Disability deduction: dependent relief under one provision versus taxpayer's own deduction under the other provision.
Section 80DD provides a deduction for maintenance, including medical treatment, of a handicapped dependent claimed by the taxpayer, whereas Section 80U provides a deduction available to the taxpayer who is himself or herself a person with disability; the key distinction is whether the deduction is for a dependent or for the disabled taxpayer.

Section 80DD deduction applies only for maintenance of a disabled dependent, not for the taxpayer's own disability.
Deduction under 80DD permits an income tax deduction for maintenance, including medical treatment, of a handicapped dependent who is a person with disability; the deduction is available for expenditure in respect of such a dependent and is not available to a taxpayer for his or her own disability-related expenses.

Deduction under section 80DD: a cousin does not qualify as a dependent for claiming the deduction.
The statutory dependent definition limits eligible relatives to spouse, children, parents, brothers, sisters, spouse's siblings, and parents' siblings; a cousin (daughter of mother's sister) is excluded, so expenses for her maintenance and medical treatment cannot be claimed as a deduction.

Disability deduction eligibility: a dependent sibling may claim 80DD deduction if financially supporting the disabled dependent.
An Assessing Officer's objection that the son cannot claim the deduction because Mr. X receives pension is incorrect. Deduction under section 80DD covers dependents including brothers and sisters; the son may claim the deduction if the disabled daughter is dependent on him. The son should furnish an undertaking from Mr. X confirming the daughter's dependency on the son rather than on Mr. X.

Disability definition sets qualifying conditions and severity thresholds for income-tax deductions for specified impairments under tax law.
Definition of disability for income-tax deductions under sections 80DD and 80DDB follows the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, listing impairments such as blindness, low vision, leprosy-cured, hearing impairment, locomotor disability, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities; a person is considered disabled when impairment is not less than 40%, and severe disability is an impairment of 80% or more, which determine eligibility for the specified deductions.

Disabled dependent eligibility for income tax deductions requires relatives or HUF members to be wholly or mainly dependent.
Eligibility for deductions requires that the disabled person be wholly or mainly dependent on the claimant for support and maintenance. For individuals, eligible dependents include spouse, children, parents, brothers and sisters. For a HUF, any member of the HUF may be treated as a disabled dependent for claiming the deduction.