FINANCE ACT, 2013 – EXPLANATORY NOTES TO THE PROVISIONS OF FINANCE ACT, 2013
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.... 11.8. 40 Disallowance of certain fee, charge, etc. in case of State Government Undertakings, 12.1 - 12.3. Insertion of new section 43CA Computation of income under the head "profits and gains of business or profession" for transfer of immovable property in certain cases, 13.1 - 13.4. 56 Taxability of immovable property received for inadequate consideration, 14.1 - 14.4. 80C Raising of limit of percentage of eligible premium for life insurance policies of persons with disability or disease, 15.1 - 15.6. 80CCG Expanding the scope and deduction and its eligibility under the section, 16.1 - 16.5. 80D Deduction for contribution to Health Schemes similar to Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), 17.1 -17.3. Insertion of new section 80EE Deduction in respect of interest on loan sanctioned during financial year 2013-14 for acquiring residential house property, 18.1 - 18.4. 80G One hundred per cent deduction for donation to National Children's Fund, 19.1- 19.4. 80GGB & 80GGC Contribution not to be in cash for deduction under section 80GGB & 80GGC, 20.1 - 20.3. 80-IA Extension of the sunset date under the section for the power se....
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....tion from requirement of furnishing PAN under section 206AA to certain non-resident bond holder, 42.1 -42.3. 206C Removal of exemption from levy of Tax Collection at Source (TCS) to cash sale of any coin or any other article weighing 10 grams or less, 43.1 - 43.2. 252 Appointment of President of the Appellate Tribunal, 44.1 - 44.4. Substitution of new section for section 271FA Penalty under section 271FA for non-filing of Annual Information Return, 45.1 - 45.5. Fourth Schedule Extension of time for approval, 46.1 - 46.5. Wealth-tax Act, 1957 2 Change in the definition of capital asset, ; exemption from wealth tax to agricultural land situated in urban area, 47.1 - 47.3. Insertions of new sections 14A and 14B and amendment of section 46 Enabling provisions for facilitating electronic filing of annexure-less return of net wealth, 48.1 - 48.4. Finance (No.2) Act, 2004 Section 98 of the Finance (No.2) Act, 2004 Rationalisation of securities transaction tax rates, 49.1 - 49.3. Chapter VII, Finance Act, 2013 Chapter VII of the Finance Act, 2013 and amendment in sections 36 and 43 of the Income-tax Act, 19....
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.... The major features of the rates specified in the said Part I are as follows: 3.1.2 Individual, Hindu undivided family, association of persons, body of individuals or artificial juridical person. - Paragraph A of Part I of the First Schedule specifies the rates of income-tax in the case of every individual, Hindu undivided family, association of persons, body of individuals or artificial juridical person (other than a co-operative society, firm, local authority and company) as under:- Income chargeable to tax Rate of income-tax Individual(other than senior and very Income senior citizen chargeable resident in India), to tax HUF, association of persons, body of individuals and artificial juridical person Individual, resident in India, who is of the age of sixty years or more but less than eighty years (senior citizen) Individual, resident in India, who is of the age of eighty years or more (very senior citizen) Up to Rs. 2,00,000 Nil Rs. 2,00,001 - Rs. 2,50,000 10% NIL NIL Rs. 2,50,001 - Rs. 5,00,000 10% Rs. 5,00,000.- Rs. 10,00,000 20% 20% 20% Exceeding Rs. 10,00,000 30% 30% 30% ....
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....vied at the rate of two per cent and one per cent respectively of the amount of tax computed. 3.1.6 Companies - In the case of a company, the rate of income-tax has been specified in Paragraph E of Part I of the First Schedule to the Act. In case of a domestic company, the rate of income-tax is thirty per cent of the total income. The tax computed shall be enhanced by a surcharge of five per cent of such income tax only where the domestic company has total income exceeding one crore rupees. In the case of a company other than a domestic company, royalties received from Government or Indian concern under an approved agreement made after 31-3-1961, but before 1-4-1976 shall be taxed at fifty per cent. Similarly, in the case of fees for technical services received by such company from Government or Indian concern under an approved agreement made after 29-2-1964, but before 1-4-1976, shall be taxed at fifty per cent. On the balance of the total income of such company, the tax rate shall be forty per cent. The tax computed shall be enhanced by a surcharge of two per cent only in the cases where such company has total income exceeding one crore rupees. However, marginal re....
