H - Rationalisation Measures- DIRECT TAXES - Finance Bill, 2016

H. Rationalisation Measures Rationalization of tax deduction at source provisions relating to payments by Category-I and Category-II Alternate Investment Funds to its investors. The Finance Act, 2015 had inserted a special taxation regime in respect of Category-I and II Alternative Investment Funds (investment fund) registered with SEBI. The special taxation regime is intended to ensure tax pass through status in respect of these investment funds which are collective investment vehicles. The special regime is contained in sections 10(23FBA), 10 (23FBB), 115UB and 194LBB of the Act. Under this regime, the income of the investment fund (not being in the nature of business income) is exempt in the hands of investment fund but income received by the investor from the investment fund (other than income which is taxed at the level of investment fund) is taxable in the hands of investor. The taxation in the hands of investors is in the same manner and in the same proportion as it would have been, had the investor received such income directly and not through the investment fund. The existing provisions of section 194LBB provides that in respect of any income credited or paid by the investment fund to its investor, a tax deduction at source (TDS) shall be made by the investment fund @ 10% of the income. Under section 197 of the Act, facility for certificate for deduction of tax at lower rate or no deduction is available in respect of sections enumerated therein, if the Assessing Officer is satisfied that total income of the recipient justifies issue of such certificate, section 194LBB is currently not included in this provision. It has been represented that the existing TDS regime has created certain difficulties. The non-resident investor is not able to claim benefit of lower or NIL rate of taxation which is available to him under the relevant Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), and deduction of tax @10% is to be undertaken mandatorily even if under DTAA, the income is not taxable in India. There is no facility for any investor to approach the Assessing Officer for seeking certificate for TDS at a lower or NIL rate in respect of deductions made under section 194LBB. In order to rationalise the TDS regime in respect of payments made by the investment funds to its investors, it is proposed to amend section 194LBB to provide that the person responsible for making the payment to the investor shall deduct income-tax under section 194LBB at the rate of ten per cent where the payee is a resident and at the rates in force where the payee is a non-resident (not being a company) or a foreign company. Further, it is proposed to amend section 197 to include section 194LBB in the list of sections for which a certificate for deduction of tax at lower rate or no deduction of tax can be obtained. Consequential changes are also proposed to be made to the definition of rates in force so as to include section 194LBB in it. These amendments will take effect from 1st June, 2016. [Clause 3, 81 83] New Taxation Regime for securitisation trust and its investors Under the existing provisions of Chapter-XII-EA of the Act consisting of sections 115TA, 115TB and 115TC, special taxation regime in respect of income of the securitisation trusts and the investors of such trusts has been provided. The regime provides that income distributed by the securitisation trust to its investors shall be subject to a levy of additional tax to be paid by the securitisation trust within 14 days of distribution of income. The distribution tax shall be paid @ 25% if the distribution is made to an individual or a Hindu undivided family (HUF) and @ 30% if the distribution is to others. Further, no distribution tax is to be levied if the distribution is made to an exempt entity. Consequent to the levy of distribution tax, the income of the investor, received from the securitisation trust, is exempt under section 10(35A) of the Act and the income of securitisation trust itself is exempt under section 10(23DA) of the Act. It has been represented that under the current regime, the trusts set up by reconstruction companies or the securitisation companies are not covered although such trusts are also engaged in securitisation activity. These companies are established for the purposes of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act) and their activities are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It has been represented that the existing regime providing for final levy in the form of distribution tax is tax inefficient for the investors specially the banks and financial institutions. Disallowance of expenditure in respect of income received from securitisation trust increases the effective rate of taxation. Further, the non-resident and resident investors are unable to take benefits of their specific tax status. In order to rationalise the tax regime for securitisation trust and its investors, and to provide tax pass through treatment, it is proposed to amend the provisions of the Act to substitute the existing special regime for securitisation trusts by a new regime having the following elements: - (i) The new regime shall apply to securitisation trust being an SPV defined under SEBI (Public Offer and Listing of Securitised Debt Instrument) Regulations, 2008 or SPV as defined in the guidelines on securitisation of standard assets issued by RBI or being setup by a securitisation company or a reconstruction company in accordance with the SARFAESI Act; (ii) The income of securitisation trust shall continue to be exempt. However, exemption in respect of income of investor from securitisation trust would not be available and any income from securitisation trust would be taxable in the hands of investors; (iii) The income accrued or received from the securitisation trust shall be taxable in the hands of investor in the same manner and to the same extent as it would have happened had investor made investment directly in the underlying assets and not through the trust; (iv) Tax deduction at source shall be effected by the securitisation trust at the rate of 25% in case of payment to resident investors which are individual or HUF and @ 30% in case of others. In case of payments to non-resident investors, the deduction shall be at rates in force; (v) The facility for the investors to obtain low or nil deduction of tax certificate would be available; and (vi) The trust shall provide breakup regarding nature and proportion of its income to the investors and also to the prescribed income-tax authority. Further, it is proposed to provide that the current regime of distribution tax shall cease to apply in case of distribution made by securitisation trusts with effect from 01.06.2016. These amendments will take effect from 1st June, 2016. [Clause 3, 7, 57, 58, 59, 82 83] BEPS action plan - Country-By-Country Report and Master file Sections 92 to 92F of the Act contain provisions relating to transfer pricing regime. Under provision of section 92D, there is requirement for maintenance of prescribed information and document relating to the international transaction and specified domestic transaction. The OECD report on Action 13 of BEPS Action plan provides for revised standards for transfer pricing documentation and a template for country-by-country reporting of income, earnings, taxes paid and certain measure of economic activity. India has been one of the active members of BEPS initiative and part of international consensus. It is recommended in the BEPS report that the countries should adopt a standardised approach to transfer pricing documentation. A three-tiered structure has been mandated consisting of:- (i) a master file containing standardised information relevant for all multinational enterprises (MNE) group members; (ii) a local file referring specifically to material transactions of the local taxpayer; and (iii) a country-by-country report containing certain information relating to the global allocation of the MNE's income and taxes paid together with certain indicators of the location of economic activity within the MNE group. The report mentions that taken together, these three documents (country-by-country report, master file and local file) will require taxpayers to articulate consistent transfer pricing positions and will provide tax administrations with useful information to assess transfer pricing risks. It will facilitate tax administrations to make determinations about where their resources can most effectively be deployed, and, in the event audits are called for, provide information to commence and target audit enquiries. The country-by-country report requires multinational enterprises (MNEs) to report annually and for each tax jurisdiction in which they do business; the amount of revenue, profit before income tax and income tax paid and accrued. It also requires MNEs to report their total employment, capital, accumulated earnings and tangible assets in each tax jurisdiction. Finally, it requires MNEs to identify each entity within the group doing business in a particular tax jurisdiction and to provide an indication of the business activities each entity engages in. The Country-by-Country (CbC) report has to be submitted by parent entity of an international group to the prescribed authority in its country of residence. This report is to be based on consolidated financial statement of the group. The master file is intended to provide an overview of the MNE groups business, including the nature of its global business operations, its overall transfer pricing policies, and its global allocation of income and economic activity in order to assist tax administrations in evaluating the presence of significant transfer pricing risk. In general, the master file is intended to provide a high-level overview in order to place the MNE group's transfer pricing practices in their global economic, legal, financial and tax context. The master file shall contain information which may not be restricted to transaction undertaken by a particular entity situated in particular country. In that aspect, information in master file would be more comprehensive than the existing regular transfer pricing documentation. The master file shall be furnished by each entity to the tax authority of the country in which it operates. In order to implement the international consensus, it