C.I.T., CENTRAL-III, N.DELHI Vs HCL TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Bench: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R.K. AGRAWAL, HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE R. BANUMATHI
Judgment by: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE R.K. AGRAWAL
Case number: C.A. No.-008489-008490 / 2013
Diary number: 32467 / 2010
Advocates: ANIL KATIYAR Vs
KAVITA JHA
REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 8489-8490 OF 2013
Commissioner of Income Tax, Central-III …..Appellant(s)
Versus
HCL Technologies Ltd. …. Respondent(s)
WITH CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8535 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8555-8556 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.7853 of 2012 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8789 of 2012 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8559 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8558 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NOs.8529-8530 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8515 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8557 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8524 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8518 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8525 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8539 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4392 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 5345 OF 2014)
CIVIL APPEAL NO.8562 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8533 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.7854 of 2012 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8560 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4393 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 31028 OF 2012)
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CIVIL APPEAL NO.8537 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8543 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8492 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 8540-8541 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8542 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8551 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8494 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8527 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.4543 of 2014 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8536 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8500 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8506 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8553 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8499 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8526 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8501 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8538 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8491 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.1098 of 2016 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8505 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8510 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8513 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8507 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8504 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8503 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8519 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8927 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8791 of 2012 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8528 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8523 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8554 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8509 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NOs. 8521-8522 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.147 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8912 of 2012 CIVIL APPEAL NO.6594 of 2015 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8561 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8531 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8544 of 2013
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CIVIL APPEAL NO.8550 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.8545 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4394 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 35917 OF 2012)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8929 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO.1099 of 2016 CIVIL APPEAL NO.10830 of 2014
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4395 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 3617 OF 2013)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8552 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8495 of 2013 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 8493 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL (C) NO. 4557 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) No.11209 OF 2018 @ SLP(Civil) CC NO. 17047 OF 2013)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4537 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 32318 OF 2013)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 9202 of 2013
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4538 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 36443 OF 2013)
CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 4396-4397 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NOs. 8818-8819 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4293 of 2014
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4443 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 25556 OF 2014)
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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4540 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 23077 OF 2014)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 9167 of 2016
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4444 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 28607 OF 2014)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4445 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 29978 OF 2014)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4447 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 26753 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 646-647 of 2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4398 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 34486 OF 2014)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4399 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) No. 34487 OF 2014)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 77 of 2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4450 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 1923 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4452 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 312 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4541 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 1179 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4455 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 13074 OF 2015)
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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1951 of 2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4544 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 26474 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4458 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 12558 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4400 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 21974 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4542 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 20515 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4461 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 24213 OF 2015)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 9250 of 2015
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4464 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 11831 OF 2016)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4427 of 2016
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4611 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 31420 OF 2016)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 9319 of 2016 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2999 of 2017
CIVIL APPEAL NO.4614 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 6983 OF 2017)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2998 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3059 of 2017
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4612 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 32723 OF 2016)
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CIVIL APPEAL NO. 11716 of 2016
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 4613 OF 2018 (Arising out of Special Leave Petition (C) NO. 36154 OF 2016)
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 911 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3948 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2419 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1535 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1536 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3797 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 2420 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3060 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3275 of 2017 CIVIL APPEAL NO. 3651 of 2017
J U D G M E N T R.K. Agrawal, J.
1) Leave granted.
2) These appeals have been filed against the impugned
judgment and order dated 15.12.2009 passed by the High Court
of Delhi in ITA Nos. 1244 and 1250 of 2009 whereby the
Division Bench of the High Court had dismissed the appeals
filed by the Revenue – the appellant herein while upholding the
order passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (in short
‘the Tribunal’) dated 30.03.2007. Since the moot question is
same in all the appeals connected with the main matter, the
same would stand disposed off vide this common judgment.
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Civil Appeal Nos. 8489-8490 of 2013
3) Brief facts:
(a) The Respondent – HCL Technologies Ltd. is a company
registered under the Companies Act, 1956 and engaged in the
business of development and export of computer softwares and
rendering technical services.
(b) The Respondent has shown gross income from business at
Rs. 267,01,76,529/- while claiming deductions under Section
10A of the IT Act to the tune of Rs. 273,45,39,379/- showing a
net loss of Rs. 6,43,62,850/-. The Respondent filed its return
of income for the Assessment Year 2004-05 on 01.11.2004
declaring the undisclosed income at Rs. 91,25,68,114/-.
Thereafter, on 31.03.2005, a revised return of income for Rs.