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....regate of such incomes paid or likely to be paid and subject to the deduction exceeds one crore rupees but does not exceed ten crore rupees. In case where such income or the aggregate of such incomes paid or likely to be paid to a foreign company and subject to the deduction exceeds ten crore rupees, the rate of surcharge is five percent. (iii) No surcharge on tax deducted at source shall be levied in the case of an individual, Hindu undivided family, association of persons, body of individuals, artificial juridical person, co-operative society, local authority, firm being a resident or a domestic company. 3.2.3 Education Cess - Education Cess on income-tax shall continue to be levied for the purposes of the Union at the rate of two per cent of income-tax and surcharge, if any, in the cases of persons not resident in India including companies other than domestic company. For instance, if income tax on a foreign company is Rs. 1, 20,00,000 and the surcharge at the rate of two per cent. is Rs. 2,40,000, then the education cess of two per cent is to be computed on Rs. 1,22,40,000 which works out to Rs. 2,44,800. In addition, the amount of tax deducted and surc....
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..... (very senior citizen) Up to Rs. 2 ,00,000 Nil Rs. 2,00,001 -Rs. 2,50,000 10% Nil Nil Rs. 2,50,001 -Rs. 5,00,000 10% Rs. 5,00,001 -Rs. 10,00,000 20% 20% 20% Exceeding Rs. 10,00,000 30% 30% 30% The amount of income-tax so computed shall be increased by a surcharge at the rate of ten percent. of such income-tax in case of a person having a total income exceeding one crore rupees. However, the total amount payable as income-tax and surcharge on total income exceeding one crore rupees shall not exceed the total amount payable as income-tax on a total income of one crore rupees by more than the amount of income that exceeds one crore rupees. The Education Cess on income-tax shall continue to be levied at the rate of two per cent on the amount of tax computed inclusive of surcharge. In addition, the amount of tax computed shall be further increased by an additional surcharge called Secondary and Higher Education Cess on income-tax at the rate of one per cent of such income-tax inclusive of surcharge. No marginal relief shall be available in respect of Education Cess and Secondary and Higher Education ....
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.... of the First Schedule to the Act. The amount of income-tax so computed shall be increased by a surcharge at the rate of ten percent. of such income-tax in case of a local authority having a total income exceeding one crore rupees. However, the total amount payable as income-tax and surcharge on total income exceeding one crore rupees shall not exceed the total amount payable as income-tax on a total income of one crore rupees by more than the amount of income that exceeds one crore rupees. Education Cess on Income-tax and Secondary and Higher Education Cess on income-tax shall be levied at the rate of two per cent and one per cent respectively of the amount of income tax and surcharge. No marginal relief shall be available in respect of Education Cess and Secondary and Higher Education Cess. 3.3.6 Companies- In the case of a company, the rate of income-tax has been specified in Paragraph E of Part III of the First Schedule to the Act. In case of a domestic company, the rate of income-tax is thirty per cent of the total income. The tax computed shall be enhanced by a surcharge of five per cent where such domestic company has total income exceeding one crore rupees....
