year	 or owing to the profits or gains chargeable being less than the allowance. Laying emphasis on the words "profits or gains"	 he contended that the carry forward of depreciation allowance is at a stage much anterior to that of the determination of the total income of the assessee. On this construction	 if an assessee A carries on two businesses	 in one of which there is 926 an unabsorbed depreciation of Rs. 15	000 and the profits and gains of the other business is only Rs. 10	000	 the net unabsorbed depreciation of Rs.5	000 has to be carried forward irrespective of the other income of the assessee in that year	 to the succeeding year. This contention	 however	 cannot be accepted. Though the section	 somewhat infelicitiously	 uses the expression "profits and gains" as it occurs in the statute in the fasciculus of sections dealing with the computation of business income	 the question of the carry forward of unabsorbed depreciation has always been understood and interpreted as arising only after the intra head and intra head adjustments	 referred to earlier	 have been carried out. Thus	 in the illustration given above	 if A has a property income of Rs.6	000 the unabsorbed depreciation of Rs.5	000 will be set off against the property income and there will be no unabsorbed depreciation left for being carried forward to the subsequent assessment year. This is because	 where the depreciation allowance attributable to a particular business exceeds the profits otherwise computed for that business	 the deduction of the depreciation allowance from such profits can only result in a "loss" from that business this	 however	 is subject to a limitation that will be discussed later and a business loss has to be set off against income from any other business	 by way of intera head adjustment	 under section 70 and the income under any other head	 by way of inter head adjustment	 under section 71. This principle indeed emerges even from the language of section 32(2) in so far as it implicitly recognises that the excessive depreciation of one business can be "given effect to" against the profits and gains of another business in the same year. This	 indeed	 is a well settled proposition	 and it should be sufficient to cite two decisions of this Court which make this clear	 In C.I.T. vs Jaipuria China Clay Mines (P) Ltd.	 [1966]591	T.R.555 this Court observed: "Mr. Shastri	 learned counsel for the revenue	 urges that depreciation	 although a permissible allowance under section 10(2) of the Act	 serves to compensate an assessee for the capital loss suffered by him by way of depreciation of his assets. He says that if it had not been expressly allowed as allowance	 it would have been treated as capital expenditure and would have been excluded. He further says that depreciation is a charge on the profits of a business. Bearing these two factors in mind	 he urges that the expression "loss of profits and gains" in section 24(1 does not include any deficiency resulting from depreciation and	 therefore	 an assessee is not entitled to ask the department to include the depreciation in the amount which can be set 927 off against income	 profits and gains under Other heads such as income from property or dividends. Mr. Rajagopala Shastri for the assessee relies on the history of the legislation and a number of authorities to support the judgment of the High Court. Apart from authority	 looking at the Act as it stood on April 1	 1952	 it is clear that the underlying idea of the Act is to assess the total income of an assessee. Prima facie	 it would be unfair to compute the total income of an assessee carrying on business without pooling the income from business with the income or loss under other heads. The second consideration which is relevant is that the Act draws no express distinction between the various allowances mentioned in section 10(2). They all have to be deducted from the gross profits and gains of a business. According to commercial principles	 depreciation would be shown in the accounts and the Profit and Loss account would reflect the depreciation accounted for in the accounts. If the profits are not large enough to wipe off depreciation	 the profits and loss account would show a loss. Therefore	 apart from proviso (b) to section 10(2)(vi)	 neither the Act nor commercial principles draw any distinction between the various allowances mentioned in section 10(2); the only distinction is that while the other allowances may be outgoings	 depreciation is not an actual outgoing." and expressly disproved the observations of the Madras High Court in C.I.T. vs Nagi Reddy	 [19641 that the deduction for depreciation should be limited to the amount of the profits and cannot result in working out a loss. The following observations in the more recent decision in Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. vs C.I.T.	 	 