<h1>Finance Bill 2019 continues income-tax rates, revises surcharges and health cess, and overhauls stamp-duty on securities and depositories.</h1> The Finance Bill, 2019 maintains existing income-tax rates and reaffirms surcharge bands while introducing a 4% Health and Education Cess on tax plus surcharge; it amends various income-tax thresholds, deductions and withholding limits with several provisions effective 1 April 2020. The Bill overhauls stamp-duty treatment of securities by defining key terms, making clearance lists, depository transfers and allotment lists the principal chargeable instruments, directing stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories to collect and remit duty to State Governments, prescribing Schedule I duty rates for securities and derivatives, and creating penalties and rule-making powers to operationalise the collection and reporting regime. The money-laundering investigation period is extended with court-stay time excluded from computation.