Income-tax rate scheme for optional new tax regime governs slab-based taxation for eligible individuals, with surcharge and cess.
The note confirms tax rates for AY 2024-25 remain unchanged in specified statutory sections and in Part I of the First Schedule, reproduces slabbed rates under the optional section 115BAC regime and explains surcharge rules-including staged surcharge percentages, caps where income includes dividends or incomes under sections 111A/112/112A, marginal relief provisions-and that Health and Education Cess at 4% applies on tax inclusive of surcharge.

Deduction of income-tax at source: updated TDS structure for non-resident capital gains and non domestic companies.
Part II of the First Schedule to the Finance Bill, 2024 prescribes FY 2024-25 rates for deduction of income-tax at source under specified sections; tax is to be deducted per the relevant statutory provisions. The rate for other income paid to a company that is not a domestic company is proposed to be reduced to thirtyfive percent. A revised table sets distinct TDS rates on capital gains for non-residents for transfers before and on or after 23rd July 2024. Other TDS rates generally remain as in the Finance Act, 2023. Surcharge is unchanged and Health and Education Cess remains at four percent for non-residents.

Rates for deduction of income tax at source set TDS and advance tax computation, applicable to accelerated assessments.
Rates for deduction of income tax at source from Salaries and under section 194P and the computation of advance tax are specified in Part III of the First Schedule to the Finance Bill for the relevant fiscal year; those rates also apply to charging income tax in specified accelerated assessment circumstances such as provisional assessment of shipping profits to non residents, assessments of persons leaving India, likely property transfers to avoid tax, and bodies formed for short duration.

Concessional tax regime rates set with graduated slabs and capped surcharge for high income taxpayers under new proposal.
A concessional tax regime under proposed clause (ii) of sub section (1A) of section 115BAC will apply to individuals, HUFs, AOPs, BOIs and certain artificial juridical persons from assessment year 2025 26, prescribing graded tax rates by income band; an opt out under sub section (6) of section 115BAC makes Part III of the First Schedule applicable. Part III also provides age based higher exempt thresholds for resident senior and super senior citizens and includes capital gains under sections 111A, 112 and 112A in taxable income. Surcharge rates rise with income but are subject to caps, specific restrictions for dividend and specified incomes, limits for associations of companies, a reduced cap for persons under sub section (1A) of section 115BAC, and marginal relief at thresholds.

Co-operative society tax regime: rates unchanged with tiered surcharge and optional concessional schemes under sections 115BAD and 115BAE.
Co-operative society tax rates remain unchanged and are set in the First Schedule; tiered surcharge applies with marginal relief to address surcharge effects. A resident co-operative society meeting specified conditions may elect an optional lower tax regime with a prescribed surcharge. A manufacturing co-operative society formed and commenced production within specified dates, foregoing specified incentives and deductions, may opt for a concessional manufacturing tax rate for assessment years from the stated year, with a prescribed surcharge. These measures are provided in the cited clauses and the First Schedule.

Surcharge cap on firm tax limits additional levy above the income threshold, preserving tax on threshold plus excess.
The income-tax rate for firms remains unchanged from the prior year; firms with total income above the threshold face a surcharge on computed income-tax, but the combined tax and surcharge for income exceeding the threshold is capped so it cannot exceed the tax on income at the threshold plus the excess income.

Local authority income-tax surcharge capped to limit additional tax burden above the applicable income threshold.
The income-tax rate for local authorities for FY 2024-25 remains unchanged. A surcharge applies to income-tax where total income exceeds the statutory threshold, calculated as a percentage of income-tax. The combined income-tax and surcharge on income above the threshold is capped so that it does not exceed, by more than the excess income, the income-tax payable on income equal to the threshold.

Corporate tax rate changes with maintained surcharge framework, marginal relief and a health and education cess applied to computed tax.
The Bill sets differentiated corporate tax rates for domestic and non domestic companies, preserves optional lower-tax regimes for qualifying domestic companies, and reduces the non domestic base rate. It maintains surcharge bands for domestic and non domestic entities, provides marginal relief in surcharge computation, excludes surcharge on advance tax for certain specified funds, and imposes a Health and Education Cess on tax computed inclusive of surcharge without marginal relief for the cess.

Standard deduction increase under new tax regime raises allowable salary and family pension deductions to incentivize regime shift.
An amendment makes the standard deduction for salaries and the family pension deduction operate as if the lower statutory caps were substituted by higher caps where income-tax is computed under the specified clause of the new tax regime; these substitutions apply only when tax is computed under that new-regime provision and take effect from the stated future assessment year.