S.C. place the position beyond doubt: It is clear on a plain reading of the language of provision (b) to cl. (vi) that it comes into operation only where full effect cannot be given to the depreciation allowance for the assessment year in question owing to there being no profits or gains chargeable for that year or profits or gains chargeable being less than the depreciation allowance. Now	 it is well settled	 as a result of the decision of this court in CIT vs Jaipuria China Clay Mines (P) Ltd.	 	 that the words "no profits or gains chargeable for that year" are not confined to profits and gains derived 928 from the business whose income is being computed under section 10	 but they refer to the totality of the profits or gains computed under the various heads and chargeable to tax. It is	 therefore	 clear that effect must be given to depreciation allowance first against the profits or gains of the particular business whose income is being computed under section 10 and if the profits of that business are not sufficient to absorb the depreciation allowance	 the allowance to the extent to which it is not absorbed would be set off against the profits of any other business and if a part of the depreciation allowance still remains unabsorbed	 it would be liable to be set off against the profits or gains chargeable under any other head and it is only if some part of the depreciation allowance still remains unabsorbed that it can be carried forward to the next assessment year. Obviously	 therefore	 there would be no scope for the applicability of provision (b) to cl. (vi)	 if the total income of the assessee chargeable to tax is sufficient to absorb the depreciation allowance	 for then there would not be any unabsorbed depreciation allowance to be carried forward to the following assessment year. But where any part of the depreciation allowance remains unabsorbed after being set off against the total income chargeable to tax	 it can be carried forward under provision (b) to cl. (vi) to the following year and set off against that year 's income and so on for succeeding years. " The resultant position	 therefore	 is that initially	 the depreciation allowance has to be deducted from the profits and gains of the business to which the assets earning the depreciation relate but	 if it remains unabsorbed by such profits	 the allowance has to be set off against the other business income of the assessee and	 where that is also insufficient	 against the other taxable income of the assessee. The carry forward of any depreciation as unabsorbed cannot arise until the stage of final assessment is reached and the total income of the assessee otherwise computed is insufficient to absorb the year 's depreciation allowance. Sri Salve 's argument that the stage of carry forward of depreciation arises at a stage anterior to the completion of the assessment and determination of the total income cannot	 therefore	 be accepted. Shri Salve	 then	 contended that there is no statutory provision which enables the apportionment of the firm 's unabsorbed depreciation among the partners and that	 therefore	 the unabsorbed deprecia 929 tion has to be carried forward by the firm itself and none else. In our opinion	 this contention also is not well founded. section 182	 to the extent relevant for our present purposes	 reads "section 182. (]) Assessment of registered firms Not withstanding anything contained in section 143 and 144 and subject to the provisions of sub section (3)	 in the case of a registered firm	 after assessing the total income of the firm	 (i) the income tax payable by the firm shall be determined	 and (ii) the share of each partner in the income of the firm shall be included in his total income and assessed to tax accordingly. (2) If such share of any partner is a loss it shall be set off against his other income or carried forward and set off in accordance with the provisions of sections 70 to 75. (3) When any of the partners of a registered firm is a non resident	 the tax on his share in the income of the firm shall be assessed on the firm at the rate or rates which would be applicable if it were assessed on him personally	 and the tax so assessed shall be paid by the firm. (4) A registered firm may retain out of share of each partner in the income of the firm a sum not exceeding thirty percent thereof until such time as the tax which may be levied on the partner in respect of that share is paid by him; and where the tax so levied cannot be recovered from the partner	 whether wholly or in part	 the firm shall be liable to pay the tax	 to the extent of the amount retained or could have been so retained. " How this share is to be computed is set out in section 67 which may be set out here: section 67(1) Method of computing a partner 's share in the income of the firm In computing the total income of an assessee who is a partner of a firm	 whether the net result of the computation of total income of the firm is a profit or a 930 loss	 his share (whether a net profit or a net loss) shall be computed as follows: (a) any interest	 salary	 commission or other remuneration paid to any partner in respect of the previous year	 and	 where the firm is a registered firm or an unregistered firm assessed as a registered firm under clause (b) of section [183]	 the income tax	 if any	 payable by it in respect of the total income of the previous year	 shall be deducted from the total income of the firm and the balance