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....sed by a surcharge of ten percent of such tax. 4. Amendment in the definition of Capital Asset 4.1 The provisions contained in clause (14) of section 2 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, before amendment by the Act, define the term "capital asset" as property of any kind held by an assessee, whether or not connected with his business or profession. Certain categories of properties including agricultural land have been excluded from this definition. Sub-clause (iii) of clause (14) of section 2 provides that (a) agricultural land situated in any area within the jurisdiction of a municipality or cantonment board having population of not less than ten thousand according to last preceding census, or (b) agricultural land situated in any area within such distance not exceeding eight kilometers from the local limits of any municipality or cantonment board as notified by the Central Government having regard to the extent and scope of urbanization and other relevant factors, forms part of capital asset. 4.2 Item (b) of sub-clause (iii) of clause (14) of section 2 has been amended so as to provide that the land situated in any area within the distance, measured aerially (shortest aerial d....
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....practices to avoid payment of taxes, the provisions of clause (10D) of section 10 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 have been amended to provide that a keyman insurance policy which has been assigned to any person during its term, with or without consideration, shall continue to be treated as a keyman insurance policy and consequently would not be eligible for any exemption under section 10(10D) of the Income-tax Act. 5.5 Applicability: - The amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2014 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to assessment year 2014-15 and subsequent assessments years. 6. Exemption to income of Investor Protection Fund of depositories 6.1 Under the provisions of SEBI (Depositories and Participants) Regulations, 1996, as amended in 2012, the depositories are mandatorily required to set up an Investor Protection Fund. Section 10(23EA) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 provides that income by way of contributions from a recognised stock exchange received by an Investor Protection Fund set up by the recognised stock exchange shall be exempt from taxation . 6.2 On similar lines, a new clause (23ED) has been inserted in section 10 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 wherein ....
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.... have been registered before 21/05/2012) and are regulated by the VCF regulations, as they stood before repeal by AIF regulations, would continue to avail pass through status as currently available. (ii) in the context of AIF regulations, the Venture Capital Company shall be defined as a company and Venture capital fund shall be defined as a fund set up as a trust, which has been granted a certificate of registration as Venture Capital Fund being a sub-category of Category I Alternative Investment Fund and satisfies the following conditions:- (a) at least two-thirds of its investible funds are invested in unlisted equity shares or equity linked instruments of venture capital undertaking. (b) no investment has been made by such AIFs in a VCU which is an associate company. (c) units of a trust set up as AIF or shares of a company set up as AIF, are not listed on a recognised stock exchange. (iii) in the context of AIF regulations, the Venture Capital Undertaking shall be defined in the manner as defined in the Alternative Investment Funds Regulations. 7.4 Applicability: - This amend....
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....ation of new plant or machinery by manufacturing company 10.1 In order to encourage substantial investment in plant or machinery, a new section 32AC has been inserted in the Income-tax Act to provide that where an assessee, being a company,- (a) is engaged in the business of manufacture of an article or thing; and (b) invests a sum of more than Rs.100 crore in new assets (plant or machinery) during the period beginning from 1st April, 2013 and ending on 31st March, 2015, then, the assessee shall be allowed- (i) for assessment year 2014-15, a deduction of 15 percent of aggregate amount of actual cost of new assets acquired and installed during the financial year 2013-14, if the cost of such assets exceeds Rs.100 crore; (ii) for assessment year 2015-16, a deduction of 15 percent of aggregate amount of actual cost of new assets, acquired and installed during the period beginning on 1st April, 2013 and ending on 31st March, 2015, as reduced by the deduction allowed, if any, for assessment year 2014-15. 10.2 The phrase "new asset" has been defined as new plant or machinery but does not include - (i) &n....
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....f as irrecoverable in the books of account of the assessee. The proviso to this clause provides that for an assessee, to which section 36(1) (viia) of the Income-tax Act applies, deduction under said clause (vii) shall be limited to the amount by which the bad debt written off exceeds the credit balance in the provision for bad and doubtful debts account made under section 36(1) (viia) of the said Act. 11.3 The provisions of section 36(1)(vii) of the Income-tax Act are subject to the provisions of section 36(2) of the said Act. The clause (v) of sub-section (2) of section 36 of the Income-tax Act provides that the assessee, to which section 36(1)(viia) of the said Act applies, should debit the amount of bad debt written off to the provision for bad and doubtful debts account made under section 36(1) (viia) of the Income-tax Act. 11.4 Therefore, the banks or financial institutions are entitled to claim deduction for bad debt actually written off under section 36(1)(vii) of the Income-tax Act only to the extent it is in excess of the credit balance in the provision for bad and doubtful debts account made under section 36(1)(viia) of the said Act. However, certain judicial prono....