is proposed to provide a specific reporting regime in respect of CbC reporting and also the master file. It is proposed to include essential elements in the Act while remaining aspects can be detailed in rules. The elements relating to CbC reporting requirement and matters related to it proposed to be included through amendment of the Act are:- (i) the reporting provision shall apply in respect of an international group having consolidated revenue above a threshold to be prescribed. (ii) the parent entity of an international group, if it is resident in India shall be required to furnish the report in respect of the group to the prescribed authority on or before the due date of furnishing of return of income for the Assessment Year relevant to the Financial Year (previous year) for which the report is being furnished; (iii) the parent entity shall be an entity which is required to prepare consolidated financial statement under the applicable laws or would have been required to prepare such a statement, had equity share of any entity of the group been listed on a recognized stock exchange in India; (iv) every constituent entity in India, of an international group having parent entity that is not resident in India, shall provide information regarding the country or territory of residence of the parent of the international group to which it belongs. This information shall be furnished to the prescribed authority on or before the prescribed date; (v) the report shall be furnished in prescribed manner and in the prescribed form and would contain aggregate information in respect of revenue, profit loss before Income-tax, amount of Income-tax paid and accrued, details of capital, accumulated earnings, number of employees, tangible assets other than cash or cash equivalent in respect of each country or territory along with details of each constituent's residential status, nature and detail of main business activity and any other information as may be prescribed. This shall be based on the template provided in the OECD BEPS report on Action Plan 13; (vi) an entity in India belonging to an international group shall be required to furnish CbC report to the prescribed authority if the parent entity of the group is resident ;- (a) in a country with which India does not have an arrangement for exchange of the CbC report; or (b) such country is not exchanging information with India even though there is an agreement; and (c) this fact has been intimated to the entity by the prescribed authority; (vii) If there are more than one entities of the same group in India, then the group can nominate (under intimation in writing to the prescribed authority) the entity that shall furnish the report on behalf of the group. This entity would then furnish the report; (viii)If an international group, having parent entity which is not resident in India, had designated an alternate entity for filing its report with the tax jurisdiction in which the alternate entity is resident, then the entities of such group operating in India would not be obliged to furnish report if the report can be obtained under the agreement of exchange of such reports by Indian tax authorities; (ix) The prescribed authority may call for such document and information from the entity furnishing the report for the purpose of verifying the accuracy as it may specify in notice. The entity shall be required to make submission within thirty days of receipt of notice or further period if extended by the prescribed authority, but extension shall not be beyond 30 days; (x) For non-furnishing of the report by an entity which is obligated to furnish it, a graded penalty structure would apply:- (a) if default is not more than a month, penalty of ₹ 5000/- per day applies; (b) if default is beyond one month, penalty of ₹ 15000/- per day for the period exceeding one month applies; (c) for any default that continues even after service of order levying penalty either under (a) or under (b), then the penalty for any continuing default beyond the date of service of order shall be @ ₹ 50,000/- per day; (xi) In case of timely non-submission of information before prescribed authority when called for, a penalty of ₹ 5000/- per day applies. Similar to the above, if default continues even after service of penalty order, then penalty of ₹ 50,000/- per day applies for default beyond date of service of penalty order; (xii) If the entity has provided any inaccurate information in the report and,- (a) the entity knows of the inaccuracy at the time of furnishing the report but does not inform the prescribed authority; or (b) the entity discovers the inaccuracy after the report is furnished and fails to inform the prescribed authority and furnish correct report within a period of fifteen days of such discovery; or (c) the entity furnishes inaccurate information or document in response to notice of the prescribed authority, then penalty of ₹ 500,000/- applies; (xiii)The entity can offer reasonable cause defence for non-levy of penalties mentioned above. The proposed amendment in the Act in respect of maintenance of master file and furnishing it are: - (i) the entities being constituent of an international group shall, in addition to the information related to the international transactions, also maintain such information and document as is prescribed in the rules. The rules shall thereafter prescribe the information and document as mandated for master file under OECD BEPS Action 13 report; (ii) the information and document shall also be furnished to the prescribed authority within such period as may be prescribedand the manner of furnishing may also be provided for in the rules; (iii) for non-furnishing of the information and document to the prescribed authority, a penalty of ₹ 5 lakh shall be leviable. However, reasonable cause defence against levy of penalty shall be available to the entity. As indicated above, the CbC reporting requirement for a reporting year does not apply unless the consolidated revenues of the preceding year of the group, based on consolidated financial statement, exceeds a threshold to be prescribed. The current international consensus is for a threshold of 750 million equivalent in local currency. This threshold in Indian currency would be equivalent to ₹ 5395 crores (at current rates). Therefore, CbC reporting for an international group having Indian parent, for the previous year 2016-17, shall apply only if the consolidated revenue of the international group in previous year 2015-16 exceeds ₹ 5395 crore (the equivalent would be determinable based on exchange rate as on the last day of previous year 2015-16). The amendments will be effective from 1st April, 2017 and shall apply for the Assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent assessment years. [Clause 47, 100, 102, 106 110] Exemption of Central Government subsidy or grant or cash assistance, etc. towards corpus of fund established for specific purposes from the definition of Income The Finance Act, 2015 had amended the definition of income under clause (24) of section 2 of the Act so as to provide that the income shall include assistance in the form of a subsidy or grant or cash incentive or duty drawback or waiver or concession or reimbursement (by whatever name called) by the Central Government or a State Government or any authority or body or agency in cash or kind to the assessee other than the subsidy or grant or reimbursement which is taken into account for determination of the actual cost of the asset in accordance with the provisions of Explanation 10 to clause (1) of section 43 of the Income-tax Act. As a result grant or cash assistance or subsidy etc. provided by the Central Government for budgetary support of a trust or any other entity formed specifically for operationalizing certain government schemes will be taxed in the hands of trust or any other entity. Therefore, it is proposed to amend section 2(24) to provide that subsidy or grant by the Central Government for the purpose of the corpus of a trust or institution established by the Central Government or State government shall not form part of income. This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 3] Extension of scope of section 43B to include certain payments made to Railways The existing provisions of section 43B of the Act, inter alia, provide that any sum payable by the assessee by way of tax, cess, duty or fee, employer contribution to Provident Fund, etc., is allowable as deduction of the previous year in which the liability to pay such sum was incurred (relevant previous year) if the same is actually paid on or before the due date of furnishing of the return of income irrespective of method of accounting followed by a person. With a view to ensure the prompt payment of dues to Railways for use of the Railway assets, it is proposed to amend section 43B so as to expand its scope to include payments made to Indian Railways for use of Railway assets within its ambit. This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 23] Clarification regarding set off losses against deemed undisclosed income Section 115 BBE of the Act, inter-alia provides that the income relating to section 68 or section 69 or section 69A or section 69B or section 69C or section 69D is taxable at the rate of thirty per cent and further provides that no deduction in respect of any expenditure or allowances in relation to income referred to in the said sections shall be allowable. Currently, there is uncertainty on the issue of set-off of losses against income referred in section 115BBE of the Act. The matter has been carried to judicial forums and courts in some cases has taken a view that losses shall not be allowed to be set-off against income referred to in section 115BBE. However, the current language of section 115BBE of the Act does not convey the desired intention and as a result the matter is litigated. In order to avoid unnecessary litigation, it is proposed to amend the provisions of the sub-section (2) of section 115BBE to expressly provide that no set off of any loss shall be allowable in respect of income under the sections 68 or section 69 or section 69A or section 69B or section 69C or section 69D. This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 51] Taxation of Non-compete fees and exclusivity rights in case of Profession The existing provision of clause (va) of section 28 of the Act includes within the