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2022 (9) TMI 856 - HC - FEMAInterpretation of statute - Compounding of offence for non-filing of the annual return by payment of penalty - delay in filing of the annual return - Validity of Notification bearing No.S.O. 1070(E) dated 26.04.2013 issued by the respondent u/s 41 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 - whether impugned notification is ultra vires of the provisions of the FCR Act? - Whether the delay in filing of the returns is an offence punishable under the FCR Act? - HELD THAT:- Petitioner was required to furnish the annual returns in Form FC-6 along with its final accounts (income and expenditure statement, receipt and payment account and balance sheet) within nine months of the end of the relevant financial year. Therefore, the petitioner was required to file the annual return for the financial year ending on 31st March of any year on or before 31st December of that year. There is no ambiguity that the petitioner was required to file the annual returns within the prescribed period in compliance with the provisions of the FCR Act. It is not necessary that all offences be separately listed out in Chapter-VIII of the FCR Act. The plain language of Section 37 of the FCR Act clarifies that the punishment, as specified, would be applicable in case of noncompliance of any provision of the FCR Act for which no specific punishment is prescribed. Thus, violation of any provision of the FCR Act would attract punition, as specified. The heading of a section of an enactment may be used as an aid for interpretation of that section but does not control the meaning or import of the section where the language of the section is free from ambiguity. The contention that delay in filing of the annual return under the FCR Act is not an offence, is rejected. The question as noted in paragraph 2(b) is answered in the affirmative. Composition of certain offences - challenge to the validity of the impugned notification - Section 41 of the FCR Act expressly provides that any offence, other than an offence, which is punishable by imprisonment only, made prior to institution of any prosecution be compounded for such sums as the Central Government may specify. The impugned notification has been issued by the Central Government in exercise of powers under Section 41 of the FCR Act. It does not fall foul of any provision of the FCR Act. We are unable to accept that the impugned notification is ultra vires to the Constitution of India. It merely stipulates the terms on which given offences can be compounded.Question as noted in paragraph 2(a) is answered in the negative. Whether the impugned order is sustainable? - Admittedly, the petitioner had failed to file the annual return within the time prescribed and thus, had failed to comply with the provisions of Section 18 of the FCR Act read with Rule 17 of the FCR Rules. In terms of the impugned notification, the delay in filing of the annual return would be compounded by payment of penalty as stipulated therein. The tabular statement specifying the offences, the amount of penalty and the officer competent to compound the same, as set out in the impugned notification. The obligation to file the annual return for the financial year 2010-11 had arisen on 01.05.2011 and the same was required to be filed before 31.12.2011. Failure to do so is failure to comply with the provisions of the FCR Act. This does not amount to imputing any act committed prior to the FCR Act coming into force as an offence under the said Act. The impugned order to the extent it stipulates payment of penalty for the delay in filing the annual return for the financial year 2009-10, is set aside.The questions, as noted in paragraph 2(c) and 2(d), are answered accordingly. Considering the mitigating circumstances, this Court also considers it apposite to grant the petitioner further four weeks’ time from today to deposit the penalty, as stipulated, for the financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12 along with the requisite application for compounding the offence.
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