The meaning of deduction under section 80A of the Income Tax Act is not defined in the act itself. But we can take guidance from decisions by various high courts. Here are excerpts of courts orders in which the Hon’ble High Court tried to explain the meaning of deduction.
Meaning of deduction defined by court
The phrase ‘deduction’ used in section 80A of the Income Tax Act came up before hon’ble Kolkata High Court in CIT vs. Schrader Scovill Duncan Ltd. [1981] 132 ITR 822 (Cal.) and it explained.
Meaning: The expression ‘deduction’ stipulates subtracting something which is already there. If something does not come into the computation, then no question of deduction therefrom arises. Therefore, something which forms part of the total income is contemplated to be deducted from the total income.
Section 80A of Income Tax Act
Deductions to be made in computing total income.
80A. (1) In computing the total income of an assessee, there shall be allowed from his gross total income, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of this Chapter, the deductions specified in sections 80C to 80U.
(2) The aggregate amount of the deductions under this Chapter shall not, in any case, exceed the gross total income of the assessee.
(3) Where, in computing the total income of an association of persons or a body of individuals, any deduction is admissible under section 80G or section 80GGA or section 80GGC or section 80HH or section 80HHA or section 80HHB or section 80HHC or section 80HHD or section 80-I or section 80-IA or section 80-IB or section 80-IC or section 80-ID or section 80-IE or section 80J or section 80JJ, no deduction under the same section shall be made in computing the total income of a member of the association of persons or body of individuals in relation to the share of such member in the income of the association of persons or body of individuals.
(4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in section 10A or section 10AA or section 10B or section 10BA or in any provisions of this Chapter under the heading “C.—Deductions in respect of certain incomes”,
where, in the case of an assessee, any amount of profits and gains of an undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business is claimed and allowed as a deduction under any of those provisions for any assessment year, deduction in respect of, and to the extent of, such profits and gains shall not be allowed under any other provisions of this Act for such assessment year and shall in no case exceed the profits and gains of such undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business, as the case may be.
(5) Where the assessee fails to make a claim in his return of income for any deduction under section 10A or section 10AA or section 10B or section 10BA or under any provision of this Chapter under the heading “C.—Deductions in respect of certain incomes”, no deduction shall be allowed to him thereunder.
(6) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in section 10A or section 10AA or section 10B or section 10BA or in any provisions of this Chapter under the heading “C.—Deductions in respect of certain incomes”, where any goods or services held for the purposes of the undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business are transferred to any other business carried on by the assessee or where any goods or services held for the purposes of any other business carried on by the assessee are transferred to the undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business and,
the consideration, if any, for such transfer as recorded in the accounts of the undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business does not correspond to the market value of such goods or services as on the date of the transfer, then, for the purposes of any deduction under this Chapter, the profits and gains of such undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business shall be computed as if the transfer, in either case, had been made at the market value of such goods or services as on that date.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression “market value”,—
(i) in relation to any goods or services sold or supplied, means the price that such goods or services would fetch if these were sold by the undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business in the open market, subject to statutory or regulatory restrictions, if any;
(ii) in relation to any goods or services acquired, means the price that such goods or services would cost if these were acquired by the undertaking or unit or enterprise or eligible business from the open market, subject to statutory or regulatory restrictions, if any;
(iii) in relation to any goods or services sold, supplied or acquired means the arm’s length price as defined in clause (ii) of section 92F of such goods or services, if it is a specified domestic transaction referred to in section 92BA.
(7) Where a deduction under any provision of this Chapter under the heading “C.—Deductions in respect of certain incomes” is claimed and allowed in respect of profits of any of the specified business referred to in clause (c) of sub-section (8) of section 35AD for any assessment year, no deduction shall be allowed under the provisions of section 35AD in relation to such specified business for the same or any other assessment year.
In this article, you can get guidance from high courts on the meaning of deduction under section 80A of the Income Tax Act.
Updated up to Finance Act 2021