ascertained and apportioned among the partners; (b) where the amount apportioned to the partner under	 clause (a) is a profit	 any salary	 interest	 commission or other remuneration paid to the partner by the firm in respect of the previous year shall be added to that amount	 and the result shall be treated as the partner 's share in the income of the firm; (c) where the amount apportioned to the partner under clause (a) is a loss	 any salary	 interest	 commission or other remuneration paid to the partner by the firm in respect of the previous year shall be adjusted against that amount	 and the result shall be treated as the partner 's share in the income of the firm. (2) The share of a partner in the income or loss of the firm	 as computed under sub section (1) shall	 for the purposes of assessment	 be apportioned under the various heads of income in the same manner in which the income or loss of the firm has been determined under each head of income. (3) Any interest paid by a partner on capital borrowed by him for the purposes of investment in the firm shall	 in computing his income chargeable under the head "Profits and gains of business or profession" in respect of his share in the income of the firm	 be deducted from the share. (4) If the share of a partner in the income of a registered firm or [an unregistered firm assessed as a registered firm under clause (b) of section 183	 as computed under this section	 is a loss	 such loss may be set off	 or carried forward and set off	 in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter. 931 Explanation: In this section	 "paid" has the same meaning as is assigned to it in clause (2) of section 23. 1. "Sri Salve contends that these provisions talk only of "loss" and that to take this expression as including "unabsorbed depreciation" as well will obliterate the distinction in the treatment meted out to these as separate items by section 32(2) and section 72(2) and (3). We think this argument is misconceived. An unabsorbed depreciation is indeed a part of the "loss". This is so because	 in the first place	 "depreciation" is a normal outgoing though in a sense notional	 which has to be debited in the computation of the profits of a business on commercial principles (quite apart from statute) and it is difficult to see why	 when such deduction yields a negative figure of profits	 it cannot be a "loss" as generally understood. Jaipuria definitely says so as pointed out earlier. Again	 as pointed out earlier	 if it is treated as a genus totally different from a "loss"	 there is"no statutory provision that will permit its adjustment against other business income implicit in section 32( '2) itself and against all other income of the assessee as held by the above decisions. We therefore do not see why "loss" and "unabsorbed depreciation should be treated as antithetical to	 or mutually exclusive of	 each other. Nor are we persuaded that any mix up or anomaly will result as	 suggested by counsel if we treat the expressions as synonymous except to the extent specifically treated differently by the statute. In our view	 there is nothing anomalous or absurd in the statute providing for a dissection of the amount of loss for purposes of carry forward and providing for a special or different treatment to unabsorbed depreciation in this regard although it is a component element of the genus described as "loss". To illustrate	 suppose an assessee	has a "profit" of Rs.5	000 in one business before deduction of depreciation of	 say	 Rs. 10	000 and a loss of Rs. 15	000 in another business	 it will be quite correct to say that he has a business loss of Rs.20	000 in that assessment year. But for purposes of carry forward this has to be considered under to headings: (a) an unabsorbed depreciation of Rs.5	000 and (b) a business loss of Rs. 15	000. The amount of Rs.20	000 will be carried forward to the subsequent year but the carry forward of Rs.5	000 will be according to the provisions of section 32(2) and the carry forward under section 72 will have	 perforce	 to be restricted to the other amount of Rs	 15	000. The language of section 72(2) itself contains an indication that	 where unabsorbed depreciation is a component of the figure of loss carried forward	 the amount of loss proper should be set off first and the unabsorbed depreciation later. But for the special treatment ac 932 corded by section 32(2) and section 72 for purposes of carry forward	 there is no difference between an item of "unabsorbed depreciation" and an item of "loss". We are	 therefore	 of opinion that the unabsorbed depreciation will be allocated among the partners and	 like any other loss	 will be available to the partner for set off against his business income or other income in the same assessment year. In fact section 32(2)	 in so far as it talks of depreciation being given effect to in the partners ' assessments recognises that such unabsorbed depreciation should be allocated among the partners. So the first of the three alternatives referred to by us earlier is	 in our opinion	 out. We now come to the crucial question as to what is to be done when the amount of unabsorbed depreciation does