COMMISSIONER OF WEALTH TAX Vs. HASHMATUNNISA BEGUM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Civil Appeal No. 1118/NT/1975, by special leave, by the Commissioner of Wealth-tax, Andhra Pradesh, and CA Nos. 1226 and 1227/NT/ 1975, on a certificate, under See. 29[1] of the Wealth-tax Act, 1957, [Act] by the assessee raise a question as to the proper construction of the proviso to Sec. 4[1] of the Act, which provides for exemption respecting transferred assets which would otherwise be includible in the wealth of the assessee under See. 4 [1] [a] of the Act.

(2.) There appears a divergence of judicial opinion on the point in the High Courts. In C. W. T. v. Smt. Sarala Debi 101 ITR 488 : (1976 Tax LR 202) (Cal), T Saraswathi Achi v. C. I. T. 104 ITR 185: (1976 Tax LR 1115) (Mad) C. W. T. v. Seth Nand Lal Ganeriwala, 107 ITR 758 : (1977 Tax LR 1096 (Punj and Har), M. G. Kollankulam v. C. I. T. 115 ITR 160: (1978 Tax LR 266) (Ker) Mathi Harshey v. C. W. T. 121 ITR 676: (1980 Tax LR 404 (Madh Pra) and C. W. T. v. Rasesh N. Mafatlal 126 ITR 173 : (1980 Tax LR 1365) (Bom) several High Courts have construed the provision in the manner suggested by the Revenue. C. W. T. v. Hashmatunnisa Begum (1977) 108 ITR 98 (Andh Pra) has taken the opposite view extending a wider benefit of the exemption.

(3.) In CA 1118 of 1975 the assessee Smt. Hashmatunnisa Begam, the legal representative of the late Nawab Zaheer Yar Jung Bahadur, claimed in respect of the assessment year 1967-68, that the value of the immovable properties gifted by the late Nawab to his wives before 1-4-1964 should not be included in the net wealth of the Nawab as on the valuation date 31-9-1966. The Nawab under three deeds of gift one dated 25-5-1962, in favour of Smt. Hashmatunnisa Begum, his first wife, and two other deeds dated 17-8-1962 and 26-4-1962 in favour of Smt. Fareed Jehan Begum his second wife, gifted in their favour certain lands and buildings of a total value of Rs. 1,96,950/-. The gifts were chargeable to gift tax and were accordingly assessed to gift tax in the assessment year 1963-64. On behalf of the estate of the Nawab - who later died on 16-12-1968 - it was claimed in the proceedings for assessment to wealth for the Assessment Year 1967-68, that though the gifts were otherwise includible as belonging to the Nawab under Sec. 4[I][a][i], as the transfer made to the spouses otherwise than for adequate consideration, however, as the gifts were chargeable to gift tax, the proviso to Sec. 4[1] [a] was attracted and that the assets so transferred were not includible in the net wealth of the Nawab "for any assessment year commencing after the 31st day of March 1964". The Wealth-tax Officer rejected this claim. The Appellate Asst. Commissioner, in the assessee's appeal, confirmed the assessment. In the assessee's further appeal before the Appellate Tribunal, the Tribunal, on a particular construction on the proviso, allowed the appeal and held that the assets transferred, which had attracted gift-tax, were not includible in the net wealth of the Nawab for the assessment year 1964-65 onwards. At the instance of the Revenue, the following question of law was referred to the High Court for its opinion :