Section 40A(7) provides that no deduction would be allowable to any taxpayer carrying on any business or profession in respect of any provision (whether called as provision or by any other names) made by him towards the payment of gratuity to his employers on their retirement or on the termination of their employment for any reason.
The reason for this disallowance is that, under section 36(1)(v), deduction is allowable in computing the profits and gains of the business or profession in respect of any sum paid by a taxpayer in his capacity as an employer in the form of contributions made by him to an approved gratuity fund created for the exclusive benefit of his employees under an irrevocable trust.
Analyzing Section 40A(7)
Further, section 37(1) provides that any expenditure other than the expenditure of the nature described in sections 30 to 36 laid out or expended, wholly and exclusively for the purpose of the business or profession must be allowed as a deduction in computing the taxable income from business.
A reading of these two provisions clearly indicates that the intention of the legislature has always been that the deduction in respect of gratuity be allowable to the employer either in the year in which the gratuity is actually paid or in the year in which contributions to an approved gratuity fund are actually made by employer.
This provision, therefore, makes it clear that any amount claimed by the assessee towards provision for gratuity, by whatever name called would be disallowable in the assessment of employer even if the assessee follows the mercantile system of accounting.
However, no disallowance would be made as per section 40A(7) in the case where any provision is made by the employer for the purpose of payment of sum by way of contribution to an approved gratuity fund during the previous year or for the purpose of making payment of any gratuity that has become payable during the previous year by virtue of the employee’s retirement, death, termination of service etc.
Further, where any provision for gratuity for any reason has been allowed as a deduction to the assessee for any assessment year, any sum paid out of such provision by way of contribution towards an approved gratuity fund or by way to gratuity to employee shall not be allowed as deduction to the assessee in the year in which it is paid.