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Judgment
This appeal has been preferred against order dated 20.4.2001 of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal.
The total income which has been assessed for the assessee as arrived at by the Tribunal in its order impugned, comes to Rs. 11,45,000/-, the tax effect even considering that it is a case of Block Period 1.4.1986 to 18.9.1996 @ 60%, comes to only Rs. 6,87,000/- of the total income which has been assessed by the AO under order impugned.
The matter is pending since 2004 and still service on the respondent assessee has not been effected so far.
It is brought to our notice that a Circular has been issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes dated 10.12.2015 in exercise of its power u/sec. 268A(1) of the Income-tax Act 1961 laying down revision of monetary limits for filing of appeals by the Department before the Tribunal and High Courts and SLP before Supreme Court keeping in view the measures for reducing litigation. Para 3 of the Circular reads as under:-
"3. Henceforth, appeals/SLPs shall not be filed in cases where the tax effect does not exceed the monetary limits given hereunder:-
It is clarified that an appeal should not be filed merely because the tax effect in a case exceeds the monetary limits prescribed above. Filing of appeal in such cases is to be decided on merits of the case.
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The monetary limits specified in para 3 above shall not apply to writ matters and direct tax matters other than Income tax. Filing of appeals in other Direct tax matters shall continue to be governed by relevant provisions of statute & rules. Further, filing of appeal in cases of Income Tax, where the tax effect is not quantifiable or not involved, such as the case of registration of trusts or institutions under section 12A of the IT Act, 1961, shall not be governed by the limits specified in para 3 above and decision to file appeal in such cases may be taken on merits of a particular case.
This instruction will apply retrospectively to pending appeals and appeals to be filed henceforth in High Courts/Tribunals. Pending appeals below the specified tax limits in para 3 above may be withdrawn/not pressed. Appeals before the Supreme Court will be governed by the instructions on this subject, operative at the time when such appeal was filed."
And laying down other conditions as well which has to be considered by the Assessing Officer or Appellate Authority as well the CBDT in paras 9 and 10 of the Circular it has been observed that the monetary limits specified in para 3 above shall not apply to writ matters and direct tax matters, and at the same time these instructions will apply retrospectively to the pending appeals and appeals to be filed henceforth in High Courts/Tribunals, and also before the Supreme Court.
Taking note of the aforesaid Circular and the tax effect in the instant appeal which is much less than what has been prescribed for filing appeal before the High Courts, no purpose would be served to continue the present appeal any further.
Accordingly, in the light of the CBDT Circular dated 10.12.2015 the appeal is dismissed.