scope of profit and gains of business or profession any sum received or receivable in cash or in kind under an agreement for not carrying out activity in relation to any business; or not to share any know how, patent, copyright, trade mark, licence, franchise or any other business or commercial right of similar nature or information or technique likely to assist in the manufacture or processing of goods or provision for services and is chargeable to tax as business income. Further, the provisions clarify that receipts for transfer of right to manufacture, produce or process any article or thing or right to carry on any business, which are chargeable to tax under the head Capital gains , would not be taxable as profits and gains of business or profession. Under section 45 of the Act, any capital receipt arising out of transfer of any business or commercial rights is taxable under the head Capital gains . The amount of Capital gains is computed according to section 48 of the Act. For this purpose, 'cost of acquisition' and 'cost of improvement' are defined under section 55. However, non-compete fee received/receivable in relation to carrying out of profession are not covered under these provisions. It is proposed to amend clause (va) of section 28 of the Act to bring the non-compete fee received/receivable( which are recurring in nature) in relation to not carrying out any profession, within the scope of section 28 of the Act i.e. the charging section of profits and gains of business or profession. Further, it is also proposed to amend the proviso to clarify that receipts for transfer of right to carry on any profession, which are chargeable to tax under the head Capital gains , would not be taxable as profits and gains of business or profession. It is also proposed to amend section 55 so as to provide that the 'cost of acquisition' and 'cost of improvement' for working out Capital gains on capital receipts arising out of transfer of right to carry on any profession shall also be taken as 'nil' These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 12 33] Clarification regarding the definition of the term 'unlisted securities' for the purpose of Section 112 (1) (c) Existing provisions of clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 112 provide tax rate of ten per cent for long-term capital gain arising from transfer of securities, whether listed or unlisted. The expression securities for the purpose of the said provision has the same meaning as in clause (h) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulations) Act, 1956 (32 of 1956)('SCRA'). A view has been taken by the courts that shares of a private company are not securities . With a view to clarify the position so far as taxability is concerned, it is proposed to amend the provisions of clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 112 of the Income- tax Act, so as to provide that long-term capital gains arising from the transfer of a capital asset being shares of a company not being a company in which the public are substantially interested, shall be chargeable to tax at the rate of 10 per cent. These amendments are proposed to be made effective from the 1st day of April, 2017 and shall accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 48] Time limit for carry forward and set off of such loss under section 73A of the Income-tax Act The existing provisions of section 73A of the Act provide that any loss, computed in respect of any specified business referred to in section 35AD shall not be set off except against profits and gains, if any, of any other specified business. Further, section 80 of the Act inter-alia provides that a loss which has not been determined in pursance of return filed in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 130, shall not be carried forward and set-off under sub-section (1) of section 72 or sub-section (2) of section 73 or sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) or section 74 or sub-section 74A. In accordance with the scheme of the Act, this loss is to be allowed if the return is filed within the specified time i.e. by the due date of filing of the return of the income as provided in section 80 for other losses determined under the Act. Accordingly, it is proposed to amend section 80 so as to provide that the loss determined as per section 73A of the Act shall not be allowed to be carried forward and set off if such loss has not been determined in pursuance of a return filed in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 139. It is also proposed to amend the said sub-section (3) of section 139 so as to give reference of sub-section (2) of section 73A in the said sub-section. These amendments will take effect retrospectively from 1stApril, 2016 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2016-17 and subsequent years. [Clause 35 69] Amortisation of spectrum fee for purchase of spectrum Under section 32 of the Act, depreciation is allowed in respect of assets including certain intangible assets. Under section 35ABB of the Act, amortisation of license fee in case of telecommunication service is provided. Government has newly introduced spectrum fee for auction of airwaves. There is uncertainty in tax treatment of payments in respect of Spectrum i.e. whether spectrum is an intangible asset and the spectrum fees paid is eligible for depreciation under section 32 of the Act or whether it is in the nature of a 'license to operate telecommunication business' and eligible for deduction under section 35ABB of the Act. In order to provide clarity and avoid any future litigation and controversy, it is proposed to insert a new section 35ABA in the Act to provide for tax treatment of spectrum fee. The section seeks to provide,- (i) any capital expenditure incurred and actually paid by an assessee on the acquisition of any right to use spectrum for tele communication services by paying spectrum fee will be allowed as a deduction in equal instalments over the period for which the right to use spectrum remains in force. (ii) where the spectrum is transferred and proceeds of the transfer are less than the expenditure remaining unallowed, adeduction equal to the expenditure remaining unallowed as reduced by the proceeds of transfer, shall be allowed in the previous year in which the spectrum has been transferred. (iii) if the spectrum is transferred and proceeds of the transfer exceed the amount of expenditure remaining unallowed, theexcess amount shall be chargeable to tax as profits and gains of business in the previous year in which the spectrum has been transferred. (iv) unallowed expenses in a case where a part of the spectrum is transferred would be amortised. (v) under the scheme of amalgamation, if the amalgamating company sells or transfer the spectrum to an amalgamatedcompany, being an Indian company, then the provisions of this section will apply to amalgamated company as they would have applied to amalgamating company if later has not transferred the spectrum. These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 16] Rationalization of tax deduction at Source (TDS) provisions Under the scheme of deduction of tax at source as provided in the Act, every person responsible for payment of any specified sum to any person is required to deduct tax at source at the prescribed rate and deposit it with the Central Government within specified time. However, no deduction is required to be made if the payments do not exceed prescribed threshold limit. In order to rationalise the rates and base for TDS provisions, the existing threshold limit for deduction of tax at source and the rates of deduction of tax at source are proposed to be revised as mentioned in table 3 and table 4 respectively. Table 3: Increase in threshold limit of deduction of tax at source on various payments mentioned in the relevant sections of the Act Present Section Heads Existing Threshold Limit (Rs.) Proposed Threshod Limit (Rs.) 192A Payment of accumulated balance due to an employee 30,000 50,000 194BB Winnings from Horse Race 5,000 10,000 194C Payments to Contractors Aggregate annual limit of 75,000 Aggregate annual limit of 1,00,000 194LA Payment of Compensation on acquisition of certain Immovable Property Insurance commission 2,00,000 2,50,000 194D Commission on sale of lottery tickets 20,000 15,000 194G Commission or brokerage 1,000 15,000 194H Commission or brokerage 5,000 15,000 Table-4 : Revision in rates of deduction of tax at source on various payments mentioned in the relevant sections of the Act: Present Section Heads Existing Rate of TDS (%) Proposed Rate of TDS (%) 194DA Payment in respect of Life Insurance Policy 2% 1% 194EE Payments in respect of NSS Deposits 20% 10% 194D Insurance commission Rate in force (10%) 5% 194G Commission on sale of lottery tickets 10% 5% 194H Commission or brokerage 10% 5% The following provisions which are not in operation are proposed to be omitted as detailed in Table 5. Table 5: Certain non-operational provisions to be omitted Present Section Heads Proposal 194K Income in respect of Units To be omitted w.e.f 01.06.2016 194L Payment of Compensation on acquisition of Capital Asset To be omitted w.e.f 01.06.2016 These amendments will take effect from 1st June, 2016. [Clause 70 to 79] Enabling of Filing of Form 15G/15H for rental payments The provision of sub-section 194-I of the Act, inter alia, provides for tax deduction at source (TDS) for payments in the nature of rent beyond a threshold limit. The existing provisions provide threshold of ₹ 1,80,000 per financial year for deduction of tax under this section. In spite of providing higher threshold for deduction tax under this section, there may be cases where the tax payable on recipient's total income, including rental payments , will be nil. The existing provisions of section 197A of the Income-tax Act, inter alia provide that tax shall not be deducted, if the recipient of certain payments on which tax is deductible furnishes to the payer a self- declaration in prescribed Form.No. 15G/15H declaring that the tax on his estimated total income of the relevant previous year would be nil. In order to reduce compliance burden in such cases, it is proposed to amend the provisions of section 197A for making the recipients of payments referred to in section 194-I also eligible for filing self-declaration in Form no 15G/15H for non-deduction of tax at source in accordance with the