Sec. 54 relief was available even if investment was made in new property before execution of sale deed

The issue before the Chennai ITAT was as under:

Whether assessee would be eligible for Section 54F relief when he had invested the sale proceeds in construction of new flat even prior to execution of sale deed? 

The Chennai ITAT held as under:

1. Section 54 of the Income-Tax Act (the Act) clearly says that if the assessee, within a period of one year before or two years after the date on which the transaction took place, purchased or within a period of three years after that date, constructed a residential house in India, then the assessee is eligible for deduction under Section 54 of the Act.

2. In this case, the investment was admittedly made one year before the date of sale of property. In view of language employed by Parliament in Section 54 of the Act, it is not the requirement that the sale consideration has to be invested in purchase of property. It is immaterial whether the assessee invested the sale consideration in purchasing of new flat after the date of sale or one year before the sale of property.

3. In this case, the assessee invested the sale consideration one year before the sale of property, therefore, the assessee is eligible for deduction under Section 54 of the Act. - [2017] 82 taxmann.com 164 (Chennai - Trib.)