not get absorbed by the other income of the firm and	 further	 the aliquot shares of the partners therein do not also get absorbed in the partners ' assessments against their other income. There can be two answers to this: (1) that the partners in whose hands the unabsorbed depreciation has been allocated should carry forward the depreciation to succeeding years; or (2) that the amount of depreciation so remaining unabsorbed should be carried forward by the firm for set off in future assessments. We have given our most careful consideration to this matter	 particularly in view of the controversy of judicial decisions prevailing thereon	 and we have come to the conclusion that the second of these alternatives is what is truly envisaged by the statute. The most formidable obstacle put forward to this course is that	 once the unabsorbed depreciation gets divided and allocated to the partners	 there is no statutory provision for recalling	 to the firm 's "file"	 the amount remaining unabsorbed. We think this	 criticism really proceeds on an unduly narrow construction placed on the provisions of section 32(2). In our opinion	 section 32(2) itself contains an inbuilt mechanism for doing this. It is plain	 on the language of this sub section	 that the benefit of the carry forward is to be given to the assessee. Where the assessee is other than a registered firm or an unregistered firm assessed as a registered firm	 this is indeed very plain. In the case of this category of assessee	 the difficulty arises because of the words in parenthesis. But a moment 's thought will make it clear that the word "or" in the sub section is really used as a conjunctive. It cannot be an alternative	 for there can be no doubt that even in the case of such an assessee the 933 unabsorbed depreciation	 for reasons already set out	 has to be adjusted against its other income. The assessment of the firm cannot be complete without such a set off. Thus	 where a firm assessed as a registered firm	 has only unabsorbed depreciation of say	 Rs.8	000	 in the business carried on by it but a property income of Rs.12	000 its total income for the year has to be Rs.4	000; it cannot be assessed on an income of Rs. 12	000 with the depreciation of Rs.8	000 apportioned to its partners. We have already pointed out that the partner 's share in the unabsorbed depreciation is part of his share in the loss of the firm and	 by virtue of section 67(3)	 will be treated as business loss which is capable of adjustment against his business and other income. This is the position envisaged by section 32(2) when it talks of effect being given to the unabsorbed depreciation in the assessment of the partners. This can refer only to cases where the depreciation cannot be given effect to in the firm 's assessment. It is	 therefore	 clear that section 32(2) contemplates the situation where the unabsorbed depreciation in the hands of the firm is too large to get absorbed	 first	 in the hands of the firm and then	 after apportionment	 in the hands of the partners. What remains thereafter has obviously to be carried forward by the firm which is the assessee referred to in the sub section. Perhaps the meaning of the provision will become clearer if its relevant words are rearranged as follows: "Where full effect cannot be given to any (depreciation) in any previous year in the assessment of the assessee (whatever category it belongs to) and	 if the assessee is a registered firm or an unregistered firm assessed as a registered firm	 in the assessment of its partners . . . the allowance shall be added . . ". As in the case of all other assesses	 the carry forward will be available to the registered firm which is the assessee that is referred to in the sub section. This construction is also strengthened by the last part of the sub section. When it talks of the depreciation allowance carried forward being added to the allowance for depreciation for the following previous year it obviously refers to the depreciation allowance due to the assessee (that is	 the firm) in the subsequent previous year. In the normal run of cases	 it will thus either get added to the subsequent year 's depreciation in respect of the same assets and get set off against the income from the same business or some other business of the same assessee or	 failing that	 against other income of such assessee. What 934 the sub section clearly provides for is that the aggregate of the depreciation available to an assessee over the years will be taken into consideration for set off against its income over a period of years. No doubt	 the latter portion of section 32(2) does not envisage that the business carried on by the assessee in the subsequent years should be the same or that the assets to the depreciation in respect of which the unabsorbed depreciation is to be added should be the same or	 indeed	 that any depreciation at all should be allowable to the assessee in the subsequent year. It is no doubt true that the words of the sub section are so widely couched that they can	 with a certain amount of difficulty	 be rendered capable of application to the situation of each partner carrying forward