provisions of section 197A. This amendment will take effect from 1st June, 2016. [Clause 84] Rationalization of Section 50C in case sale consideration is fixed under agreement executed prior to the date of registration of immovable property Under the existing provisions contained in Section 50C, in case of transfer of a capital asset being land or building on both, the value adopted or assessed by the stamp valuation authority for the purpose of payment of stamp duty shall be taken as the full value of consideration for the purposes of computation of capital gains. The Income Tax Simplification Committee (Easwar Committee) has in its first report, pointed out that this provision does not provide any relief where the seller has entered into an agreement to sell the property much before the actual date of transfer of the immovable property and the sale consideration is fixed in such agreement, whereas similar provision exists in section 43CA of the Act i.e. when an immovable property is sold as a stock-in-trade. It is proposed to amend the provisions of section 50C so as to provide that where the date of the agreement fixing the amount of consideration for the transfer of immovable property and the date of registration are not the same, the stamp duty value on the date of the agreement may be taken for the purposes of computing the full value of consideration. It is further proposed to provide that this provision shall apply only in a case where the amount of consideration referred to therein, or a part thereof, has been paid by way of an account payee cheque or account payee bank draft or use of electronic clearing system through a bank account, on or before the date of the agreement for the transfer of such immovable property. These amendments are proposed to be made effective from the 1st day of April, 2017 and shall accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 30] Rationalization of conversion of a company into Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Existing provisions of clause (xiiib) of Section 47 provides that conversion of a private limited or unlisted public company into Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) shall not be regarded as transfer, if certain conditions are fulfilled, which, inter alia, include a condition that the company's gross receipts, turnover or total sales in any of the preceding three years did not exceed ₹ 60 lakh. It is proposed to amend the said section so as to provide that, for availing tax-neutral conversion, in addition to the existing conditions, the value of the total assets in the books of accounts of the company in any of the three previous years preceding the previous year in which the conversion takes place, should not exceed five crore rupees. These amendments are proposed to be made effective from the 1st day of April, 2017 and shall accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 28] Rationalisation of tax treatment of Recognised Provident Funds, Pension Funds and National Pension Scheme Under the existing provisions of the Income-tax Act, tax treatment for the National Pension System (NPS) referred to in section 80CCD is Exempt, Exempt and Tax (EET) i.e., the monthly/periodic contributions during the pension accumulation phase are allowed as deduction from income for tax purposes; the returns generated on these contributions during the accumulation phase are also exempt from tax; however, the terminal benefits on exit or superannuation, in the form of lump sum withdrawals, are taxable in the hands of the individual subscriber or his nominee in the year of receipt of such amounts. However, commutation of Government Pension and superannuation fund is exempt from taxation. The monthly contribution, annual accrued income, advances/ withdrawals for specific purposes and final withdrawal from the Recognised Provident Funds (RPFs) on superannuation are also accorded EEE status i.e. Exempt, Exempt, Exempt. In order to bring greater parity in tax treatment of different types of pension plans, it is proposed to amend section 10 so as to provide that in respect of the contributions made on or after the 1stday of April, 2016 by an employee participating in a recognised provident fund and superannuation fund, up to 40 % of the accumulated balance attributable to such contributions on withdrawal shall be exempt from tax. Under the existing provisions, any payment from an approved superannuation fund made to an employee in lieu of or in commutation of an annuity on his retirement at or after a specified age or on his becoming incapacitated prior to such retirement is exempt from tax. It is proposed to amend the said provisions so as to provide that any payment in commutation of an annuity purchased out of contributions made on or after the 1st day of April, 2016, which exceeds forty per cent of the annuity, shall be chargeable to tax. Under the existing provisions of section 80CCD, any payment from National Pension System Trust to an employee on account of closure or his opting out of the pension scheme is chargeable to tax. It is proposed to provide that any payment from National Pension System Trust to an employee on account of closure or his opting out of the pension scheme referred to in Section 80CCD, to the extent it does not exceed forty percent of the total amount payable to him at the time of closure or his opting out of the scheme, shall be exempt from tax. However, the whole amount received by the nominee, on death of the assessee shall be exempt from tax. Under section 17, perquisite includes the amount of any contribution exceeding one lakh rupees to an approved superannuation fund by the employer in the hands of the assessee. Under the Part A of Fourth Schedule to the Income-tax Act contributions made by employer to the credit of an employee participating in a recognised provident fund, which are in excess of twelve percent of the salary of the employee, are liable to tax in the hands of the employee. However, there is no monetary limit for the contribution made by the employer though there is a monetary ceiling for employee's contribution. The limit of contribution by the employee eligible under section 80C of the Act has been increased from one lakh rupees to one lakh and fifty thousand rupees vide Finance Act(No.2), 2014. Therefore, in order to bring parity in the monetary limit for contribution by the employer and the employee, it is proposed to amend the said section and said schedule so as to provide the limit of employer's contribution to one lakh and fifty thousand rupees, without attracting tax. Further with a view to bring all the pension plans under one umberalla, it is also proposed to amend:- (i) the said schedule so as to provide exemption to one-time portability from a recognised provident fund to National Pension System; (ii) clause (13) of section 10 so as to provide that any payment from an approved superannuation fund by way of transfer to the account of the employee under NPS referred to in section 80CCD and notified by the Central Government shall be exempt from tax. These amendments are proposed to be made effective from the 1st day of April, 2017 and shall accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-18 and subsequent years. [Clause 7, 9, 36 112] Filing of return of Income Existing provisions of sub-section (1) of section 139 provide that every person referred to therein shall file a return of income on or before the due date. The sixth proviso to the said section provides that every person, being an individual or Hindu undivided family or an association of person or a body of individual, whether incorporated or not or any artificial juridical person, if his total income or of any other person in respect of which he is assessable under this Act during the previous year, without giving effect to provisions of section 10A or section 10B or section 10BA or Chapter VI-A, exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income tax shall be liable to furnish return on or before the due date. Existing provision of sub-section (4) of section 139 provides that a person who has not furnished a return within the time allowed to him under sub-section (1), or within the time allowed under a notice issued under sub-section (1) of section 142, may furnish the return for any previous year at any time before the expiry of one year from the end of the relevant assessment year or before the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier. Sub-section (5) of the section 139 provides that if any person, having furnished the return under sub-section (1), or in pursuance of a notice issued under sub-section (1) of section 142 discovers any omission or any wrong statement therein, he may furnish a revised return at any time before one year from the end of the relevant assessment year or completion of assessment, whichever is earlier. Clause (aa) of Explanation to sub-section (9) of the section 139 provides that a return of income shall be regarded as defective unless the self-assessment 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 return. In order to rationalise the time allowed for filing of returns, completion of proceedings, and realization of revenue without undue compliance burden on the taxpayer, and to promote the culture of compliance, it is proposed to amend the above provisions of the Act. It is proposed to amend the sixth proviso to sub-section (1) of the section 139 to include that if a person during the previous year earns income which is exempt under clause (38) of section 10 and income of such person without giving effect to the said clause of section 10 exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to tax, shall also be liable to file return of income for the previous year within the due date. It is also proposed to substitute sub-section (4) of the aforesaid section to provide that any person who has not furnished a return within the time allowed to him under sub-section (1), may furnish the return for any previous year at any time before the end of the relevant assessment year or before the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier. It is also proposed to substitute sub-section (5) of the aforesaid section so as to provide that if any person, having furnished a return under sub-section (1) or under sub-section (4), or in a return furnished in response to notice issued under sub-section (1) of section 142, discovers any omission or any wrong statement therein, he may furnish a revised return at any time before the expiry of one year from the end of the relevant assessment year or before the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier. It is also proposed to omit clause (aa) of the Explanation to sub-section (9) of aforesaid section to provide that a return which is otherwise valid would not be treated defective merely because self-assessment tax and interest payable in accordance with the provisions of section 140A has not been paid on or before the date of furnishing of the return. