Union Budget 2025-26 (Full) + Finance Bill, 2025

XIX. Rationalisation of provisions related to carry forward of losses in case of amalgamation

Section 72A and 72AA of the Act provide provisions relating to carry forward and set-off of accumulated loss and unabsorbed depreciation allowance in cases of amalgamation or business reorganization as specified therein.

2. Section 72A and 72AA provide that accumulated loss of the amalgamating entity or predecessor entity shall be deemed to be the loss of the amalgamated entity or the successor entity for the previous year in which amalgamation or business reorganisation has been effected or brought into force. Further, section 72 of the Act provides that no loss (other than loss from speculation business) under the head “Profits and gains from business or profession” shall be carried forward for more than 8 assessment years immediately succeeding the assessment years for which the loss was first computed.

3. In order to bring clarity and parity with the provisions of section 72 of the Act, it is proposed to amend section 72A and section 72AA of the Act to provide that any loss forming part of the accumulated loss of the predecessor entity, which is deemed to be the loss of the successor entity, shall be eligible to be carried forward for not more than eight assessment years immediately succeeding the assessment year for which such loss was first computed for original predecessor entity. The proposed amendment is aimed to prevent evergreening of the losses of the predecessor entity resulting from successive amalgamations and also to ensure that no carry forward and set off of accumulated loss is allowed after eight assessment years from the immediately succeeding the assessment year for which such loss was first computed for original predecessor entity.

3. The aforesaid amendments shall apply to any amalgamation or business re-organisation which is effected on or after 01.04.2025.

4. These amendments will take effect from the 1st day of April, 2026.

[Clauses 14 & 15]

 

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Full Text:

Union Budget 2025-26 (Full) + Finance Bill, 2025

Carryforward of losses limited to eight assessment years for predecessor losses in amalgamations, preventing loss evergreening. Sections 72A and 72AA are amended to provide that any accumulated loss of an original predecessor entity deemed to be the loss of the successor entity may be carried forward only for eight assessment years immediately succeeding the assessment year in which that loss was first computed for the original predecessor, aligning these provisions with section 72 and preventing evergreening through successive amalgamations.