These are two appeals from the judgment of the Calcutta
High Court in Dipti Kumar Basu v. CWT [1976] 105 ITF 450. The question in these
appeals is whether the appellants who are partners in a firm of solicitors at
Calcutta are liable to be taxed under the Wealth-tax Act in respect of their
share of the outstandings due to the firm from various clients. This question
has been answered against the appellants and hence the present appeal.
It has been brought to our notice by Mr. B. B. Ahuja,
learned counsel for the Union of India, that the judgment under appeal has
already been approved by this court in CWT v. Vysyaraju Badreenarayana Moorthy
Raju [1985] 152 ITR 454, 457.
The question raised is not of much contemporary importance
as the relevant statutory provision had been amended since 1976. The amount
involved is also not very substantial. After hearing counsel, we are inclined to
agree with the view taken by the High Court and, having regard to the fact that
the decision of the High Court already stands approved by this Court, we dismiss
these appeals. We, however, make no order as to costs.
Appeals dismissed.