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.... under clause (viia) of sub-section (1) of section 36 without any distinction between rural advances and other advances. 11.8 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st April, 2014 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2014-15 and subsequent assessment years. 12. Disallowance of certain fee, charge, etc. in the case of State Government Undertakings 12.1 The provisions of section 40 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 before its amendment by the Act, specifies the amounts which shall not be deducted in computing the income chargeable under the head "Profits and gains of business or profession". The non-deductible expense under the said section also includes statutory dues like fringe benefit tax, income-tax, wealth-tax, etc. Disputes have arisen in respect of income-tax assessment of some State Government undertakings as to whether any sum paid by way of privilege fee, license fee, royalty, etc. levied or charged by the State Government exclusively on its undertakings are deductible or not for the purposes of computation of income of such undertakings. In some cases, orders have been issued to the effect that surplus arising to such undertakings....
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....d, assessed or assessable by any authority of a State Government for the purpose of payment of stamp duty in respect of such transfer, then such value (stamp duty value) is taken as full value of consideration under section 50C of the Income-tax Act. However, these provisions do not apply to transfer of immovable property, held by the transferor as stock-in-trade. 13.2 Accordingly, a new section 43CA has been inserted in the Income tax Act which provides that where the consideration for the transfer of an asset (other than capital asset), being land or building or both, is less than the stamp duty value, the value so adopted or assessed or assessable shall be deemed to be the full value of consideration for the purposes of computing income under the head "Profits and gains of business or profession". 13.3 It has also been provided that where the date of an agreement fixing the value of consideration for the transfer of the asset and the date of registration of the transfer of the asset are not the same, the stamp duty value may be taken as on the date of the agreement for transfer and not as on the date of registration for such transfer. However, this exception shall apply on....
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....nce policies of persons with disability or disease 15.1 Under the provisions contained in clause (10D) of section 10 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 before amendment by the Act, any sum received under a life insurance policy, including the sum allocated by way of bonus on such policy, is exempt, subject to the condition that the premium paid for such policy does not exceed ten per cent of the 'actual capital sum assured'. 15.2 Similarly as per the provisions of sub-section (3A) of section 80C of the Income-tax Act, prior to its amendment by the Act, the deduction under the said section is available in respect of any premium or other payment made on an insurance policy of up to ten per cent of the 'actual capital sum assured'. 15.3 The above limit of ten per cent was introduced through the Finance Act, 2012 and applies to policies issued on or after 1st April, 2012. Some insurance policies for persons with disability or suffering from specified diseases provide for an annual premium of more than ten per cent of the actual capital sum assured. Due to the limit of ten per cent, these policies are ineligible for exemption under clause (10D) of section 10 of the Income-tax Act. Mor....
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....ide that investment in listed units of an equity oriented fund shall also be eligible for deduction in accordance with the provisions of section 80CCG. For this purpose "equity oriented fund "shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (38) of section 10 of the Income-tax Act. 16.4 It has been further provided that the deduction under section 80CCG of the Income-tax Act shall be allowed for three consecutive assessment years, beginning with the assessment year relevant to the previous year in which the listed equity shares or listed units were first acquired by the new retail investor whose gross total income for the relevant assessment year does not exceed twelve lakh rupees. The modified Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme has also been notified on 18th December, 2013. 16.5 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st April, 2014 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2014-15 and subsequent assessment years. 17. Deduction for contribution to Health Schemes similar to CGHS 17.1 Section 80D of the Income Tax Act, before its amendment by the Act, inter alia, provided that the whole of the amount paid in the previous year out of the in....
