44A. Special provision for deduction in the case of trade, professional or similar association.

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, where the amount received during a previous year by any trade, professional or similar association [other than an association or institution referred to in clause(23A) of section 10] from its members, whether by way of subscription or otherwise (not being remuneration received for rendering any specific services to such members) falls short of the expenditure incurred by such association during that previous year (not being expenditure deductible in computing the income under any other provision of this Act and not being in the nature of capital expenditure) solely for the purposes of protection or advancement of the common interests of its members, the amount so fallen short (hereinafter referred to as deficiency) shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be allowed as a deduction in computing the income of the association assessable for the relevant assessment year under the head "Profits and gains of business or profession" and if there is no income assessable under that head or the deficiency allowable exceeds such income, the whole or the balance of the deficiency, as the case may be, shall be allowed as a deduction in computing the income of the association assessable for the relevant assessment year under any other head.

(2) In computing the income of the association for the relevant assessment year under sub-section (1), effect shall first be given to any other provision of this Act under which any allowance or loss in respect of any earlier assessment year is carried forward and set off against the income for the relevant assessment year.

(3) The amount of deficiency to be allowed as a deduction under this section shall in no case exceed one-half of the total income of the association as computed before making any allowance under this section.

(4) This section applies only to that trade, professional or similar association the income of which or any part thereof is not distributed to its members except as grants to any association or institution affiliated to it.