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-2018 and subsequent years. [Clause 65] Processing under section 143(1) be mandated before assessment Under the existing provision of sub-section (1D) of section 143, processing of a return is not necessary where a notice has been issued to the assessee under sub-section (2) of the said section. It is proposed to amend sub-section (1D) of the aforesaid section to provide that before making an assessment under sub-section (3) of section 143, a return shall be processed under sub-section (1) of section 143. The amendment will take effect from the 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-2018 and subsequent years. [Clause 66] Rationalisation of time limit for assessment, reassessment and recomputation The existing statutory time limit for completion of assessment proceedings is two years from the end of the assessment year in which the income was first assessable. It is desirable that proceedings under the Act are finalised more expeditiously as digitisation of processes within the Department has enhanced its efficiency in handling workload. In order to simplify the provisions of existing section 153 by retaining only those provisions that are relevant to the current provisions of the Act, section 153 is proposed to be substituted with the following changes in time limit from the existing time limits: (i) the period, for completion of assessment under section 143 or section 144 be changed from existing two years to twenty-one months from the end of the assessment year in which the income was first assessable; (ii) the period for completion of assessment under section 147 be changed from existing one year to nine months from the end of the financial year in which the notice under section 148 was served; (iii) the period for completion of fresh assessment in pursuance of an order under section 254 or section 263 or section 264,setting aside or cancelling an assessment be changed from existing one year to nine months from the end of the financial year in which the order under section 254 is received by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, or the order under section 263 or section 264 is passed by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner It is further proposed to provide that the period for giving effect to an order, under sections 250 or 254 or 260 or 262 or 263 or 264 or an order of the Settlement Commission under sub-section (4) of section 245D, where effect can be given wholly or partly otherwise than by making a fresh assessment or reassessment shall be three months from the end of the month in which order is received or passed, as the case may be, by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner. It is also proposed that in a case where it is not possible for the Assessing Officer to give effect to such order within the aforesaid period, for reasons beyond his control, the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner on receipt of such reasons in writing from the Assessing Officer, if satisfied, may allow additional time of six months to give effect to the said order. However, in respect of cases pending as on 1st June 2016, the time limit for passing such order is proposed to be extended to 31.3.2017. It is also proposed that where the assessment, reassessment or recomputation is made on the assessee or any person in consequence of or to give effect to any finding or direction contained in an order under section 250, 254, 260, 262, 263, or section 264 or in an order of any court in a proceeding otherwise than by way of appeal or reference under the Income-tax Act, then such assessment, reassessment or recomputation shall be made on or before the expiry of twelve months from the end of the month in which such order is received by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner. However, for cases pending as on 1.6.2016, the time limit for taking requisite action is proposed to be 31.3.2017 or twelve months from the end of the month in which such order is received, whichever is later. It is also proposed that where an assessment is made on a partner of the firm in consequence of an assessment made on the firm under section 147, such assessment be made on or before the expiry of twelve months from the end of the month in which the assessment order in the case of the firm is passed. However, for cases pending as on 1.6.2016, the time limit for taking requisite action is proposed to be 31.3.2017 or twelve months from the end of the end of the month in which order in case of firm is passed, whichever is later. It is also proposed to make consequential changes in time limit for completion of assessment or reassessment by the Assessing Officer in accordance with the extension of time limit provided to the Transfer Pricing Officer in certain cases by amendment in sub-section (3A) to section 92CA. The provisions of section 153 as they stood immediately before their amendment by the Finance Act, 2016, shall apply to and in relation to any order of assessment, reassessment or recomputation made before the 1st day of June, 2016. The amendment will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 68] Rationalisation of time limit for assessment in search cases It is proposed to amend the time limit for completion of assessments made under section 153A or section 153C cases to bring it in sync with the new time limits provided for other cases. In order to simplify the provisions of existing section 153B by retaining only those provisions that are relevant to the current provisions of the Act, section 153B is proposed to be substituted with the following changes in time limit from the existing time limits as under: (i) The limitation for completion of assessment under section 153A, in respect of each assessment year falling within sixassessment years referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 153A and in respect of the assessment year relevant to the previous year in which search is conducted under section 132 or requisition is made under section 132A be changed from existing two years to twenty-one months from the end of the financial year in which the last of the authorisations for search under section 132 or for requisition under section 132A was executed. (ii) The limitation for completion of assessment in case of other person referred to in section 153C shall be changed from existing two years to twenty-one months from the end of the financial year in which the last of the authorisation for search under Section 132 or requisition under section 132A was executed or nine months (changed from the existing one year) from the end of the financial year in which the books of account or documents or assets seized or requisition are handed over under section 153C to the Assessing Officer having jurisdiction over such other person, whichever is later. The provisions of section 153B as they stood immediately before their amendment by the Finance Act, 2016, shall apply to and in relation to any order of assessment, reassessment or recomputation made before the 1st day of June, 2016. The amendment will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 69] Rationalisation of advance tax payment schedule under section 211 and charging of interest under section 234C As per the existing provisions of sub-section (1) of section 211, the advance tax payment schedule for a company is fifteen per cent, forty-five per cent, seventy-five per cent and hundred per cent of tax payable on the current income to be paid by 15th June, 15th September, 15th December and 15th March respectively. For other assessees, the advance tax payment schedule is thirty per cent, sixty per cent and hundred per cent of tax payable on current income to be paid by 15th September, 15th December and 15th March respectively. Based on the recommendations of Expenditure Management Commission clubbed with the fact that most of the advance tax is now paid electronically it is proposed to rationalise schedule for advance tax payment and prescribe the same advance tax schedule for all assessees other than an eligible assessee in respect of eligible business as referred to in section 44AD. The modification in payment schedule will facilitate forecasting of revenue collections during a financial year with greater accuracy. It is further proposed that an eligible assessee in respect of eligible business referred to in section 44AD opting for computation of profits or gains of business on presumptive basis, shall be required to pay advance tax of the whole amount in one instalment on or before the 15th March of the financial year. Consequential amendments are also proposed to be made to section 234C which provides for chargeability of interest for deferment of advance tax to bring it in sync with the amendments proposed in section 211. It is also proposed that interest under section 234C shall not be chargeable in case of an assessee having income under the head Profits and gains of business or profession for the first time, subject to fulfillment of conditions specified therein. