BUDGET 2012 - RATIONALIZATION OF TAX DEDUCTION AT SOURCE (TDS) AND TAX COLLECTION AT SOURCE (TCS) PROVISIONS

[CS Swati Dodhi]

Fee and penalty for delay in furnishing of TDS/TCS Statement and penalty for incorrect information in TDS/TCS Statement

As per the existing provisions of the Income-tax Act, a deductor is required to furnish a periodical TDS statement (quarterly) containing the details of deduction of tax made during the quarter by the prescribed due date. A substantial number of the deductors are not furnishing their TDS statement within the prescribed due date. Delay in furnishing of TDS statement results in delay in granting of credit of TDS to the deductee and consequently results into delay in issue of refunds to the deductee tax payers or raising of infructuous demand against the deductee tax payers. Further, in large number of cases, the deductors are not furnishing correct information like PAN of the deductee, amount of tax deducted, etc. in the TDS statement. Furnishing of correct information in respect of tax deduction is critical for processing of return of income furnished by the deductee because credit for TDS is granted to the deductee on the basis of information furnished by the deductor.

Under the existing provisions of section 272A, penalty of Rs.100 per day is levied for delay in furnishing of TDS statement, however, no specific penalty is specified for furnishing of incorrect information in the TDS statement. The said provisions of penalty are not proved to be effective in reducing or eliminating defaults relating to late furnishing of TDS statement.

In order to provide effective deterrence against delay in furnishing of TDS statement, it is proposed –

(i) to provide for levy of fee of Rs.200 per day for late furnishing of TDS statement from the due date of furnishing of TDS statement to the date of furnishing of TDS statement. However, the total amount of fee shall not exceed the total amount of tax deductible during the period for which the TDS statement is delayed, and

(ii) to provide that in addition to said fee, a penalty ranging from Rs.10,000 to Rs.1,00,000 shall also be levied for not furnishing TDS statement within the prescribed time.

In view of the levy of fee for late furnishing of TDS statement, it is also proposed to provide that no penalty shall be levied for delay in furnishing of TDS statement if the TDS statement is furnished within one year of the prescribed due date after payment of tax deducted along with applicable interest and fee.

In order to discourage the deductors to furnish incorrect information in TDS statement, it is proposed to provide that a penalty ranging from Rs.10,000 to Rs.1,00,000 shall be levied for furnishing incorrect information in the TDS statement.

Consequential amendment is proposed in section 273B so that no penalty shall be levied if the deductor proves that there was a reasonable cause for the failure.

Consequential amendment is also proposed in section 272A to provide that no penalty under this section shall be levied for late filing of TDS statement in respect of tax deducted on or after 1st July, 2012.

Amendments on the similar lines for levy of fee and penalty for delay in furnishing of TCS statement and furnishing of incorrect information in the TCS statement are also proposed to be made.

These amendments will take effect from 1st July, 2012 and will, accordingly, apply to the TDS or TCS statement to be furnished in respect of tax deducted or collected on or after 1st July, 2012.