his share of the unabsorbed depreciation for set off	 even where he has no business or business income	 against his other income. But we think that it is too strained a construction of the sub section. When	 as pointed out by Sri Salve	 there is nothing in the sub section or the Act specifically providing even for an apportionment of the depreciation among the partners	 it is too contrived a construction to read into the sub section several words intended to provide for a number of partners	 each carrying forward his share of the unabsorbed depreciation to successive assessment years. It seems natural and reasonable to construe the section as envisaging the following steps where the assessee is a registered firm: (i) Excessive depreciation should be adjusted in the assessment of the assessee against other business income and against other heads of income; (ii) Depreciation	 which remains unabsorbed under (i)	 will be apportioned to the partners and the share of each will be adjusted against the business and other income of each of the partners pro tanto; (iii) If full effect cannot be given to the depreciation allowance of the assessee by the above processes and some depreciation remains unadjusted	 the assessee firm will carry it forward to the succeeding assessment year. The objection to this course is based on a mental imagery of the firm and its partners as altogether different assesses and of the impermissibility of "bringing back" to the firm 's "file" what has gone away to the files of the partners. We think this approach of viewing the two assessments in water tight compartments is not correct. The Act itself contains several provisions [e.g. Ss. 67(2) & (3)] which indicate 935 that this is not so. The observations of this Court in Sankappa vs I. T. O.	 at pp. 766 7 also bring out the regions of inter dependence of these two assessments. In any event	 any such theoretical dichotomy cannot prevail over the provisions of section 32(2). There is also one further reason why this view should find acceptance. As we have pointed out earlier	 unabsorbed depreciation is only a species of business loss. But for purposes of carry forward the statute has drawn a distinction between them. In doing so	 it specifically out lines the procedure for carry forward and set off of losses in the case of a registered firm but is silent in regard to unabsorbed depreciation. There is no statutory prohibition against the carry forward of unabsorbed depreciation by the registered firm as there is against carry forward of loss. The need felt to enact a specific prohibition in respect of losses and the absence of a like provision in respect of depreciation are significant pointers in support of the above construction. An argument has been put forward by Dr. Gaurishankar on the basis of the amendment to the proviso to section 10(2)(vib) in 1953 to submit that it was intended to negative the claim of carry forward by the firm which was earlier being accepted on the strength of the earlier language resulting in a double advantage. Attention has been drawn to the objects and reasons of the amendment	 set out thus at p. 57 in (1952) 21 I.T.R. (Statutes): "The (amendment) is intended to make it clear that where unabsorbed depreciation has been effectively allowed in the assessment of a partner of a registered firm	 it would not be carried forward in the case of the firm." (emphasis added) It is true that the clause	 before its amendment	 permitted all assesses and this included registered firms as well to carry forward their unabsorbed depreciation and that though the registered firm paid no tax	 it could	 on the language claim a carry forward of the depreciation which had been apportioned among the partners. This resulted in such carry forward being claimed even where the whole or a part of the unabsorbed depreciation of the firm had been set off in the assessment of individual partners. The amendment	 vide the words emphasised in the extract above	 only seeks to make it clear that such carry forward will not be permitted to the extent it has been given effect to in the partners ' assessments; by necessary implication the carry forward	 to the extent it has not been effectively allowed to the partner	 continues 936 to be available. The amendment of 1953	 therefore	 not only does not help the case of the Revenue	 it actually lands support to the construction we are inclined to place on the proviso. It is possible that our conclusion may give scope for two grounds of criticism: (i) that the partners derive a double advantage of setting off the unabsorbed depreciation to reduce the taxable income of the firm as well as the partners; and (ii) that this will distort the relief available to various partners depending upon the variations in income as between the several partners as well as over a period of years. We do not think that the first criticism is a valid one. For it is now settled law	 that though a firm and its partners are distinct assesses for purposes of income tax	 the Act still recognises the principle that a firm is only a compendious name for its partners and that the business carried on by the firm is also a