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2020 (6) TMI 266 - AT - Income TaxDeduction u/s 80P(2)(a)(i) - assessee is a co-operative society registered under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969 - AO had denied the claim of deduction u/s 80P for the reason that assessee was essentially doing the business of banking and disbursement of agricultural loans by the assessee was only minuscule AND concluded that the assessee cannot be treated as co-operative society - HELD THAT:- Narration in loan extracts in the audit reports by itself may not conclusive to prove whether loan is a agricultural loan or a non-agricultural loan. The gold loans may or may not be disbursed for the purpose of agricultural purposes. Necessarily, the A.O. had to examine the details of each loan disbursement and determine the purpose for which the loans were disbursed, i.e., whether it is for agricultural purpose or non-agricultural purpose. In this case, such a detailed examination has not been conducted by the A.O. At the time of assessment, the judgment of the Hon’ble jurisdictional High Court in the case of Chirakkal Service Cooperative Bank Ltd. [2016 (4) TMI 826 - KERALA HIGH COURT] was ruling the roost and the certificate issued by the Registrar of Co-operative Society terming the assessee as a primary agricultural credit society would be sufficient for grant of deduction u/s 80P. Dictum laid down in the case of The Mavilayi Service Co-operative Bank Ltd. v. CIT [2019 (3) TMI 1580 - KERALA HIGH COURT] view that there should be fresh examination by the Assessing Officer as regards the nature of each loan disbursement and purpose for which it has been disbursed, i.e., whether it for agricultural purpose or not. The A.O. shall list out the instances where loans have disbursed for non-agricultural purposes etc. and accordingly conclude that the assessee’s activities are not in compliance with the activities of primary agricultural credit society functioning under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969, before denying the claim of deduction u/s 80P(2) . There should be fresh examination by the AO as regards the nature of each loan disbursement and purpose for which it has been disbursed, i.e., whether it for agricultural purpose or not. A.O. shall list out the instances where loans have disbursed for non-agricultural purposes etc. and accordingly conclude that the assessee’s activities are not in compliance with the activities of primary agricultural credit society functioning under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969, before denying the claim of deduction u/s 80P(2) - Appeal filed by the assessee is allowed for statistical purposes.
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