Comparison of section 469 'Power to reduce or waive penalty, etc., in certain cases.' between the Income-Tax Act, 2025 (as passed) and the Income-Tax Bill, 2025 (as originally introduced)

Discretionary penalty waiver: voluntary pre-detection disclosure and cooperation enable administrative leniency, subject to prior approval thresholds and safeguards.

Section 469 empowers the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner to reduce or waive penalties under section 439 where there is voluntary, pre detection disclosure, good faith cooperation and payment or satisfactory arrangements for tax and interest; sub section (2) contains a deeming rule for 'full and true disclosure.' Prior approval from a specified senior authority is required where multi year income/disclosure crosses the statutory threshold or where aggregate penalties to be waived under the hardship route exceed the threshold; once discretionary relief is granted for a person no further relief is available for other tax years. Procedural safeguards and a twelve month disposal timeline apply.