Penalty for failure to furnish statement of financial transaction or reportable account

Section 271FA of the Act provides that if a person who is required to furnish the statement of financial transaction or reportable account under sub-section (1) of section 285BA, fails to furnish such statement within the prescribed time, he shall be liable to pay penalty of one hundred rupees for every day of default.

The proviso to the said section further provides that in case such person fails to furnish the statement of financial transaction or reportable account within the period specified in the notice issued under sub-section (5) of section 285BA, he shall be liable to pay penalty of five hundred rupees for every day of default.

In order to ensure compliance of the reporting obligations under section 285BA, it is proposed to amend the section 271FA so as to increase the penalty leviable from one hundred rupees to five hundred rupees and from five hundred rupees to one thousand rupees, for each day of continuing default.

These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2018.

[Clause 51]

Penalty increase for failure to furnish statement of financial transaction raises daily sanctions and strengthens reporting compliance. Failure to furnish a statement of financial transaction or a reportable account attracts a daily continuing default penalty: an initial daily penalty for late filing and a higher daily penalty if not furnished within the period specified in a statutory notice. The Budget proposes to increase both the initial and notice triggered enhanced daily penalties to strengthen compliance with the reporting obligations and specifies an effective date for those increased penalties.