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....by inserting a new section 80EE in the Income-tax Act relating to deduction in respect of interest on loan taken for residential house property. 18.3 Section 80EE provides that in computing the total income of an assessee, being an individual, deduction shall be allowed on account of interest payable on loan taken by him from any financial institution for the purpose of acquisition of a residential house property. 18.3.1 The deduction under the said section shall not exceed one lakh rupees and shall be allowed in computing the total income of the individual for the assessment year beginning on 1st April, 2014 and in a case where the interest payable for the previous year relevant to the said assessment year is less than one lakh rupees, the balance amount shall be allowed in the assessment year beginning on 1st April, 2015. 18.3.2 The deduction shall be subject to the following conditions:- (i) the loan is sanctioned by the financial institution during the period beginning on 1st April, 2013 and ending on 31st March, 2014; (ii) the amount of loan sanctioned for acquisition of the residential house property does not exceed twenty-five lakh rupees; (iii) the value of the res....
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.... year 2014-15 and subsequent assessment years. 20. Contribution not to be in cash for deduction under section 80GGB & section 80GGC 20.1 Under section 80GGB of the Income-tax Act, before its amendment by the Act, any sum contributed by an Indian company to any political party or an electoral trust in the previous year, is allowed as deduction in computing the total income of such Indian company. A similar deduction is available to an assessee, being any person other than local authority and artificial juridical person under section 80GGC. 20.2 No specific mode was provided for making such contribution. With a view to discourage cash payments by the contributors, the provisions of aforesaid sections have been amended to provide that no deduction shall be allowed under section 80GGB and 80GGC in respect of any sum contributed by way of cash. 20.3 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st April, 2014 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2014-15 and subsequent assessment years. 21. Extension of the sunset date under section 80IA for the power sector 21.1 Under the provisions contained in the clause (iv) of sub-section (4) of sect....
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....o thirty per cent of additional wages paid to the new regular workmen employed by the assessee in such factory, in the previous year, for three assessment years including the assessment year relevant to the previous year in which such employment is provided. 22.5 It has also been provided that the deduction under this section shall not be available if the factory is hived off or transferred from another existing entity or acquired by the assessee company as a result of amalgamation with another company. 22.6 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st April, 2014 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to assessment year 2014-15 and subsequent assessment years. 23. Rebate of Rs. 2000 for individuals having total income up to Rs. 5 lakh 23.1 With a view to provide tax relief to the individual tax payers who are in lower income bracket, a tax rebate has been provided to an assessee, being an individual resident in India and having total income not exceeding five lakh rupees. 23.2 The rebate shall be equal to the amount of income-tax payable on the total income for any assessment year or an amount of two thousand rupees, whichever is less. Consequently any in....
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....ernment. Therefore, TRC issued by different countries in their respective formats would meet the requirement of sub-section (4). However, sub-section (5) has been introduced in sections 90 & 90A of the Income-tax Act to provide that the taxpayer shall be required to furnish such other documents and information as may be prescribed. This has been prescribed vide Notification 47/2013 dated 26th June 2013 amending Rule 21AB of Income-tax Rules, 1962. 24.5 Applicability: - These amendments have been made retrospectively from 1st April, 2013 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2013-14 and subsequent assessment years. 25. GENERAL ANTI-AVOIDANCE RULE (GAAR) 25.1 The General Anti Avoidance Rule (GAAR) was introduced in the Income- tax Act by the Finance Act, 2012. The substantive provisions relating to GAAR are contained in Chapter X-A (consisting of sections 95 to 102) of the Income- tax Act. The procedural provisions relating to mechanism for invocation of GAAR and passing of the assessment order in consequence thereof are contained in section 144BA. The provisions of Chapter X-A as well as section 144BA would have come into force with effect from 1st....