91,16,99,060/- was filed by the Respondent which was
selected for scrutiny under Section 143 of the Income Tax Act,
1961 (in short ‘the IT Act’).
(c) The Assessing Officer, vide order dated 28.12.2006, held
that the software development charges, as claimed by the
Respondent, are nothing but in the nature of expenses incurred
for technical services provided outside India. Further, in view of
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the fact that it is not purely technical services and some
element of software development is also involved in it and in the
absence of such bifurcation, the Assessing Officer estimated
such expense at the rate of 40% and remaining 60% for
providing technical services by the Respondent in foreign
exchange to its offshore clients and re-assessed the taxable
income at Rs. 137,20,34,576/- and penalty to the tune of Rs.
21,81,90,239/-.
(d) Being aggrieved, the Respondent preferred an appeal being
No. 331/06-07 before the Commissioner of Income Tax
(Appeals). Learned CIT (Appeals), vide order dated 09.05.2007,
partly allowed the appeal while estimating 10% as software
development charge incurred for technical services provided
outside India as against 60% estimated by the Assessing
Officer.
(e) Being aggrieved, the Respondent as well as the Revenue,
preferred cross appeals being ITAT Nos. 3199 and
3344/Del/2007 before the Tribunal. The Tribunal, vide order
dated 23.01.2009, dismissed the appeal filed by the Revenue
while allowing the appeal of the Respondent.
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(f) Being aggrieved, the Revenue preferred an appeal before
the High Court being No. ITA No. 1250 of 2009. The High Court,
vide order dated 15.12.2009, dismissed the appeal of the
Revenue.
(g) Hence, these appeals have been filed before this Court.
4) Heard learned senior counsel for the parties and perused
the factual matrix of the instant case.
Point(s) for consideration:-
5) The only point for consideration before this Court is
whether in the facts and circumstances of the case, the
software development charges are to be excluded while working
out the deduction admissible under Section 10A of the IT Act on
the ground that such charges are relatable towards expenses
incurred on providing technical services outside India?
Rival contentions:-
6) At the outset, learned senior counsel for the Revenue
submitted that when the total turnover is not defined under
Section 10A of the IT Act, the ordinary meaning of the words is
to be adopted. As it was a technical term, the technical meaning
of total turnover, which does not envisage the reduction of any
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expense from the total amount, was to be taken into
consideration for computing deduction under Section 10A of the
IT Act. Hence, the fact that the Respondent has claimed
expenses like freight, telecommunication and insurance
attributable to the delivery of software outside India total
turnover also, while calculating deduction under Section 10A of
the IT Act, despite the fact that there is no such provision in
Section 10A of the IT Act, is not sustainable in the eyes of law.
Therefore, the impugned decision of the High Court is liable to
be set aside.
7) On the other hand, learned senior counsel appearing for
the Respondent submitted that the export turnover is the
numerator whereas the total turnover is the denominator in the
formula for computing profit from exports. The export turnover
as defined in Section 10A of the IT Act would not include
freight, telecommunication charges or insurance attributable to
the delivery of goods outside India and the expenses incurred in
foreign exchange for providing technical services outside India.
The same cannot be included in the total turnover as if
numerator included the aforesaid amount, which the
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denominator doesn’t include, the formula would render
undesirable results. Therefore, the Respondent is legally
entitled to exclude the above said expenses from the total
turnover as well. Hence, these appeals deserve to be dismissed
at the outset.
Discussion:-
8) The whole controversy revolves around the claim of certain
expenses attributable to the delivery of software outside India or
in providing technical services from ‘total turnover’ by the
Respondent under Section 10A of the IT Act. It is an undisputed
fact that neither Section 10A nor Section 2 of the IT Act define
the term ‘total turnover’. However, the term ‘total turnover’ is
given in clause (ba) of the Explanation to Section 80 HHC of the
IT Act which defines the meaning of total turnover as follows:
“(ba) ‘total turnover’ shall not include freight or insurance attributable to the transport of the goods or merchandise beyond the customs stations as defined in the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962).
Provided that in relation to any assessment year commencing on or after the 1st day of April, 1991, the expression “total turnover” shall have effect as if it also included any sum referred to in clauses (iiia), (iiib), (iiic), (iiid) and (iiie) of section 28;”
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9) It is also pertinent to mention here the relevant
terminologies which are as under:
“Export Turnover: Explanation 2(iv) of Section 10A of the IT Act defines “export turnover” to mean the consideration that has been received for export of articles/things/computer software. Normally the consideration will include the freight/telecommunication charges/insurance which had been incurred to deliver the article/things/computer software outside India. However the Explanation 2(iv) specifically seeks to exclude these three categories of expenditure incurred for delivering the export of articles/things/computer software. It also seeks to exclude expenses for providing technical service, etc. outside India. Therefore, where an Indian technician goes abroad and receives fees for service, the foreign client will normally be required to reimburse the expenses as well. Therefore, out of the consideration received, the portion representing reimbursement of expenditure has to be excluded.
