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Microlesson · 5-min read

Repairs and Insurance of Machinery, Plant and Furniture [Section 31]

# Repairs & Insurance of Machinery, Plant and Furniture [Section 31]

Section 31 allows deduction for current repairs and insurance premiums of machinery, plant and furniture used in the business.

## Repairs and Maintenance

  • Assets must be used for the business of the assessee.
  • Usage includes passive usage (asset kept ready for use also qualifies).
  • Repairs include renewals and renovations but NOT complete replacements or reconstructions.
  • Only current repairs are deductible.
  • Capital-nature repairs are NOT deductible — they are added to the block of assets (depreciation instead).
  • Arrears of repairs from prior years may still qualify under the general Section 37(1).

## Insurance Premium

  • Deduction allowed for insurance premiums paid against damage or destruction of assets used in the business.
  • Contributions to a trade association for insurance (where the loss is indemnified by such association) are deductible even if part of it is returnable to the insured in certain circumstances.

## Key Boundaries

  • Current repairs ✓ → Sec 31
  • Renewals / renovations ✓ → Sec 31
  • Complete replacement / reconstruction ✗ → capital, goes to block of assets
  • Passive use counts — the asset need not be actively running.

Worked example

### Example 1

Example (Current repair vs replacement): A factory spends ₹25,000 servicing and replacing worn belts of a machine, and ₹4,00,000 replacing the entire machine with a new one.

  • ₹25,000 → current repairs, deductible under Sec 31.
  • ₹4,00,000 → complete replacement (capital) → NOT deductible under Sec 31; added to the block, depreciation claimed.

### Example 2

Example (Passive use): A machine is kept ready but was not actually run during part of the year due to low orders. Insurance premium of ₹15,000 and current repairs of ₹10,000 are incurred.

  • Both remain deductible under Sec 31 because passive usage (kept ready for use) counts as use for the business.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Deducting the cost of a complete replacement or reconstruction under Sec 31 — only current repairs/renewals qualify; replacements are capital.
  • Denying the deduction merely because the asset was idle — passive usage qualifies.
  • Treating capital-nature repairs as revenue — they must be capitalized to the block of assets.
  • Overlooking that prior-year arrears of repairs may be claimed under Sec 37(1) even if not under Sec 31.
Reference: Section 31 — Income-tax Act, 1961
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