Judgment

HEGDE, J.:- These are appeals by certificate. A common question of law is involved in these appeals. These appeals relate to a common assessee but arise from three different assessments in respect of three different assessment years (1956-57 to 1958-59), the accounting years being the respective calendar years.

2. The question of law arising for the decision is whether the assessee was entitled to claim deduction of compound interest under S. 9 (1) (iv) of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922. The High Court answered that question in the negative and in favour of the Department. Aggrieved by that decision the assessee has come up in appeal to this court.

3. To decide the question set out above, it will be sufficient if we refer to the facts relating to one of the assessment years i.e. 1956-57. The material facts are as follows :

The assessee is a trustee of a house property at Chandmari Road, Howrah. In respect of that house there was a title suit filed by one Durga Prasad Chamria against Smt. Anardeyi and others claiming title over that property and for other reliefs. A consent decree was passed in that suit on April 19, 1928. Under the terms of that decree the aforementioned house property was held to belong to Smt. Anardeyi Sethani but she was to make a payment of Rs. 8,61,000/- to the plaintiff therein. There was stipulation for the payment of compound interest on the unpaid amount @ 6 3/4 % with yearly rests. It was further provided therein that Rs. 4,25,000/- was to be paid on the execution of the terms of settlement and thereafter monthly instalments of Rs. 35,000/- for seventeen months and the balance in the 18th month. The terms of the compromise were not adhered to inasmuch as there were defaults in payment of interest. After making the payment on February 19, 1945, there still remained outstanding Rs. 2,70,536/. The interest on this amount @ 6 3/4 % for a year worked out to Rs. 18,000/-. The assessee, however, calculated the total interest payable at Rs. 38,221/- for the assessment year 1956-57, relying on the clause in the agreement providing for payment of compound interest. The Income-tax Officer gave a deduction of Rs. 18,000/only, on the basis of simple interest at the rate of 6 3/4 % per annum. The assessee s appeal against this order was dismissed by the Appellate Assistant Commissioner and later on by the Tribunal. Thereafter, at the instance of the assessee the following question of law was referred to the High Court, in respect of the assessment year 1956-57:

"Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, and on a true construction of the words interest payable on such capital in S. 9 (1) (iv) of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922, the amount of interest allowable was Rs. 18,000/- or Rs. 38,221/-?"

The questions referred to for the remaining assessment years are more or less similar. The High Court answered those questions, as mentioned earlier, in favour of the Department.

4. Herein we are called upon to consider the true scope of S. 9 (1) (iv) of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922. The relevant portion of that section reads thus:

"(1) The tax shall be payable by an assessee under the head Income from Property in respect of the bona fide annual value of property consisisting of any buildings or lands appurtenant thereto of which he is the owner, other than such portions of such property as he may occupy for the purposes of any business, profession or vocation carried on by him the profits of which are assessable to tax, subject to the following allowances, namely:

(i) ........................

(ii) .......................

(iii) ......................

(iv) where the property is subject to a mortgage or other capital charge, the amount of any interest on such mortgage or charge; where the property is subject to an annual charge not being a capital charge, the amount of such charge; where the property is subject to a ground rent the amount of such ground rent; and, where the property has been acquired, c