business carried on by each of the partners too vide section 67(2) and (4) and the loss of a registered firm is treated as the losses of its partners too. The procedure envisaged by it will only enable a firm and the partners to set off the aggregate of the unabsorbed depreciation of the firm against the aggregate income of the firm and partners. To the extent effect is given to such unabsorbed depreciation to one or more of the partners the firm cannot again get the benefit and vice versa. There is	 therefore	 really no double advantage. There is some point in the second criticism. But	 then	 a certain amount of imbalance among the partners is inherent in the application of any one of the three possible alternatives. If	 as suggested by Sri Salve	 only the firm and not the partners can carry forward the unabsorbed depreciation	 there will be an injustice to the partners who may have other income against which it could be set off. On the other hand	 if the unabsorbed depreciation is allocated to the partners and they alone can carry forward and set it off	 it will have this consequence that the partners who have other high income will derive the benefit of set off qua their shares but no benefit can be got by partners whose total income is not enough to offset their share of the depreciation and the unabsorbed depreciation will not get absorbed even though the firm may have sufficiently large income in subsequent years. In other words	 whichever procedure is adopted	 the relief available to the partners will not be uniform. This is a consequence flowing from the variations in the income sources of various partners and cannot be avoided under any scheme of carry forward and set off. We	 therefore	 do not think that this consideration should weigh against our reaching the conclusion which naturally flows from the language of the sub section. 937 For the reasons discussed above	 we are of the opinion that the assessee appellant firm is entitled to a carry forward of the unabsorbed depreciation computed for the assessment year 1967 68 and have it set off in its assessment for the assessment year 1968 69. The unabsorbed loss computed for the assessment year 1967 68	 however	 cannot be carried forward by the firm to be set off in its assessment for the assessment year 1968 69. So far as the assessment year 1967 68 is concerned	 the High Court was right in holding that unabsorbed business loss of one year cannot be carried forward and set off by the firm in a subsequent year; but	 if there was any unabsorbed depreciation computed for the assessment year 1966 67	 it could have been allowed to be brought forward and set off in the assessment for the assessment year 1967 68 in the manner discussed in the judgment. In the result	 appeals for both the assessment years are allowed to the extent indicated and the assessments directed to be modified appropriately. We	 however	 make no order regarding costs. V. P. R. Appeals allowed.

For the assessment year of 1968 69	 the assessee appellant	 a registered firm	 returned a total income of Rs.3	94	483 and a provisional assessment was made. Subsequently	 the Income Tax Officer found that for the said assessment year	 the assessee had made an income of Rs. 11	82	056 and deducting therefrom three figures viz.	 (i) unabsorbed depreciation: Rs.1	59	181; (ii) unabsorbed development rebate: Rs.2	79	150; and (iii) unabsorbed business loss: Rs.3	49	242	 aggregating to Rs.7	87	573 and arrived at the net income of Rs.3	94	483	 which had been returned and accepted. The three figures were the figures carried over from the previous year for the assessment year 1967 68. The Income Tax Officer allowed the unabsorbed development 910 rebate pertaining to the assessment year of 1967 68 to be carried for ward and set off in computing the total income for the assessment year of 1968 69	 but he did not allow the amounts of unabsorbed depreciation and unabsorbed business loss. He	 therefore	 added back the sum of Rs.5	08	423 (the aggregate of the amounts of unabsorbed depreciation and unabsorbed business loss) to the returned income for determining the total income for the assessment year of 1968 69. The action of the Income Tax Officer was confirmed by the Appellate Assistant Commissioners (A.A.C.). However	 on further appeal	 the Income tax Appellate Tribunal (A.T.) upheld the income tax Officer 's stand that the firm could not be allowed to carry forward and set off the business loss carried from the earlier year but	 so far as the unabsorbed depreciation was concerned	 it upheld the assessee 's contention. On these two issues a reference to the High Court was made and the High Court answered them against the assessee. For the assessment year 1967 68	 the assessee filed a return on 30.6.67 showing a loss of Rs.7	87	515 but filed a revised return on 22.3.1972 showing a loss of Rs.5	46	351. On 14.3.73 the I.T.O. completed the assessment determining a loss of Rs.4	85	250. The assessee 's request that this loss should be carried forward to the subsequent assessment year was rejected by the I.T.O. This was confirmed by the A.A.C. On further appeal	 the A.T. confirmed the order of the