Employer pension contribution deduction increased for employees under new tax regime from assessment year 2025-26.
Employer contributions to an employee's pension scheme will be deductible to the employer up to 14% of the employee's salary instead of the current 10%; contributions made by non government employers will also be deductible for the employee up to 14% of salary where the employee's pay is chargeable under the alternate tax regime. The amendments apply from 1 April 2025 for assessment year 2025 2026.

Tax incentives for IFSC expanded: wider fund exemptions, clearing house income relief, VC relief, and interest limit carve outs.
Proposed amendments broaden IFSC tax concessions: include retail schemes and Exchange Traded Funds as specified funds under section 10(4D); exempt specified income of Core Settlement Guarantee Funds by recognising IFSCA market infrastructure regulations; extend section 68 relief to Venture Capital Funds regulated by IFSCA; and exclude IFSC finance companies from the section 94B interest deduction limitation, subject to prescribed conditions. Amendments take effect from 1 April 2025 and apply to the subsequent assessment year.

Sunset of share premium taxation exempts excess consideration on private company share issuance from tax from the new assessment year.
The amendment provides that clause (viib) of section 56(2), which taxed excess consideration received by closely held companies on issue of shares as Income from other sources, shall not apply from the specified assessment year, with the change effective from the stated first day of April.

Presumptive taxation for non-resident cruise operators establishes deemed profit treatment and conditional lease rental exemption for related companies.
A new presumptive taxation regime for non-resident cruise-ship operators deems a fixed proportion of amounts received or receivable for carriage of passengers as profits from that business, replacing the existing presumptive shipping provisions for cruise-ship activity. Additionally, lease rentals paid by a company opting into this regime to a foreign recipient will be exempt in the hands of that recipient if both are subsidiaries of the same holding company, with defined subsidiary/holding relationships and a time-bound availability.

Block assessment for search cases consolidates years into one assessment, streamlines investigation and prescribes tax and penalty rules.
A scheme of block assessment applies where a search under section 132 or requisition under section 132A is initiated on or after the commencement date, requiring the Assessing Officer to make one consolidated assessment for a defined block period covering six preceding assessment years and the period up to execution of the last authorisation. Regular assessments for years within the block abate; total income for the block is to include undisclosed income evidenced during search or requisition, undisclosed income attributable to other persons is to be transferred to their jurisdictional Assessing Officer, and specified tax, penalty and timeline rules apply.

Reassessment notice limits tightened, requiring pre-notice show-cause, specified authority approval and revised limitation periods for reopening cases.
Before initiating assessment, reassessment or recomputation the Assessing Officer must issue a notice with the prior order determining fit for reopening and require a return within a period not exceeding three months. A notice can be issued only where information suggests escaped income; survey information after the commencement date is included as such information, and information from a notified information sharing scheme requires prior specified authority approval. A pre notice show cause procedure with an opportunity to reply and specified authority approval to proceed is mandated, subject to transitional provisions and revised limitation windows, including extended periods for substantial escaped income.

Limitation for imposing penalties clarified by removing receipt-by-senior-commissioner reference, simplifying calculation of penalty limitation periods.
The provision governing the period of limitation for imposing penalties is amended to omit the reference to receipt of appellate orders by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner, removing ambiguity in calculating limitation periods arising from appeals; the amendment takes effect from 1 October 2024.

Withholding of refunds: extension of permissible withholding period and continued set-off against outstanding tax demands under new provisions.
Assessing Officers may adjust refunds against outstanding tax demands and withhold refunds during pending assessment or reassessment subject to prior approval and reasons recorded in writing. The permissible withholding period is extended beyond the assessment date, and additional interest under the refund interest provision is not payable for the duration the refund is lawfully withheld.

Time-limit for appeals to ITAT changed to a two-month period measured from month-end after electronic communication of orders.
The proposal adds penalty orders on undisclosed income arising from search assessments to the list of orders appealable to the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, correcting an omission; and it changes limitation computation so appeals may be filed within two months from the end of the month in which the order is communicated to the assessee or to the Principal Commissioner/Commissioner to accommodate electronic faceless appeal communications.

Charitable trust regime consolidation: transition to unified registration framework with phased sunsetting and protected investment modes retained.
The proposal phases out the approval route under sub clauses (iv), (v), (vi) and (via) of clause (23C) of section 10 by preventing consideration of applications filed on or after 1 October 2024, while allowing pending applications and existing approvals to continue under the first regime; approved entities may later apply for registration under the sections 11-13 framework, with amendments preserving certain eligible investment modes and enabling the transition.

Condonation of delay in registration applications allows authorities to treat late charitable registration filings as timely if reasonable cause exists.
The amendment authorises the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner to condone delay in filing registration applications by trusts and institutions and to treat such applications as filed within time if satisfied there is a reasonable cause for the delay. This power is intended to avert tax liability on accreted income or permanent exit from the exemption regime and takes effect from 1 October 2024.