IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Manmohan, Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, JJ.
Commissioner Of Income Tax (international Taxation)-2 - Appellant
Versus
Nagravision S.A. - Respondent
ITA 348 of 2022
Decided On : 21-09-2022
Income Tax - Royalty Definition - Application of Supreme Court Judgment
Fact of the Case:
The present income tax appeal challenges the order passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal for the Assessment Year 2017-18. The appellant claimed that the issues raised in the appeal were covered by the appellant's own case and a recent judgment of the Hon'ble Apex Court.
Finding of the Court:
The court found that the issues raised in the appeal were identical to those already decided in the appellant's own case and covered by the recent judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The court noted that the revenue had not accepted the decision in the recent judgment but there was no stay of the judgment. Consequently, the court held that no substantial question of law arose for consideration and dismissed the appeal.
Issues: The issues raised in the appeal were related to the classification of income from the supply of CAS and middleware products to Indian customers under the 'royalty' as defined under Section 9(1)(vi) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 and Article 12(3) of the India-Swiss DTAA.
Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the judgment of the Supreme Court in a similar case and held that no substantial question of law arose for consideration in the present appeal.
Final Decision: The court dismissed the appeal as no substantial question of law arose for consideration.
JUDGMENT
Manmohan, J. (Oral) - Present income tax appeal has been filed challenging the order dated 31st January, 2022 passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal ('ITAT') in ITA No. 140/Del./2021 for the Assessment Year 2017-18. The relevant portion of the impugned order is reproduced hereinbelow:-
'4.2 It was also claimed by the Appellant that issues raised in grounds no 3 and 4, are squarely covered by the order of the Hon'ble Tribunal in Appellant's own case i.e. ITA No.9130/Del/2019 AY 2016-17 decided on 06-07-2020 and recent Judgement of the Hon'ble Apex Court in Engineering Analysis Centre for Excellence Private Limited Vs Commissioner of Income Tax & Another - AIR 2021 SC 124/432 ITR 471(SC).
4.3 The Ld. DR did not refute the claim of the Appellant.
4.4 We have given thoughtful consideration to the submissions of the Appellant and perused the order and judgment as referred above by the Appellant and observed that the issues under consideration as raised vide grounds no. 3 and 4 in this appeal, are identically the same, as have been decided by the Hon'ble Tribunal in Appellant's own case i.e. ITA No.9130/Del/2019 for the previous AY 2016-17 decided on 06-07-2020 and even covered by the recent judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Engineering Analysis Centre for Excellence Private Limited vs. Commissioner of Income Tax & Another (Supra).'
2. Learned counsel for the Appellant states that the ITAT has erred in holding that the income from supply of CAS and middleware products to indian customers, does not fall under the 'royalty' as defined under Section 9(l)(vi) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 ('the Act') and Article 12(3) of the India- Swiss DTAA.
3. Admittedly, the questions of law urged in the present appeal are covered by the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellence Pvt. Ltd. Vs. CIT 432 ITR 471 SC.
4. At this stage, learned Counsel for the Appellant states that the revenue has not accepted the decision in Engineering Analysis (supra) and has preferred a review petition against the same.
5. Though the review petition in Engineering Analysis (supra) is pending before the Supreme Court, yet there is no stay of the said judgment till date.
6. Consequently, in view of the judgments of the Supreme Court in Kunhayammed and Others Vs. State of Kerala And Another, (2000) 6 SCC 359 and Shree Chamundi Mopeds Ltd. Vs. Church of South India Trust Association CSI Cinod Secretariat, Madras (1992) 3 SCC 1, the present appeal is covered by the judgment of the Supreme Court in Engineering Analysis (supra).
7. Accordingly, no substantial question of law arises for consideration in the present appeal and the same is dismissed.
The main legal point established in the judgment is the application of the Supreme Court judgment in determining the classification of income under the 'royalty' definition.
Income from the supply of CAS and middleware products does not constitute 'royalty' under the Income Tax Act or the India-Swiss DTAA, as reaffirmed by the Supreme Court.
The principle of judicial discipline mandates that the High Court is bound to follow the judgment and order of the apex Court till it is set aside.
Courts may dismiss appeals if the proposed questions are already covered by previous judgments, and no substantial question of law arises.
The High Court upheld the ITAT's ruling that software receipts are not taxable as royalty under the India-UK DTAA, following binding Supreme Court precedent.
Taxation of software sales classified as copyrighted articles is not subject to royalty under DTAA; remand for reassessment aligns with established legal precedents.
The court ruled that remand orders by the ITAT for reassessing royalty issues were appropriate and subsequent adjudications made the appeal infructuous.
The classification of income as 'royalty' under the India-Netherlands DTAA remains subject to the precedent set in a related judgment, unaffected by pending appeals.
Login now and unlock free premium legal research
Login to SupremeToday AI and access free legal analysis, AI highlights, and smart tools.
Login
now!
India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!
Copyright © 2023 Vikas Info Solution Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.