Export Turnover and Total turnover: The “total turnover” has been defined in sections 80HHC and 80HHE only to exclude additional items given under section 28. But for this additional exclusion, there was no need to define “total turnover”.
Export turnover is a component of total turnover. If the entire turnover represents export proceeds, then the export turnover and the total turnover are identical. It is clear that any exclusion in the export turnover in the numerator will automatically imply exclusion in the denominator as well because export turnover is always a component of total turnover.
Export Turnover/Total Turnover/Business: Form 56F prescribes the report under Section 10A for and Annexure-A thereto refers to “export proceeds” and “sale proceeds”. Both together form the total turnover of the undertaking.”
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10) The question arises here that when the particular term
has not been defined in any particular Section, is it allowed to
import the meaning of such term from the other provisions of
the same Act? Section 10A of the IT Act is a special beneficial
provision and the purpose of deduction under such Section is to
encourage and boost the new business undertakings situated in
the free trade zone of this Nation by providing suitable
deductions to such business entities. Sometimes, while
calculating the deduction, disputes arise regarding the
methodology of deduction which ought to be followed.
Undisputedly, it is a matter of record that the Respondent is
engaged in the activity of trading of generic software and
providing customized software development services for
domestic as well as for foreign clients through its two units
situated in Software Technology Park, Gurgaon (Now
Gurugram) which falls under the definition of the Section 10A of
the IT Act. The contention of the Respondent is that it incurred
expenditure in foreign exchange in sending professionals
abroad as per the agreements with the foreign constituents.
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11) On an analysis of the Respondent’s activity taken from its
website, Assessing Officer arrived at a conclusion that
Respondent has been rendering technical services outside India
and, therefore, expenses incurred on such activity are required
to be excluded from the export turnover while working out the
deduction admissible under Section 10A of the IT Act. The
Assessing Officer estimated 60% of the software development
charges required to be attributed towards expenses incurred for
providing technical services outside India. On appeal, learned
CIT (Appeals) again made a detailed analysis of the activity of
the Respondent and arrived at a conclusion that the Assessing
Officer failed to bring any evidence which can indicate that
Respondent was providing technical services outside India and
it has incurred expenses towards salary etc. on rendering such
services. Inspite that, learned CIT (Appeals), estimated 10% of
software development charge as charges incurred for technical
services provided outside India.
12) It is undisputed fact that the Respondent was engaged in
the business of software development for its customers engaged
in different activities at software development centres of the
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Respondent. However, in the process of such customized
software development, certain activities were required to be
carried out at the sight of customers on site, located outside
India for which the employees of the branches of the
Respondent located in the country of the customers are
deployed. It is true that it is not defined that which activity will
be termed as providing technical services outside India.
Moreover, after delivery of such softwares as per requirement, in
order to make it fully functional and hassle free functioning
subsequent to the delivery of softwares in many cases, there
can be requirement of technical personnel to visit the client on
site. The Assessing Officer could not bring any evidence that
the Respondent was engaged in providing simply technical
services independent to software development for the client for
which the expenditures were incurred outside India in foreign
currency.
13) The Respondent company has claimed deduction under
Section 10A as per certificates filed on Form No. 56F. The
Respondent, while computing the deduction, has taken the
same figure of export turnover as of total turnover. The
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Respondent cited various judicial cases but all these cases
pertain to deduction under Section 80HHC. Further, the
definition of total turnover has been defined in Section 80HHC
and 80HHE of the IT Act. As discussed earlier, the definition of
total turnover has not been defined under Section 10A of the IT
Act.
14) In the above backdrop, we are of the opinion that the
definition of total turnover given under Sections 80HHC and
80HHE cannot be adopted for the purpose of Section 10A as the
technical meaning of total turnover, which does not envisage
the reduction of any expenses from the total amount, is to be
taken into consideration for computing the deduction under
Section 10A. When the meaning is clear, there is no necessity of
importing the meaning of total turnover from the other
provisions. If a term is defined under Section 2 of the IT Act,
then the definition would be applicable to all the provisions
wherein the same term appears. As the term ‘total turnover’ has
been defined in the Explanation to Section 80HHC and 80HHE,
wherein it has been clearly stated that “for the purposes of this
Section only”, it would be applicable only for the purposes of
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that Sections and not for the purpose of Section 10A. If
denominator includes certain amount of certain type which
numerator does not include, the formula would render
undesirable results.
