ORDER :

S.H. Kapadia, H.L. Dattu, Deepak Verma, JJ.

Delay condoned in SLP (C) No. CC 10437 of 2009.

Leave granted.

2. In income tax matters, it is well settled that if the question is not properly framed, then, at times, confusion arises resulting in wrong answers. The present batch of civil appeals is an illustration of the proposition mentioned hereinabove. In the synopsis to the civil appeal arising out of SLP (C) No. 18045 of 2009, the question raised by the Department is whether the assessee was entitled to claim interest on interest under the provisions of Section 244-A of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In our view, on facts, the question framed was totally erroneous.

3. Annexure P-l is income tax computation in civil appeal arising from SLP (C) No. 18045 of 2009. On going through the computation, we find that during Assessment Year 1993-1994, the amount paid by the assessee towards TDS was Rs. 45,73,528. The tax paid after original assessment was Rs. 1,71,00,320. The total of TDS amounting to Rs. 45,73,528 plus tax paid after original assessment of Rs. 1,71,00,320 stood at Rs. 2,16,73,848. In other words, the total tax paid had two components viz. TDS + Tax paid after original assessment. The respondent was entitled to the refund of Rs. 2,16,73,848 (consisting of Rs. 1,71,00,320 and Rs. 45,73,528 which payment was made after 57 months and which is the only item in dispute). The assessee claimed statutory interest for delayed refund of Rs. 45,73,528 for 57 months between 1-4-1993 and 31-12-1997 in terms of Section 244-A of the Income Tax Act. Therefore, this is not a case where the assessee is claiming compound interest or interest on interest as is sought to be made out in the civil appeals filed by the Department.

4. The next question which we are required to answer is - What is the meaning of the words "refund of any amount becomes due to the assessee" in Section 244-A?

5. In the present case, as stated above, there are two components of the tax paid by the assessee for which the assessee was granted refund, namely, TDS of Rs. 45,73,528 and tax paid after original assessment of Rs. 1,71,00,320. The Department contends that the words "any amount" will not include the interest which accrued to the respondent for not refunding Rs. 45,73,528 for 57 months. We see no merit in this argument. The interest component will partake of the character of the "amount due" under Section 244-A. It becomes an integral part of Rs. 45,73,528 which is not paid for 57 months after the said amount became due and payable. As can be seen from the facts narrated above, this is the case of short payment by the Department and it is in this way that the assessee claims interest under Section 244-A of the Income Tax Act. Therefore, on both the aforestated grounds, we are of the view that the assessee was entitled to interest for 57 months on Rs. 45,73,528. The principal amount of Rs. 45,73,528 has been paid on 31-12-1997 but not of interest which, as stated above, partook the character of "amount due" under Section 244-A.

6. For the aforestated reasons, the civil appeal arising out of SLP (C) No. 18045 of 2008 filed by the Department fails and is dismissed, with no order as to costs.

In view of the above order, the civil appeals arising out of SLP (C) No. 18046 of 2009 and CC No. 10437 of 2009, filed by the Department, are also dismissed, with no order as to costs.