In the given facts of the case, whether MNO Ltd. should reclassify the leased-out building at Mumbai as investment property instead of PPE which was…

(a) Requirement of Ind AS 8: Paragraph 16(a) of Ind AS 8 provides that the application of an accounting policy for transactions, other events or conditions that differ in substance from those previously occurring are not changes in accounting policies. Definition of Property, Plant and Equipment as per Ind AS 16: As per Ind AS 16, ‘Property, Plant and Equipment' are tangible items that: (a) are held for use in the production or supply of goods or services, for rental to others, or for administrative purposes; and (b) are expected to be used during more than one period. Definition of Investment Property as per Ind AS - 40: As per Ind AS 40, ‘investment property' is property (land or a building or part of a building or both) held (by the owner or by the lessee as a right-of-use asset) to earn rentals or for capital appreciation or both, rather than for: (a) use in the production or supply of goods or services or for administrative purposes; or (b) sale in the ordinary course of business." ANALYSIS As per the above definitions, whether a building is an item of property, plant and equipment (PPE) or an investment property for an entity depends on the purpose for which it is held by the entity. It is thus possible that due to a change in the purpose for which it is held, a building that was previously classified as an item of property, plant and equipment may warrant reclassification as an investment property, or vice versa. Whether a building is in the nature of PPE or investment property is determined by applying the definitions of these terms from the perspective of that entity. CONCLUSION Thus, the classification of a building as an item of property, plant and equipment or as an investment property is not a matter of an accounting policy choice. Accordingly, a change in classification of a building from property, plant and equipment to investment property due to change in the purpose for which it is held by the entity is not a change in an accounting policy.