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 87 89] Payment of interest on refund Section 244A inter alia provides that an assessee is entitled to interest on refund arising out of excess payment of advance tax, tax deducted or collected at source. It also provides that the period for which the interest is paid on such excess payment of tax begins from the 1st April of the assessment year and ends on the date on which refund is granted. In order to ensure filing of return within the due date it is proposed to amend section 244A to provide that in cases where the return is filed after the due date, the period for grant of interest on refund may begin from the date of filing of return. In the interest of fairness and equity, it is further proposed to provide that an assessee shall be eligible to interest on refund of self-assessment tax for the period beginning from the date of payment of tax or filing of return, whichever is later, to the date on which the refund is granted. For the purpose of determining the order of adjustment of payments received against the taxes due, the prepaid taxes i.e. the TDS, TCS and advance tax shall be adjusted first. It is also proposed to provide that where a refund arises out of appeal effect being delayed beyond the time prescribed under sub-section (5) of section 153, the assessee shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the interest payable under sub-section (1) of section 244A, an additional interest on such refund amount calculated at the rate of three per cent per annum, for the period beginning from the date following the date of expiry of the time allowed under sub-section (5) of section 153 to the date on which the refund is granted. It is clarified that in cases where extension is granted by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner by invoking proviso to sub-section (5) of section 153, the period of additional interest, if any, shall begin from the expiry of such extended period. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 90] Rationalisation of the provisions relating to Appellate Tribunal Existing clause (b) of sub-section (3), sub-section (4A) and sub-section (5) of section 252 provide for the appointment and powers of Senior Vice- President of the Appellate Tribunal. In view of the fact that there are no extra-judicial or administrative duties or difference in the pay scale attached with the post of Senior Vice-president in the Tribunal, it is proposed to omit the reference of Senior Vice-President . Sub-section (2A) of section 253 provides that the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner may, if he objects to any direction issued by the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) under sub-section (5) of section 144C in pursuance of which the Assessing Officer has passed an order completing the assessment or reassessment, direct the Assessing Officer to appeal to the Appellate Tribunal against such order . Further, sub-section (3A) of section 253 provides that every appeal under sub-section (2A) shall be filed within sixty days of the date on which the order sought to be appealed against is passed by the Assessing Officer in pursuance of the directions of the DRP under sub-section (5) of section 144C. In line with the decision of the Government to minimise litigation, it is proposed to omit the said sub-sections (2A) and (3A) of section 253 to do away with the filing of appeal by the Assessing Officer against the order of the DRP. Consequent amendments are proposed to be made to sub-section (3A) and (4) of the said provision also. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. It is also proposed to provide that in cases where Department is already in appeal against the directions of DRP under sub-section (2A) of the section 253 (as it stood before the amendment of the Finance Act, 2016), no fee shall be payable. This amendment will take effect retrospectively from 1st July, 2012. The existing provisions sub-section (2) of the section 254 of the Act, provide that the Appellate Tribunal may rectify any mistake apparent from the record in its order at any time within four years from the date of the order. In order to bring certainty to the order of ITAT, it is proposed to amend sub-section (2) of section 254 to provide that the Appellate Tribunal may rectify any mistake apparent from the record in its order at any time within six months from the end of the month in which the order was passed. The existing provision of sub-section (3) of section 255, inter alia, provides that a single member bench may dispose of any case which pertains to an assessee whose total income as computed by the Assessing Officer does not exceed fifteen lakh rupees. In view of the recent increase in monetary limit for filing appeal before ITAT and to expedite the process of dispute resolution at the level of ITAT, it is proposed to amend the said sub-section (3) so as to provide that a single member bench may dispose of a case where the total income as computed by the Assessing Officer does not exceed fifty lakh rupees. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 92 to 95] Rationalisation of penalty provisions Under the existing provisions, penalty on account of concealment of particulars of income or furnishing inaccurate particulars of income is leviable under section 271(1)(c) of the Income-tax Act. In order to rationalize and bring objectivity, certainty and clarity in the penalty provisions, it is proposed that section 271 shall not apply to and in relation to any assessment for the assessment year commencing on or after the 1st day of April, 2017 and subsequent assessment years and penalty be levied under the newly inserted section 270A with effect from 1stApril, 2017. The new section 270A provides for levy of penalty in cases of under reporting and misreporting of income. Sub-section (1) of the proposed new section 270A seeks to provide that the Assessing Officer, Commissioner (Appeals) or the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner may levy penalty if a person has under reported his income. It is proposed that a person shall be considered to have under reported his income if,- (a) the income assessed is greater than the income determined in the return processed under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 143; (b) the income assessed is greater than the maximum amount not chargeable to tax, where no return of income has been furnished; (c) the income reassessed is greater than the income assessed or reassessed immediately before such re-assessment; (d) the amount of deemed total income assessed or reassessed as per the provisions of section 115JB or 115JC, as thecase may be, is greater than the deemed total income determined in the return processed under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 143; (e) the amount of deemed total income assessed as per the provisions of section 115JB or 115JC is greater than the maximum amount not chargeable to tax, where no return of income has been filed; (f) the income assessed or reassessed has the effect of reducing the loss or converting such loss into income. The amount of under-reported income is proposed to be calculated in different scenarios as discussed herein. In a case where return is furnished and assessment is made for the first time the amount of under reported income in case of all persons shall be the difference between the assessed income and the income determined under section 143(1)(a). In a case where no return has been furnished and the return is furnished for the first time, the amount of under-reported income is proposed to be: (i) for a company, firm or local authority, the assessed income; (ii) for a person other than company, firm or local authority, the difference between the assessed income and the maximum amount not chargeable to tax. In case of any person, where income is not assessed for the first time, the amount of under reported income shall be the difference between the income assessed or determined in such order and the income assessed or determined in the order immediately preceding such order. It is further proposed that in a case where under reported income arises out of determination of deemed total income in accordance with the provisions of section 115JB or section 115JC, the amount of total under reported income shall be determined in accordance with the following formula- (A - B) + (C - D) where, A = the total income assessed as per the provisions other than the provisions contained in section 115JB or section 115JC (herein called general provisions); B = the total income that would have been chargeable had the total income assessed as per the general provisions been reduced by the amount of under reported income; C = the total income assessed as per the provisions contained in section 115JB or section 115JC; D = the total income that would have been chargeable had the total income assessed as per the provisions contained in section115JB or section 115JC been reduced by the amount of under reported income. However, where the amount of under reported income on any issue is considered both under the provisions contained in section 115JB or section 115JC and under general provisions, such amount shall not be reduced from total income assessed while determining the amount under item D. It is clarified that in a case where an assessment or reassessment has the effect of reducing the loss declared in the return or converting that loss into income, the amount of under reported income shall be the difference between the loss claimed and the income or loss, as the case may be, assessed or reassessed. Calculation of under-reported income in a case where the source of any receipt, deposit or investment is linked to earlier year is proposed to be provided based on the existing Explanation 2 to sub-section (l) of section 271 (1). It is also proposed that the under-reported income under this section shall not include the following cases: (i) where the assessee offers an explanation and the income-tax authority is satisfied that the explanation is bona fide and all the material facts have been disclosed; (ii) where such under-reported income is determined on the basis of an estimate, if the accounts are correct and complete but the method employed is such that the income cannot properly be deducted therefrom; (iii) where the assessee has, on his own, estimated a lower amount of addition or disallowance on the issue and has included such amount in the computation of his income and disclosed all the facts material to the addition or disallowance; (iv) where the assessee had maintained information and documents as prescribed under section 92D, declared the international transaction under Chapter X and disclosed all the material facts relating to the transaction; (v) where the undisclosed income is on account of a search operation and penalty is leviable under section 271AAB. It is proposed that the rate of penalty shall be fifty per cent of the tax payable on under-reported income. However in a case where under reporting of income results from misreporting of income by the assessee, the person shall be liable for penalty at the rate of two hundred per cent of the tax payable on such misreported income. The cases of misreporting of income have been specified as under: (i) misrepresentation or suppression of facts; (ii) non-recording of investments in books of account; (iii) claiming of expenditure not substantiated by evidence; (iv) recording of false entry in books of account; (v) failure to record any receipt in books of account having a bearing on total income; (vi) failure to report any international transaction or deemed international transaction under Chapter X. It is also proposed that in case of company, firm or local authority, the tax payable on under reported income shall be calculated as if the under-reported income is the total income. In any other case the tax payable shall be thirty per cent of the under-reported income. It is also proposed that no addition or disallowance of an amount shall form the basis for imposition of penalty, if such addition or disallowance has formed the basis of imposition of penalty in the case of the person for the same or any other assessment year. