Informant Reward Scheme: confidential ex-gratia payments for specific information that leads to detection and recovery of undisclosed tax liabilities.
The Income Tax Informants Reward Scheme, 2018 prescribes confidential, ex-gratia rewards for persons who submit specific information in a prescribed form that leads to detection of substantial tax evasion under the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the Black Money Act, 2015; rewards are payable in interim and final stages based on additional taxes directly attributable to the information, subject to prescribed percentage rates, ceilings, committee-based sanctioning, eligibility criteria, disqualification scenarios, confidentiality safeguards, and procedural timelines.

Extension of Tenure under section 35AC: central government renews membership of National Committee for Promotion of Social and Economic Welfare.
The Central Government, exercising its powers under the Income tax Act and corresponding Income Tax Rules, extends the tenure of the Chairman and members of the National Committee for Promotion of Social and Economic Welfare for a further six months by notification dated 17th April, 2018; the notification records that fourteen persons had been appointed earlier and that their term ended on 30th March, 2018, and it enumerates the Chairman and thirteen members by name and designation.

Permanent establishment rules expanded to include shorter thresholds and service provisions, altering cross-border tax attribution.
The Government of India notifies an amending Protocol to the India-Kazakhstan tax Convention implementing revisions: expanded taxes covered and clarified definitions; updated resident criteria including place of registration; tightened permanent establishment rules with a services-based PE and reduced duration thresholds; allowance for profit apportionment for permanent establishments; strengthened associated enterprises adjustments; royalties deemed to arise where the payer is resident; expanded exchange of information and added mutual assistance in collection; and a Limitation of Benefits denying treaty access where benefits are a main purpose or the claimant is not beneficial owner.

Amendment to Income-tax Rules specifies the Member responsible for supervision of the Foreign Tax and Tax Research division.
The Income-tax (5th Amendment) Rules, 2018 amend Rule 10VA(2) of the Income-tax Rules, 1962 by substituting the earlier designation with "the Member, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, North Block, New Delhi having supervision and control over the work of Foreign Tax and Tax Research (FT&TR) Division," effective from publication in the Official Gazette.

Gender identification added to income-tax KYC forms, now requiring applicants to indicate male, female or transgender status.
The Income-tax Rules are amended by substituting column 4 in Appendix II Form 49A and Form 49AA to add a Gender field for individual applicants with selectable options: Male, Female and Transgender, making gender indication mandatory on those identity KYC forms.

Income-tax Rules amendment removes specified table entries, changing the regulatory text and applying prospectively to future assessments.
The Income-tax Rules amendment deletes the entries under columns (2) to (4) against serial number 10 in the table to rule 2BB(2), effecting a textual change to the rule and making the omission prospective in application from the stated commencement and assessment year.

Reporting financial institution registration requires ITDREIN and a Designated Director to digitally sign and submit Form No.61B.
Reporting financial institutions must register to obtain an ITDREIN, nominate a Designated Director who alone may digitally sign and upload Form No. 61B statements through the Reporting Portal, and submit statements in the prescribed data structure. Correction and deletion statements must follow prescribed procedures using Data Quality Reports and utilities until defects are cleared, and institutions must document and implement information security, archival and retrieval policies for submitted data.

Statement of Financial Transactions (SFT) requires registration, ITDREIN issuance and electronic submission of Form 61A via the Reporting Portal.
Specified reporting persons must submit Form No. 61A under Section 285BA and Rule 114E using the Reporting Portal, obtain an immutable ITDREIN, and ensure statements conform to prescribed schema and digital-signature requirements. Transactions are classified by type with defined monetary thresholds; aggregation rules apply across accounts and transactions of the same nature, with specific reporting formats (Parts A-D). Correction and deletion statements are available to rectify filings; reporting entities must implement security, archival and retrieval policies and resolve Data Quality Report defects until no Reports Requiring Correction remain.

Reporting obligations under Rule 114D require online submission of Form 61 and correction or deletion filings as prescribed.
Obligation to furnish statements in Form No. 61 under Rule 114D arises for persons required to have accounts audited under section 44AB who receive Form No. 60 declarations; statements must be transmitted electronically in the prescribed schema via the Reporting Portal, following registration and generation of an ITDREIN, digitally signed by the Principal Officer, with provisions for correction, deletion, schema modifications and mandatory information security and archival procedures.

Form 60 submission: electronic or paper filing allowed with specified Aadhaar authentication and reporting obligations to authorities.
The notification prescribes that persons without PAN may submit Form No. 60 in paper or electronically using electronic verification via approved portals or specified Aadhaar Authentication methods (OTP, biometric, two factor, multi factor); electronic filing may be substituted by paper where IT issues arise. Collectors must assign unique identifiers to declarations, report particulars through Form 61 to a designated server with acknowledgement, provide for incremental reporting with declarant consent, allow inter-entity electronic transmission with consent, and maintain documented information security, archival and retrieval policies.