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.... The Approving Panel shall consist of a Chairperson who is or has been a Judge of a High Court; one Member of the Indian Revenue Service not below the rank of Chief Commissioner of Income-tax; and one Member who shall be an academic or scholar having special knowledge of matters such as direct taxes, business accounts and international trade practices. The provision of section 144BA that the Approving Panel shall consist of not less than three members being income-tax authorities and an officer of the Indian Legal Service has been amended accordingly. (F) The directions issued by the Approving Panel shall be binding on the assessee as well as the income-tax authorities and no appeal against such directions can be made under the provisions of the Act. The provisions of section 144BA providing that the direction of the Approving Panel will be binding only on the Assessing Officer have been amended accordingly. (G) The Central Government may constitute one or more Approving Panels as may be necessary and the term of the Approving Panel shall be ordinarily for one year and may be extended from time to time up to a period of three years. The provisions of....
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....ny income by way of royalty and FTS received by a non-resident, under an agreement entered after 31.03.1976, which is taxable under section 115A. 26.4 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st April, 2014 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2014-15 and subsequent assessment years. 27. Lower rate of tax on dividends received from foreign companies 27.1 Section 115BBD of Income-tax Act provides for taxation of gross dividends received by an Indian company from a specified foreign company (in which it has shareholding of 26 per cent or more) at the rate of 15 per cent if such dividend is included in the total income for the Financial Year 2012-13 i.e. Assessment Year 2013-14. The above provision was introduced as an incentive for repatriation of income earned by residents from investments made abroad subject to certain conditions. 27.2 In order to continue the tax incentive for one more year, section 115BBD has been amended to extend the applicability of this section in respect of income by way of dividends received from a specified foreign company in Financial Year 2013-14 also, subject to the same conditions. 27.3 Applicability ....
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...., declares or pays any dividend to its shareholders. Consequent to the levy of DDT the amount of dividend received by the shareholders is not included in the total income of the shareholder. The consideration received by a shareholder on buy-back of shares by the company is not treated as dividend but is taxable as capital gains under section 46A of the Act. 29.2 A company, having distributable reserves, has two options to distribute the same to its shareholders either by declaration and payment of dividends to the shareholders, or by way of purchase of its own shares (i.e. buy back of shares) at a consideration fixed by it. In the first case, the payment by company is subject to DDT and income in the hands of shareholders is exempt. In the second case the income is taxed in the hands of shareholder as capital gains. Unlisted Companies, as part of tax avoidance scheme, resort to buy back of shares instead of payment of dividends in order to avoid payment of tax by way of DDT particularly where the capital gains arising to the shareholders are either not chargeable to tax or are taxable at a lower rate. 29.3 In order to curb such practice, a new Chapter XII-DA has been inserte....
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.... to a non-resident Investor. 30.5 Applicability: - These amendments take effect from 1st June, 2013. 31. Taxation of Securitisation Trusts 31.1 Section 161 of the Income-tax Act provides that in case of a trust if its income consists of or includes profits and gains of business then income of such trust shall be taxed at the maximum marginal rate in the hands of trust. 31.2 The special purpose entities set up in the form of trust to undertake securitisation activities were facing problem due to lack of special dispensation in respect of taxation under the Income-tax Act. The taxation at the level of trust due to existing provisions was considered to be restrictive particularly where the investors in the trust are persons which are exempt from taxation under the provisions of the Income-tax Act like Mutual Funds. 31.3 In order to facilitate the securitisation process, a special taxation regime has been provided in respect of taxation of income of securitisation entities, set up as a trust, from the activity of securitisation. Section 10 of the Income-tax Act has been amended and also a new Chapter XII-EA has been inserted therein for providing a special tax regime. Th....
