HIGH COURT OF CALCUTTA
SANKAR PRASAD MITRA, SABYASACHI MUKHERJI
COMMISSIONER OF INCOME-TAX - Appellant
Versus
TRUSTEES TO THE TRUST ESTATE OF TARUN KUMAR ROY - Respondent
Income-Tax Reference 20 Of 1967
Decided On : FEBRUARY 1, 1973
INCOME TAX - Assessment of trust income - Applicability of maximum rate of tax under Section 41(1) proviso - Whether the proviso applies to income other than the monthly income payable to the settlor's wife in the hands of the trustees.
Fact of the Case:
The assessee, trustees of the estate of late Tarun Kumar Roy, challenged the assessment of trust income at the maximum rate under Section 41(1) proviso of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922. The trust deed provided for specific payments to the settlor's wife, marriage expenses of the sons and daughter, and ultimate distribution of the accumulated income among the sons. The dispute centered around whether the proviso applied to the income other than the monthly allowance payable to the settlor's wife.
Finding of the Court:
The court held that the proviso to Section 41(1) would not apply to the income other than the monthly allowance payable to the settlor's wife. The court reasoned that the proviso applies when the income is received on behalf of any one specific person or when the individual shares of the beneficiaries are determinate and known. In this case, the income was received on behalf of a plurality of persons, and the individual shares of the beneficiaries were not determinate or known until the happening of certain contingencies or the exhaustion of the trust.
Issues: 1. Whether the proviso to Section 41(1) of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922, applies to the income other than the monthly income payable to the settlor's wife in the hands of the trustees. 2. Whether the individual shares of the beneficiaries were determinate or known in the relevant assessment years.
Ratio Decidendi: 1. The proviso to Section 41(1) applies when the income is received on behalf of any one specific person or when the individual shares of the beneficiaries are determinate and known. 2. In this case, the income was received on behalf of a plurality of persons, and the individual shares of the beneficiaries were not determinate or known until the happening of certain contingencies or the exhaustion of the trust. Therefore, the proviso does not apply to the income other than the monthly allowance payable to the settlor's wife.
Final Decision: The court answered the question referred to it by stating that the maximum rate of tax could not be applied under the 1st proviso to Section 41 of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922, so far as the monthly payment of Rs. 500 to Smt. Surama Sundari Roy is concerned. However, the maximum rate would be applicable under Section 41(1) of the Act so far as the rest of the income in the hands of the trustees is concerned.
( 1 ) IN this reference under Section 66 (1) of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922, the following question has been referred to this court:" Whether, on the facts and in the circumstances of the case, and on a correct construction of the trust deed, dated the 19th July, 1957, the Tribunal was right in holding that the maximum rate of tax could not be applied in this case under the 1st proviso to Section 41 (1) of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922 ?"
( 2 ) THE assessee in this case are the trustees to the estate of late Tarun Kumar Roy. The assessment years involved are 1959-60, 1960-61 and 1961-62. For the first assessment year the previous year is the broken period starting from the date following the death of the creator of the trust, that is, 21st of Pous, 1365 B. S. (7-1-59) to 31st of Chaitra (13-4-59) and for the subsequent two years the previous years are the Bengali years 1366 and 1367. By a deed dated 19th of July, 1957, Tarun Kumar Roy transferred several house properties, bustees, landed properties in Calcutta and settled them on trust for the future benefit of his wife and children. It would be relevant in view of the question referred to mention the relevant clauses of the said trust deed. The settlor after appointing himself as the first trustee and making the subsequent appointment of trustees after his death provided, inter alia, as follows :" (1) The sum of Rs. 500 (rupees five hundred) per month to the settlor's said wife, Smt. Surama Sundari Roy, during her life without any abatement, deduction or diminution, for and towards the maintenance of herself and that of Smt. Sabita Rani Roy alias Lakshmi until the marriage of the said daughter PROVIDED HOWEVER that if the said Srimati Surama Sundari Roy dies before the marriage of Sabita Rani Roy, then and in that event the succeeding trustees shall pay Rs. 200 (rupees two hundred) only for and towards the maintenance, education and other expenses of the said Sabita Rani Roy alias Lakshmi until her marriage, (2) That the succeeding trustees shall hold and set apart the balance of all such net rents, issues and profits with liberty to them to invest the same or portion thereof in approved securities and/or in immovable properties including lease-hold properties and shall apply the same or portion thereof together with all monies which may become available at the time and represent accretions and accumulation of the trust estate, towards the expenses of the marriage of each of the settlor's two sons and beneficiaries, viz. , the said Barun Kumar Roy and Basudev Kumar Roy. respectively, a sum of Rs. 8,000 (rupees eight thousand only) on each marriage and shall similarly apply and spend for and towards the expenses of marriage of the said Smt. Sabita Rani Roy alias Lakshmi, the minor daughter of the settlor, and also a beneficiary the sum of Rs. 15,000 (rupees fifteen thousand only), if for any reason such marriages do not or, any of them does not take place during the lifetime of the first trustee and sole beneficiary for life. (3) The succeeding trustees shall set apart for the use of and allow the said Srimati Surama Sundari Roy from and after the death of her husband, the settlor, for and during the term of her natural life, to reside with her said daughter, Smt. Sabita Rani Roy, until her marriage in the entire first floor of and in the messuage tenament, dwelling house and premises No. 43b, Bonamali Sarkar Street, Calcutta, and pay all municipal rates and taxes as also all other taxes and outgoings whatsoever in respect of the said specified portion of and in the said dwelling house and premises No. 43b, Bonamali Sarkar Street, so allotted for their residence as aforesaid and shall from time to time cause necessary repairs to be made thereto as long as the said Smt. Surama Sundari Roy and/or her said daughter, Sabita Rani Roy, alias Lakshmi, shall live and enjoy the said portion in the said house and premises. (4) That after the death of Smt.
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