A.A.C.	 following the High Court 's decision for the assessment year 1968 69 which had by then been announced. The High Court answered the (question "Whether	 on the facts and circumstances of the case	 the Tribunal was justified in rejecting the claim for carry forward of business loss in the hands of the firm in view of the decision reported in 101I.T.R. 658? in the affirmative. Hence the assessee 's the appeals one appeal for the assessment year of 1968 69 and the other for the assessment year of 1967 68 under certificates of fitness granted by the High Court. On behalf of the assessee it was contended that the firm as well as the partners had been returning losses all along with the result that no part of the unabsorbed depreciation of the firm had been set off in the partner 's hands; that when there was an unabsorbed depreciation computed in the assessment of a registered firm for any year	 for the 911 purpose of carry forward	 it should be retained and carried forward by the firm only. On the other hand	 it was submitted for the Revenue that once the assessment was completed and the total income or loss of the firm ascertained	 it had to be apportioned amongst the partners. Thereafter there remained nothing in the assessment of the firm to be carried forward. Only each of the partners can carry forward his share of the unabsorbed loss	 which also included the unabsorbed depreciation	 as there was no difference between unabsorbed loss and unabsorbed depreciation; and that the amendment to the proviso to section 10(2)(vib) in 1953 of depreciation was intended to negative the claim of carry forward	 by the firm which was earlier being accepted on the strength of the earlier language resulting in a double advantage. Allowing the appeals	 this Court	 HELD: 1. "Depreciation" is one of the notional allowances which expression means a deduction in respect an outgoing which is not an item of actual expenditure or is one which cannot be treated as an outgoing of a revenue nature permitted by the statute to be deducted in the computation of the profits and gains of a business. [921H 922B] 2. Initially	 the depreciation allowances has to be deducted from the profits and gains of the business to which the assets earning the depreciation relate but	 if it remains unabsorbed by such profits	 the allowance has to be set off against the other business income of the assessee and	 where that is also insufficient	 against the other taxable income of the assessee. The carry forward of any depreciation as unabsorbed cannot arise until the stage of final assessment is reached and the total income of the assessee otherwise computed is insufficient to absorb the year 's depreciation allowance. [928E G] 3. An unabsorbed depreciation is a part of the "loss". This is so because	 in the first place	 "depreciation" is a normal outgoing	 though in a sense notional	 which has to be debited in the computation of the profits of a business on commercial principles (quite apart from statute) and it is difficult to see why	 when such deduction yields a negative figure of profits	 it cannot be a "loss" as generally understood. Where the depreciation allowance attributable to a particular business exceeds the profits otherwise computed for that business	 the deduction of the depreciation allowance from such profits can only result in a "loss" from that business and a business loss has to be set off against income 912 from any other business	 by way of intra head adjustment	 under section 70 and the income under any other head	 by way of intra head adjustment	 under section 71. This is implicit in the provision that the excessive depreciation of one business can be "given effect toll against the profits and gains of another business in the same year and has been recognised by decisions holding that it can be set off against income from other heads. If unabsorbed depreciation is treated as a genus totally different from a "loss"	 there is no statutory provision that will permit its adjustment against other business income implicit in section 32(2) itself and against all other income of the assessee. "Loss" and "unabsorbed depreciation" should not be treated as antithetical to	 or mutually exclusive of	 each other. However	 there is nothing anomalous or absurd in the statute providing for a dissection of the amount of loss for purposes of carry forward and providing for a special or different treatment to unabsorbed depreciation in this regard although it is a component element of the genus described as "loss" [931B C	 926C E	 93IC F] 4. Unabsorbed losses and unabsorbed depreciation are to be carried forward to future years to be set off against future income. There is	 however	 one important difference. Unabsorbed losses can be carried forward only for a period of eight years whereas unabsorbed depreciation can be carried forward indefinitely. [923G H] 5. There is also difference between the two in the matter of their carry forward in the case of assessment of a registered firm. In this case	 the unabsorbed loss cannot be carried forward by the firm at all. The statute clearly so provides. So far as unabsorbed depreciation is