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....tax Act, Expenditure-tax Act, Gift-tax Act and Interest-tax Act and the amount of liability determined on completion of assessments pursuant to search, including penalty levied or interest payable and in respect of which such person is in default or deemed to be in default. Various courts have taken a view that the term "existing liability" includes advance tax liability of the assesse, which is not in consonance with the intention of the legislature. The legislative intent behind this provision is to ensure the recovery of outstanding tax/interest/penalty and also to provide for recovery of taxes/interest/penalty, which may arise subsequent to the assessment pursuant to search. 32.2 Accordingly, said section 132B has been amended to clarify that the existing liability does not include advance tax payable in accordance with the provisions of Part C of Chapter XVII of the Income-tax Act. 32.3 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st June, 2013. 33. Replacement of terms "Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947" and "Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973" with "Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999" 33.1 Section 138 of the Income-tax Act provides for disclosure ....
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.... return. It has been noticed that a large number of assesses furnish their returns of income without payment of self-assessment tax. 34.2 With a view to ensure compliance of the provisions of section 140A, the Explanation to sub-section (9) of section 139 of the Income-tax Act has been amended to provide that the return of income shall be regarded as defective unless the tax together with interest, if any, payable in accordance with the provisions of section 140A has been paid on or before the date of furnishing of the return. 34.3 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from 1st June, 2013. 35. Direction for special audit under sub-section (2A) of section 142 35.1 Sub-section (2A) of section 142 of the Income-tax Act, before its amendment by the Act, inter-alia, provided that if at any stage of the proceedings, the Assessing Officer having regard to the nature and complexity of the accounts of the assessee and the interests of the revenue, is of the opinion that it is necessary so to do, he may, with the approval of the Chief Commissioner or Commissioner, direct the assessee to get his accounts audited by an accountant and to furnish a report of such audit in the ....
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....he order setting aside such direction is received by the Commissioner, shall be excluded in computing the period of limitation for the purposes of section 153. 36.3 Similarly, clause (viii) of Explanation I to section 153 of the Income-tax Act, before its amendment by the Act, provided for exclusion of the period commencing from the date on which a reference for exchange of information is made by an authority competent under an agreement referred to in section 90 or section 90A and ending with the date on which the information so requested is received by the Commissioner or a period of one year, whichever is less, in computing the period of limitation for the purposes of section 153. At times more than one reference for exchange of information is made in one case and the replies from the foreign Competent Authorities are also received in parts. In such cases, there will always be a dispute for counting the period of exclusion i.e. whether it should be from the date of first reference for exchange of information made or from the date of last reference. Similar dispute may also arise with regard to the date on which the information so requested is received. 36.4 With a view to ....
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....he 3rd proviso which was inserted vide Finance Act 2012. Further, it could not get covered by 2nd proviso either. Therefore, it found a place only in 153(1) (a) as per which the time limit would be two years from the end of assessment year i.e. upto 31.03.2012. Therefore, it did not get the benefit of one extra year as was intended. Further, before amendments vide Finance Act 2012 this case would have been covered under 2nd proviso and the time limit for completion would have been 31-12-2012 (33 months). Thus, with the insertion of 3rd proviso vide Finance Act 2012 the time limit got reduced from 31-12-2012 to 31 -03-2012. This was not the intent of the legislature. 37.4 In view of the above, the provisions of 3rd proviso to sub-section (1) of section 153 of the Income-tax Act have been amended to provide that in case the assessment year in which the income was first assessable is the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 2009 or any subsequent assessment year and during the course of the proceeding for the assessment of total income, a reference under sub-section (1) of section 92CA of the Income-tax Act is made, the provisions of clause (a) shall, notwithstanding....
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....ote or quoted invalid PAN in the documents relating to transfer of immovable property. 39.2 Under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, prior to its amendment by the Act, tax is required to be deducted at source on certain specified payments made to residents by way of salary, interest, commission, brokerage, professional services, etc. On transfer of immovable property by a non-resident, tax is required to be deducted at source by the transferee. However, there is no such requirement on transfer of immovable property by a resident except in the case of compulsory acquisition of certain immovable properties. 39.3 In order to have a reporting mechanism of transactions in the real estate sector and also to collect tax at the earliest point of time, a new section 194-IA has been inserted in the Income-tax Act to provide that every transferee, at the time of making payment or crediting of any sum as consideration for transfer of immovable property (other than agricultural land) to a resident transferor, shall deduct tax, at the rate of 1 per cent of such sum. 39.4 In order to reduce the compliance burden on the small taxpayers, it has also been provided that no deduction of ta....