Income tax rules amendment: retrospective requirement for residents to disclose foreign assets, signing authority and foreign income.
Amendment to the Income tax Rules, 1962 (effective 1 April 2018) revises rule 12 and Appendix II to require resident individuals (other than not ordinarily resident) to disclose assets located outside India, signing authority in foreign accounts, and income from foreign sources (including income apportioned under section 5A); it also clarifies loss carry forward/ carry back terminology, updates eligibility phrasing for income heads, and substitutes updated ITR forms and acknowledgement in Appendix II.

Exchange of information confidentiality updated: use limited to tax purposes and authorised cross use permitted with supplying state's consent.
Notification under section 90 gives effect to the Protocol amending the India-Tajikistan tax agreement, replacing paragraph 2 of Article 26 so that information exchanged must be treated as secret, disclosed only to persons or authorities concerned with assessment, collection, enforcement, prosecution, appeals or oversight of the relevant taxes and used solely for those purposes; disclosure in public court proceedings or judicial decisions is permitted, and use for other purposes is allowed only if both States' laws permit and the supplying State's competent authority authorises it. The Protocol enters into force upon final diplomatic notification and forms part of the Agreement.

Retrospective amendment to tax notification confirms retroactive commencement and states no person will be adversely affected.
Amendment to a prior tax notification substitutes the explanatory note to record the principal rules' publication and most recent amendment, expressly grants retrospective effect so that no person is adversely affected, and declares the notification to be deemed to have come into force from the original notification date.

Industrial park approval reinstated subject to pending writ appeal, conditional on compliance with prescribed infrastructure and unit requirements.
The Central Government notifies M/s Abhilash Software Development Centre, Bengaluru, as an industrial park for purposes of the Income-tax Act provision granting tax benefits, subject to the outcome of a pending writ appeal and to annexed terms and conditions. The annexure prescribes location, area, permitted activities, allocable industrial and commercial shares, minimum units, investment and infrastructure expenditure thresholds, conditions for entitlement to tax benefits, transfer notification requirements, and grounds for invalidation or withdrawal of approval due to noncompliance or nondisclosure.

Centralised communication for tax notices enables electronic issuance, structured machine-readable responses, and no personal appearance requirement.
The scheme establishes a Centralised Communication Centre authorised to issue digitally signed notices under the Income-tax Act, requiring persons to furnish information or documents by specified dates. Notices are served electronically via email or portal with SMS intimation, and responses must follow machine-readable structured formats and procedures prescribed by the Principal Director General/Director General (Systems). The Centre will provide portal features, call-centre support, administrative centralisation and a grievance redressal mechanism, and personal appearance before the Centre is not required.

Double taxation avoidance: India-Kenya treaty limits source taxation and sets PE, withholding and information-exchange rules.
The India-Kenya agreement allocates taxing rights between the Contracting States for residents and specified income categories, defines residence and permanent establishment (including construction, service and agent rules), and prescribes attribution of profits to PEs. It caps source taxation by limiting withholding on dividends, interest, royalties and management/professional/technical service fees when paid to beneficial owners resident in the other State, while preserving taxation where amounts are effectively connected to a permanent establishment or fixed base. The treaty provides double taxation relief by deduction or credit, and implements mutual agreement, information exchange, and assistance in tax collection, with anti-abuse and entry-into-force provisions.

Registration of charitable or religious trusts requires Form 10A, specified documents, and mandatory electronic filing and verification.
Applications for registration under clauses (aa) and (ab) of sub section (1) of section 12A must be made in Form No. 10A with specified self certified documents (instrument or other creation document; registrar registration; modifications to objects; up to three years' prior annual accounts; activity note; existing registration or rejection orders), and Form No. 10A must be furnished electronically under digital signature or electronic verification code and verified by the person authorised under section 140; systems officers shall specify data structures and security policies.

Deduction under section 80D: notification recognises Contributory Health Service Scheme for tax deduction from the stated assessment year onwards.
The notification recognises the Contributory Health Service Scheme as qualifying for the deduction under section 80D of the Income tax Act, exercising the Central Government's power under clause (a) of sub section (2) to notify employer sponsored health schemes; the recognition applies for the assessment year 2018 2019 and subsequent years.

Tax exemption for Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission's specified incomes granted, subject to noncommercial activity and filing conditions.
Central Government notifies Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission as eligible for exemption under clause (46) of section 10 of the Income tax Act for specified receipts - annual licence fees, interest on deposits and savings, application/petition fees, State government grants, document fees, penalties for delayed licence fees, RTI fees and sale of scrap - effective retrospectively for 1 June 2011-31 March 2012 and financial years 2012-13 to 2014-15, subject to conditions: no commercial activity, unchanged activities and income nature, and prescribed filing of income returns.

Correction of official notification: institutional name amended to Institute of Cost Accountants of India for accuracy.
A corrigendum directs that the phrase "the Institute of Certified Management Accountants of India" in the earlier Gazette notification be read as "the Institute of Cost Accountants of India," thereby correcting the published textual error and providing the formal replacement language for the specified line of the prior notification.