concerned	 three alternatives are possible to be urged: (i) It should be retained (without apportionment) and carried forward by the firm only. (ii) It should be apportioned among the partners. Thereafter	 it can be dealt with even for carry forward purpose only in the assessment of each of the partners in respect of his aliquot share thereof. (iii) It should be apportioned among the partners each of whom may set off his share thereof against his other income. If	 after this	 any amount remains unabsorbed	 it will revert to the firm. The firm will carry it forward	 set it off against its other income in the succeeding year. This operation will be repeated every year indefinitely until the unabsorbed depreciation gets absorbed. [924B E] 6. The third alternative is the correct one: (a) The unabsorbed depreciation should be allocated among the partners and	 like any other loss	 will be available to the partners to the extent of his share therein for set off against his business income or other income in the same 913 assessment year. In fact section 32(2)	 in so far as it talks of depreciation being given effect to in the partners ' assessments recognises that such unabsorbed depreciation should be allocated among the partners. The question is what is to be done thereafter. [932A B] (b) When there is nothing in the sub section or the Act specifically providing even for an apportionment of the depreciation among the partners	 it is too contrived a construction to read into the sub section several words intended to provide for a number of partners	 each carrying forward his share of the unabsorbed depreciation to successive assessment years. It seems natural and reasonable to construe the section as envisaging the following steps where the assessee is a registered firm: (i) Excessive depreciation should be adjusted in the assessment of the assessee against other business income and against other heads of income; (ii) Depreciation	 which remains unabsorbed under (i)	 will be apportioned to the partners and the share of each will be adjusted against the business and other income of each of the partners pro tanto; (iii) If full effect cannot be given to the depreciation allowance of the assessee by the above processes and some depreciation remains unadjusted	 the assessee firm will carry it forward to the succeeding assessment year. [934C G] (c) The sub section	 before its 1953 amendment	 permitted all assesses and this included registered firms as well to carry forward their unabsorbed depreciation so that though the registered firm paid no tax	 it could	 on the language claim a carry forward of the depreciation which had been apportioned among the partners. This resulted in such carry forward being claimed even where the whole or a part of the unabsorbed depreciation of the firm had been set off in the assessment of individual partners. The amendment only seeks to make it clear that such carry forward will not be permitted to the extent it has been given effect to in the partners ' assessments; by necessary implication	 the carry forward	 to the extent it has not been effectively allowed to the partner	 continues to be available. The amendment of 1953	 therefore	 does not help the case of the Revenue. [935F 936A] (d) The objection to the above course is also based on a mental imagery of the firm and its partners as altogether different assesses 914 and of the impermissibility of "bringing back" to the firm 's "file" what has gone away to the* files of the partners. This approach of viewing the two assessments in water tight compartments for all purposes is not correct. In any event	 any such theoretical dichotomy cannot prevail over the provisions of section 32(2). [934G 935A] (e) The construction suggested does not result in any double advantage to the partners. [936D] (f) It is true that the construction may result in a certain amount of imbalance in the quantum of relief available as among different partners. But similar imbalance is inherent in the application of any of the three possible alternatives. [936E F] 7. The assessee appellant firm is entitled to carry forward the unabsorbed depreciation computed for the assessment year 1967 68 and have it set off in its assessment for the assessment year 1968 69. The unabsorbed loss for the assessment year	 1967 68	 however	 cannot be carried forward by the firm to be set off in its assessment for the assessment year 1968 69. [937A B] K. T. Wire Products vs Union of India	 ; Garden Silk Weaving Factory	 ; Garden Silk Weaving Factory	 C. I. T. vs Ram Swarup Gupta	 ; Raj Narayan Aggarwala vs C.I.T.	 [1979] 75 ITR I (Del.); Shankaranarayana Construction Co. vs C. I. T.	 ; Ballarpur Collieries Co. vs C.I.T.	 ; C. 1. T. vs Nagpur Gas & Domestic Appliances	 ; CIT vs Nagapattinam Import and Export Corp.	 ; CIT vs Madras Wire Products	 ; CIT vs Madras Wire Products	 ; CIT vs J. Patel & Co.	 ; CIT vs Shrinivas Sugar Co.	 ; CIT vs Singh Transport Co.	 ; Pearl Wollen Mills vs CIT	 ; CIT vs Mahavir Steel Rolling Mills	 & H) and CIT vs R. J. Trivedi & Sons	 	 referred to. IT vs Jaipuria China Clay Mines (P.) Ltd.	 and Rajapalayam Mills Ltd. vs C. I. T.	 	 followed.