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....pression "person responsible for paying" in case of any sum payable to a non-resident Indian, being any sum representing consideration for the transfer by him of any foreign exchange asset, which is not a short-term capital asset, means the authorised dealer responsible for remitting such sum to the non-resident Indian or for crediting such sum to his Non-resident (External) Account maintained in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 and any rules made thereunder. The expression "authorised dealer" as mentioned above has been defined in the Explanation to the said section as having the meaning as assigned to it in clause (b) of section 2 of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973. Further, in the Explanation, reference has been made to Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973. 41.2 In 1999, Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) was introduced and it replaced the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973. In FEMA, the expression "authorised dealer" has been replaced by "authorised person". 41.3 In view of the replacement of the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973 by the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, an amendment in section 204 of the Income-tax....
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....ny other article weighing 10 grams. 43.2 Applicability: - This amendment takes effect from the 1st June, 2013. 44. Appointment of President of the Appellate Tribunal 44.1 The provisions of section 252 of the Income-tax Act, inter-alia, provide for the constitution of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), the qualification of judicial members and accountant members, the appointment of president, senior vice-presidents and vice presidents etc. Sub-section (3) of section 252 provides that the Central Government shall appoint the Senior Vice-President or one of the Vice-Presidents of the Appellate Tribunal to be the President thereof. 44.2 The choice of the President is confined only to Senior Vice-President or one of the Vice Presidents as the President. In order to provide for a wider choice in the selection of a suitable candidate for the post of President of the tribunal an amendment has been carried out to include persons from judiciary. 44.3 Accordingly, the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 252 have been amended to provide that the Central Government shall appoint a person who is a sitting or retired Judge of a High Court and who has completed not less than....
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.... are required to be satisfied by a Provident Fund for receiving or retaining recognition under the Income-tax Act. One of the requirements of rule 4 as contained in clause (ea) is that the establishment has to be notified by the Central Provident Fund Commissioner under section 1(4) of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 [EPF & MP Act] and has obtained exemption under section 17 of the said Act. 46.2 Rule 3 in Part A of the Fourth Schedule to the Income-tax Act provides that the Chief Commissioner or the Commissioner of Income-tax may accord recognition to any provident fund which, in his opinion, satisfies the conditions specified under the said rule 4 and the conditions which the Board may specify by rules. 46.3 The first proviso to sub-rule (1) of rule 3, prior to its amendment by the Act, inter alia, specified that in a case where recognition under the Income-tax Act has been accorded to any provident fund on or before 31st March, 2006, but such provident fund does not satisfy the conditions set out in clause (ea) of rule 4 on or before 31st March 2013, the recognition to such fund shall be withdrawn. 46.4 A number of applications were....
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....ulars of the net wealth and such other particulars as may be prescribed. Currently, certain documents, reports are required to be furnished along with the return of net wealth under the provisions of Wealth-tax Act read with the provisions of Wealth-tax Rules. 48.2 Sections 139C and 139D of the Income-tax Act contain provisions for facilitating filing of annexure-less return of income in electronic form by certain class of income-tax assesses. In order to facilitate electronic filing of annexure-less return of net wealth, new sections 14A and 14B have been inserted in the Wealth-tax Act on similar lines. 48.3 Consequently, the provisions of section 46 of the Wealth-tax Act which provide for rule making powers of the Board have also been amended. 48.4 Applicability: - These amendments take effect from 1st June, 2013. 49. Securities Transaction Tax (STT) 49.1 Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on transactions in specified securities was introduced vide Finance (No.2) Act, 2004. 49.2 Section 98 of the Finance (No.2) Act, 2004 has been amended to reduce STT rates in the taxable securities transactions as indicated hereunder:- TABLE S.No. Nature of Taxable secur....
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