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-2018 and subsequent years. Consequential amendments have been proposed in sections 119, 253, 271A, 271AA, 271AAB, 273A and 279 to provide reference to newly inserted section 270A. The provisions of section 270A are illustrated through examples as below: Example 1. Case is of a firm liable to tax at the rate of 30 per cent.: (Figures in Rs lakh) Returned total Income 100 Total Income determined under section 143(1)(a) 110 Total Income assessed under section 143(3) 150 Total Income reassessed under section 147 180 Considering that none of the additions or disallowances made in assessment or reassessment as above qualifies under sub-section (6) of section 270A, the penalty would be calculated as under: Assessment under section 143 (3) Re-assessment under section 147 Under-reported Income (150-110) = 40 (180-150) = 30 Tax Payable on under-reported Income 30 % of 40 = 12 30 % of 30 = 9 Penalty Leviable* 50 % of 12 = 6 50 % of 9 = 4.5 * Considering under-reported income is not on account of misreporting Example 2 . Case is of an individual below 60 years of age and no return of income has been furnished: (Figures in Rs) Total Income assessed under section 143(3) 10,00,000 Under-reported Income 10,00,000-2,50,000* =7,50,000 Tax Payable on under-reported Income 30 % of 7,50,000 = 2,25,000 Penalty Leviable** 50 % of 2,25,000 = 1,12,500 * Being maximum amount not chargeable to tax ** Considering under-reported income is not on account of misreporting Example 3 . Case is of a company liable to tax at the rate of 30 per cent.: (Figures in Rs lakh) Returned total Income (loss) (-)100 Total Income (loss) determined under section 143(1)(a) (-)90 Total Income (loss) assessed under section 143(3) (-)40 Total Income reassessed under section 147 20 Considering that none of the additions or disallowances made in assessment or reassessment as above qualifies under sub-section (6) of section 270A, the penalty would be calculated as under: Assessment under section 143 (3) Re-assessment under section 147 Under-reported Income (-)40 minus (-)90 = 50 20 minus (-)40 = 60 Tax Payable on under-reported Income 30 % of 50 = 15 30 % of 60 = 18 Penalty Leviable* 50 % of 15 = 7.5 50 % of 18 = 9 * Considering under-reported income is not on account of misreporting [Clause 62, 93, 96, 98, 99, 100, 101, 104 107 ] Amendment of section 271AAB Existing provision of clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 271AAB provides that in a case not covered under the provisions of clauses (a) and (b) of the said sub-section of section 271 AAB, a penalty of a sum which shall not be less than thirty per cent but which shall not exceed ninety per cent of the undisclosed income of the specified previous year shall be levied in case where search has been initiated under section 132 on or after the 1st day of July, 2012. In order to rationalise the rate of penalty and to reduce discretion it is proposed to amend that clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 271AAB to provide for levy of penalty on such undisclosed income at a flat rate of sixty per cent of such income. [Clause 101] Amendment of Section 272A Existing provision of Sub-section (1) provides for levy of penalty of ten thousand rupees for each failure or default to answer the questions raised by an income-tax authority under the Income-tax Act, refusal to sign any statement legally required during the proceedings under the Income-tax Act or failure to attend to give evidence or produce books or documents as required under sub-section (1) of section 131 of the Income-tax Act. It is proposed to amend sub-section (1) of section 272A to further include levy of penalty of ten thousand rupees for each default or failure to comply with a notice issued under sub-section (1) of section 142 or sub-section (2) of section 143 or failure to comply with a direction issued under sub-section (2A) of section 142. It is further proposed to amend sub-section (3) of section 272A to provide that penalty in case of failure referred above shall be levied by the income tax authority issuing such notice or direction. It is also proposed to make consequential amendment to section 288 by insertion of a new clause (d) in sub- section (1) of section 272A in the Income-tax Act relating to penalty for failure to comply with the notices and directions specified therein. These amendments will take effect from the 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017 -2018 and subsequent years. [Clause 103 111] Provision for bank guarantee under section 281B Under the existing provisions of section 281B the Assessing Officer may provisionally attach any property of the assessee during the pendency of assessment or reassessment proceedings, for a period of six months with the prior approval of the income- tax authorities specified therein, if he is of the opinion that it is necessary to do so for the purpose of protecting the interests of the revenue. Such attachment of property is extendable to a maximum period of two years or sixty days after the date of assessment order, whichever is later. The Income Tax Simplification Committee (Easwar Committee) has recommended that provisional attachment of property could be substituted by a bank guarantee subject to fulfilment of certain conditions. Having considered this recommendation, it is proposed that the Assessing Officer shall revoke provisional attachment of property made under sub-section (1) of the aforesaid section in a case where the assessee furnishes a bank guarantee from a scheduled bank, for an amount not less than the fair market value of such provisionally attached property or for an amount which is sufficient to protect the interests of the revenue. In order to help the Assessing Officer to determine the fair market value of the property, the Assessing Officer may, make a reference to the Valuation Officer, who may be required to submit the report of the estimate of the property to the Assessing Officer within a period of thirty days from the date of receipt of such reference. In order to ensure the revocation of attachment of property in lieu of bank guarantee in a time bound manner, it is proposed to provide that an order revoking the attachment be made by the Assessing Officer within fifteen days of receipt of such guarantee, and in a case where a reference is made to the Valuation Officer, within forty-five days from the date of receipt of such guarantee. It is further proposed that where a notice of demand specifying a sum payable is served upon the assessee and the assessee fails to pay such sum within the time specified in the notice, the Assessing Officer may invoke the bank guarantee, wholly or partly, to recover the said amount. In a case where the assessee fails to renew the bank guarantee or fails to furnish a new guarantee from a scheduled bank for an equal amount fifteen days before the expiry of such guarantee, the Assessing Officer may in the interests of the revenue, invoke the bank guarantee. The amount realised by invoking the bank guarantee shall be adjusted against the existing demand which is payable and the balance amount, if any, be deposited in the Personal Deposit Account of the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner in the branch of Reserve Bank of India or the State Bank of India or of its subsidiaries or any bank as may be appointed by the Reserve Bank of India as its agent under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 45 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 at the place where the office of the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner is situated. It is proposed that in a case where the Assessing Officer is satisfied that the bank guarantee is not required anymore to protect the interests of the revenue, he shall release that guarantee forthwith. These amendments will take effect from lst day of June, 2016. [Clause 108] Rationalisation of the provisions relating to Appellate Tribunal Existing clause (b) of sub-section (3), sub-section (4A) and sub-section (5) of section 252 provide for the appointment and powers of Senior Vice- President of the Appellate Tribunal. In view of the fact that there are no extra-judicial or administrative duties or difference in the pay scale attached with the post of Senior Vice-president in the Tribunal, it is proposed to omit the reference of Senior Vice-President . Sub-section (2A) of section 253 provides that the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner may, if he objects to any direction issued by the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) under sub-section (5) of section 144C in pursuance of which the Assessing Officer has passed an order completing the assessment or reassessment, direct the Assessing Officer to appeal to the Appellate Tribunal against such order . Further, sub-section (3A) of section 253 provides that every appeal under sub-section (2A) shall be filed within sixty days of the date on which the order sought to be appealed against is passed by the Assessing Officer in pursuance of the directions of the DRP under sub-section (5) of section 144C. In line with the decision of the Government to minimise litigation, it is proposed to omit the said sub-sections (2A) and (3A) of section 253 to do away with the filing of appeal by the Assessing Officer against the order of the DRP. Consequent amendments are proposed to be made to sub-section (3A) and (4) of the said provision also. