ITAT Deletes Addition; Holds Mere Long Outstanding Liability Does Not Amount to Cessation

Max Media Technologies Pvt. Ltd., engaged in import and resale of mobile phones and accessories, filed its return for AY 2013-14 declaring a loss of Rs. 1,42,598. During scrutiny, the AO noticed outstanding sundry creditors relating to two Hong Kong suppliers from earlier years and proposed to treat Rs. 43,79,941 as income under Section 41(1) on the ground of cessation of liability.

The assessee submitted ledger accounts, invoices, bills of entry and confirmations to show that the amounts were real trade liabilities and had neither been written back nor waived during the year. The AO, relying on CIT v. T.V. Sundaram Iyengar & Sons Ltd., treated the amount as income. The CIT(A) affirmed the addition, leading to the appeal before the ITAT.

Main Issue: Whether long-pending trade liabilities, without actual remission or cessation during the relevant year, can be taxed as income under Section 41(1) of the Income Tax Act.

Tribunal Held: The ITAT deleted the addition and allowed the appeal. The Tribunal held that Section 41(1) is attracted only when the assessee derives a benefit by way of remission or cessation of a trading liability during the relevant year.

It noted that the assessee had neither written off the liabilities in its books nor obtained any waiver in AY 2013-14. There was no material to show that the liability had ceased or that any benefit accrued to the assessee in that year. The Tribunal further observed that the suppliers granted waiver only in FY 2023-24 and the assessee duly offered the amount to tax in AY 2024-25, clearly showing that no cessation occurred in the year under consideration.

Therefore, the addition under Section 41(1) was directed to be deleted.

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