Equity shares under the lock-in period were not “quoted shares” to Determine Gift Tax: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court ruled that equity shares under the lock-in period were not “quoted shares” to determine Gift Tax.
Background
The issue raised in these appeals relates to the valuation of shares of M/s. BPL Sanyo Technologies Limited and shares of M/s. BPL Sanyo Utilities and Appliances Limited, which were gifted by the respondent-assessee, M/s. BPL Limited, to M/s. Celestial Finance Limited. The shares of M/s. BPL Sanyo Technologies Limited and M/s. BPL Sanyo Utilities and Appliances Limited, both public limited companies, were listed and quoted on the stock exchanges. However, these gifted shares, being promoter quota shares allotted to the assessee were under a lock-in period.
Decision
The division bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice J.K. Maheshwari agreed with the view expressed in the impugned judgment, which observes that the equity shares under the lock-in period were not “quoted shares”, for the simple reason that the shares in the lock-in period were not quoted in any recognised stock exchange with regularity from time to time.
The bench stated that when the equity shares are in a lock-in period, then as per the guidelines issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), there is a complete bar on transfer, which is enforced by inscribing the words “not transferable” in the relevant share certificates.
It was noted that this position is accepted by the Revenue, which, however, has relied upon a general circular issued by SEBI, wherein it is stated that the shares under the lock-in period can be transferred between the promoters.
It was opined by the court that this restricted transfer would not make the equity shares in the lock-in period into “quoted shares” as defined vide sub-rule (9) to Rule 2 of Part A of Schedule III of the W.T. Act, as the lock-in shares are not quoted in any recognised stock exchange with regularity from time to time, and it is not possible to have quotations based upon current transactions made in the ordinary course of business.
“Possibility of transfer to promoters by private transfer/sale does not satisfy the conditions to be satisfied to regard the shares as quoted shares” , the court said.
The court observed that Rule 11 of Part C of Schedule III of the W.T. Act is a statutory rule which prescribes the method of valuation of “unquoted equity shares” in companies, other than investment companies, which prescription and method of valuation is mandatory in nature.
It was further observed that Rule 21 of Part H of Schedule III of the W.T. Act permits valuation and ascertainment of the market value as per the provisions of Schedule III of the W.T. Act, but does not state that the valuation will be done by disregarding the restrictions, or by enhancing the rights which have been transferred, or by revaluation of the asset when provisions of Schedule III are invoked for the purpose of valuation of an asset under the W.T. Act.
The bench stated that the explanation to Rule 2(9) of Part A, Schedule III of the W.T. Act does not prohibit the authority, tribunal or the court from examining whether a particular share, be it equity or preference share, is a “quoted share” or an “unquoted share” in terms of subrules (9) and (11) of Rule 2 of Part A of Schedule III of the W.T. Act. This right which is conferred on the authorities under the W.T. Act or the G.T. Act is not delegated to the stock exchange. A decision of the authority is amenable and can be examined when challenged in an appeal.
The bench dismissed the appeal by the Revenue.
Case title: Deputy Commissioner of Gift Tax v/s M/S BPL Limited
Citation: Civil appeal no. 3265 of 2016