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. In respect of departmental appeals already pending against the orders of the DRP, in order to ensure that the same are not dismissed for non-payment of fee, it is proposed to provide that in cases where Department is already in appeal against the directions of DRP under sub-section (2A) of the section 253 (as it stood before the amendment of the Finance Act, 2016), no fee shall be payable. This amendment will take effect retrospectively from 1st July, 2012. The existing provisions sub-section (2) of the section 254 of the Act, provide that the Appellate Tribunal may rectify any mistake apparent from the record in its order at any time within four years from the date of the order. In order to bring certainty to the order of ITAT, it is proposed to amend sub-section (2) of section 254 to provide that the Appellate Tribunal may rectify any mistake apparent from the record in its order at any time within six months from the end of the month in which the order was passed. The existing provision of sub-section (3) of section 255, inter alia, provides that a single member bench may dispose of any case which pertains to an assessee whose total income as computed by the Assessing Officer does not exceed fifteen lakh rupees. In view of the recent increase in monetary limit for filing appeal before ITAT and to expedite the process of dispute resolution at the level of ITAT, it is proposed to amend the said sub-section (3) so as to provide that a single member bench may dispose of a case where the total income as computed by the Assessing Officer does not exceed fifty lakh rupees. These amendments will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause ] Processing under section 143(1) be mandated before assessment Under the existing provision of sub-section (1D) of section 143, processing of a return is not necessary where a notice has been issued to the assessee under sub-section (2) of the said section. It is proposed to amend sub-section (1D) of the aforesaid section to provide that before making an assessment under sub-section (3) of section 143, a return shall be processed under sub-section (1) of section 143. The amendment will take effect from the 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-2018 and subsequent years. [Clause ] Extension of time limit to Transfer Pricing Officer in certain cases As per the existing provisions, the Transfer Pricing Officer (TPO) has to pass his order sixty days prior to the date on which the limitation for making assessment expires. It is noted that at times seeking information from foreign jurisdictions becomes necessary for determination of arm's length price by the TPO and at times proceedings before the TPO may also be stayed by a court order. It is proposed to amend sub-section (3A) of section 92CA to provide that where assessment proceedings are stayed by any court or where a reference for exchange of information has been made by the competent authority, the time available to the Transfer Pricing Officer for making an order after excluding the time for which assessment proceedings were stayed or the time taken for receipt of information, as the case may be, is less than sixty days, then such remaining period shall be extended to sixty days. The amendment will take effect from 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 46] Assumption of jurisdiction of Assessing Officer The existing sub-section (3) of the section 124, inter-alia, provides that no person shall be entitled to call in question the jurisdiction of an Assessing Officer in a case where return is filed under section 139, after the expiry of one month from the date on which he was served with a notice issued under sub-section (1) of section 142 or sub-section (2) of section 143 or after the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier. Currently, this provision does not specifically refer to notices issued under section 153A or section 153C which relate to assessment in cases where a search and seizure action has been taken or cases connected to such cases. Instances have come to notice wherein the jurisdiction of an Assessing Officer in such cases have been called into question at the appellate stages, despite the fact that order passed under section 153A or 153C is read with section 143(3) of the Act. In order to remove any ambiguity in such cases it is proposed to amend sub-section (3) of section 124 to specifically provide that cases where search is initiated under section 132 or books of accounts, other documents or any assets are requisitioned under section 132A, no person shall be entitled to call into question the jurisdiction of an Assessing Officer after the expiry of one month from the date on which he was served with a notice under sub-section (1) of section 153A or sub-section (2) of section 153C or after the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier. This amendment will take effect from the 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 63] Legislative framework to enable and expand the scope of electronic processing of information The existing provisions of section 133C empower the prescribed income-tax authority to issue notice calling for information and documents for the purpose of verification of information in its possession. In order to expedite verification and analysis of the information and documents so received, it is proposed to amend section 133C to provide adequate legislative backing for processing of information and documents so obtained and making the outcome thereof available to the Assessing Officer for necessary action, if any. It is also proposed to amend Explanation 2 to section 147 to provide for reopening of cases by the AO on the basis of the information so received. Clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 143 provides that, a return filed is to be processed and total income or loss is to be computed after making the adjustments on account of any arithmetical error in the return or on account of an incorrect claim, if such incorrect claim is apparent from any information in the return. In order to expeditiously remove the mismatch between the return and the information available with the Department, it is proposed to expand the scope of adjustments that can be made at the time of processing of returns under sub-section (1) of section 143. It is proposed that such adjustments can be made based on the data available with the Department in the form of audit report filed by the assessee, returns of earlier years of the assessee, 26AS statement, Form 16, and Form 16A. However, before making any such adjustments, in the interest of natural justice, an intimation shall be given to the assessee either in writing or through electronic mode requiring him to respond to such adjustments. The response received, if any, will be duly considered before making any adjustment. However, if no response is received within thirty days of issue of such intimation, the processing shall be carried out incorporating the adjustments. These amendments will take effect from the 1st day of June, 2016. [Clause 64, 67 66] Immunity from penalty and prosecution in certain cases by inserting new section 270AA It is proposed to provide that an assessee may make an application to the Assessing Officer for grant of immunity from imposition of penalty under section 270A and initiation of proceedings under section 276C, provided he pays the tax and interest payable as per the order of assessment or reassessment within the period specified in such notice of demand and does not prefer an appeal against such assessment order. The assessee can make such application within one month from the end of the month in which the order of assessment or reassessment is received in the form and manner, as may be prescribed. It is proposed that the Assessing Officer shall, on fulfilment of the above conditions and after the expiry of period of filing appeal as specified in sub-section (2) of section 249, grant immunity from initiation of penalty and proceeding under section 276C if the penalty proceedings under section 270A has not been initiated on account of the following, namely:- (a) misrepresentation or suppression of facts; (b) failure to record investments in the books of account; (c) claim of expenditure not substantiated by any evidence; (d) recording of any false entry in the books of account; (e) failure to record any receipt in books of account having a bearing on total income; or (f) failure to report any international transaction or any transaction deemed to be an international transaction or any specified domestic transaction to which the provisions of Chapter X apply. It is proposed that the Assessing Officer shall pass an order accepting or rejecting such application within a period of one month from the end of the month in which such application is received. However, in the interest of natural justice, no order rejecting the application shall be passed by the Assessing Officer unless the assessee has been given an opportunity of being heard. It is proposed that order of Assessing Officer under the said section shall be final. It is proposed that no appeal under section 246A or an application for revision under section 264 shall be admissible against the order of assessment or reassessment referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1), in a case where an order under section 270AA has been made accepting the application. Clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 249 provides that an appeal before the Commissioner (Appeals) is to be made within thirty days of the receipt of the notice of demand relating to an assessment order. It is proposed to provide that in a case where the assessee makes an application under section 270AA of the Income-tax Act seeking immunity from penalty and prosecution, then, the period beginning from the date on which such application is made to the date on which the order rejecting the application is served on the assessee shall be excluded for calculation of the aforesaid thirty days period. The proposed amendment is consequential to the insertion of section 270AA. These amendments will take effect from the 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2017 -2018 and subsequent years. [Clause 97 91]