15) A Statute is the intention of the legislature who enacts it
after having regard to various facts and circumstances. It is a
cardinal principle of law that the interpretation by the Court
shall be done in such a way that the intention of the legislature
shall prevail and no injustice occurred with the parties. The
rule of harmonious construction is the thumb rule to
interpretation of any statute. An interpretation which makes the
enactment a consistent whole, should be the aim of the Courts
and a construction which avoids inconsistency or repugnancy
between the various sections or parts of the statue should be
adopted.
16) In Commissioner of Income Tax vs. J.H. Gotla, (1985)
23 Taxman 14J (SC) this Court has held as under:
“46. Where the plain literal interpretation of a statutory provision produces a manifestly unjust result which could never have been intended by the Legislature, the Court might modify the language used by the Legislature so as to achieve the intention of the Legislature and produce a rational construction. The task of interpretation of statutory
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provision is an attempt to discover the intention of the Legislature from the language used…. 47 ….If the purpose of a particular provision is easily discernible from the whole scheme of the Act which, in the present case, was to counteract, the effect of the transfer of assets so far as computation of income of the Respondent was concerned, then bearing that purpose in mind, the intention should be found out from the language used by the Legislature and if strict literal, construction leads to an absurd result, i.e. result not intended to be subserved by the object of the legislation found out in the manner indicated above, then if other construction is possible apart from strict literal construction, then that construction should be preferred to the strict literal construction. Though equity an taxation are often strangers , attempt should be made that these do not remain so always so and if a construction results in equity rather than in injustice , then such construction should be preferred to the literal construction. Furthermore, in the instant case, we are dealing with an artificial liability created for counteracting the effect only of attempts by the assessee to reduce tax liability by transfer….”
17) The similar nature of controversy, akin this case, arose
before the Karnataka High Court in CIT vs. Tata Elxsi Ltd.
(2012) 204 Taxman 321/17. The issue before the Karnataka
High Court was whether the Tribunal was correct in holding
that while computing relief under Section10A of the IT Act, the
amount of communication expenses should be excluded from
the total turnover if the same are reduced from the export
turnover? While giving the answer to the issue, the High Court,
inter-alia, held that when a particular word is not defined by the
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legislature and an ordinary meaning is to be attributed to it, the
said ordinary meaning is to be in conformity with the context in
which it is used. Hence, what is excluded from ‘export turnover’
must also be excluded from ‘total turnover’, since one of the
components of ‘total turnover’ is export turnover. Any other
interpretation would run counter to the legislative intent and
would be impermissible.
18) Accordingly, the formula for computation of the deduction
under Section10A of the Act would be as follows:
Export turnover as defined in Explanation 2 (IV) of Section 10A of IT Act
Export Profit = total Profit of the Business X _____________________________ Export turnover as defined in Explanation 2(IV) of Section 10A of the IT Act + domestic sale proceeds
19) In the instant case, if the deductions on freight,
telecommunication and insurance attributable to the delivery of
computer software under Section10A of the IT Act are allowed
only in Export Turnover but not from the Total Turnover then, it
would give rise to inadvertent, unlawful, meaningless and
illogical result which would cause grave injustice to the
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Respondent which could have never been the intention of the
legislature.
20) Even in common parlance, when the object of the formula
is to arrive at the profit from export business, expenses
excluded from export turnover have to be excluded from total
turnover also. Otherwise, any other interpretation makes the
formula unworkable and absurd. Hence, we are satisfied that
such deduction shall be allowed from the total turnover in same
proportion as well.
21) On the issue of expenses on technical services provided
outside, we have to follow the same principle of interpretation
as followed in the case of expenses of freight,
telecommunication etc., otherwise the formula of calculation
would be futile. Hence, in the same way, expenses incurred in
foreign exchange for providing the technical services outside
shall be allowed to exclude from the total turnover.
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22) In view of above discussion, we are of the considered view
that these instant appeals are devoid of merits and deserve to
be dismissed. Accordingly, all the connected matters and
interlocutory applications, if any, are disposed of with no order
as to costs.
…….....…………………………………J. (R.K. AGRAWAL)
…….…………….………………………J. (R. BANUMATHI)
NEW DELHI; APRIL 24, 2018.
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