Income-tax Authorities

     Section 116 of the Act specifies income-tax authorities for the purposes of the Act and section 117 states that the Central Government may appoint such persons as it thinks fit to be income-tax authorities. The income-tax authorities enumerated under section 116 of the Act include Central Board of Direct taxes, Directors-General of Income-tax or Chief Commissioners of Income-tax, Directors of Income-tax or Commissioners of Income-tax etc.

     In view of the creation of new income-tax authorities, it is proposed to amend the aforesaid section 116 of the Act so as to include the newly created income-tax authorities. It is further proposed to insert clauses (34A), (34B), (34C) and (34D) in section 2 of the Act so as to define the terms “Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax”, “Principal Commissioner of Income-tax”, “Principal Director General of Income-tax” and “Principal Director of Income-tax” to mean a person appointed to be an income-tax authority under section 117 of the Act. It is also proposed to make consequential amendments in clauses (15A), (16) and (21) of section 2 of the Act and in other sections of the Act.

     These amendments will take effect retrospectively from 1st June, 2013.

[Clauses 3, 4 & 44]