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Home e-Newsletters Index Year 2016 December Day 1 - Thursday

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TMI Tax Updates - e-Newsletter
December 1, 2016

Case Laws in this Newsletter:

Income Tax Customs Service Tax Central Excise CST, VAT & Sales Tax Indian Laws



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Articles

1. All About New Income Disclosure Scheme to make Demonetisation successful: Proposed Salient Features

   By: Manoj Agarwal

Summary: The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna, 2016, is a scheme for disclosing undisclosed income in cash or deposits. It requires paying a 49.90% tax, surcharge, and penalty on the undisclosed income, with an additional 25% of the cash deposited in a government scheme for four years without interest. Total payments amount to 74.90% of the undisclosed income. The scheme excludes politicians, government employees, and those with tainted money. Failure to declare results in higher taxes and potential prosecution under the Benami Property Transactions Act. The scheme offers a final opportunity to declare black money from legal sources.


News

1. Committee of Chief Ministers to examine and implement measures to implement digital payment systems

Summary: A Committee of Chief Ministers has been established by NITI Aayog to promote digital payment systems across India. This initiative aims to enhance transparency, financial inclusion, and a robust financial ecosystem. The Committee includes chief ministers from various states, NITI Aayog officials, and industry experts. Its objectives include identifying global best practices, expanding digital payment adoption, creating public awareness, and addressing implementation challenges. The focus is on digital payment methods like cards, e-wallets, and UPI. This move supports the government's goal of reducing income inequality and boosting economic growth through financial inclusion and digital transactions.

2. Taking Up Issue of IT Industry Visa Problems with US

Summary: The issue of increased visa fees for the IT industry has been addressed with the U.S. Trade Representative during a Trade Policy Forum meeting in New Delhi. The 2016 Omnibus Spending Bill, signed by the US President, doubled the supplemental visa fees for L-1 and H-1B visas for companies with a workforce comprising 50% or more on these visas. This affects many Indian nationals, who accounted for 69.43% of H-1B visas in 2015. India has raised the matter at the WTO, challenging the US measures on visa fees and numerical commitments, arguing that the law applies uniformly to all companies.

3. RBI Reference Rate for US $

Summary: The Reserve Bank of India set the reference rate for the US Dollar at Rs. 68.5260 on November 30, 2016, compared to Rs. 68.6535 on November 29, 2016. Based on this rate and cross-currency quotes, the exchange rates for the Euro, British Pound, and Japanese Yen against the Rupee were as follows: 1 Euro was Rs. 72.8431, 1 British Pound was Rs. 85.5342, and 100 Japanese Yen was Rs. 60.79 on November 30, 2016. The SDR-Rupee rate is also determined using this reference rate.

4. Accounts under PMJDY - Precautions

Summary: The Reserve Bank of India issued guidelines for accounts under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) to safeguard farmers and rural account holders from money laundering and legal issues related to Benami Property Transaction laws. After November 9, 2016, accounts funded through Specified Bank Notes (SBNs) face withdrawal limits. Fully KYC-compliant account holders can withdraw up to Rs. 10,000 monthly, with potential for more upon verification. Non-KYC-compliant holders can withdraw Rs. 5,000 monthly, within a Rs. 10,000 ceiling. These measures aim to prevent misuse while ensuring genuine access to funds.


Notifications

Customs

1. 54/2016 - dated 29-11-2016 - ADD

Seeks to levy definitive anti-dumping duty on “Axle for Trailers” originating in, or exported from People’s Republic of China

Summary: The Government of India has imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty on "Axle for Trailers" originating from or exported by the People's Republic of China. The decision follows a determination that these goods were being imported at prices below their normal value, causing material injury to the domestic industry. The duty, specified in U.S. dollars per kilogram, applies to various producers and exporters from China. This measure aims to protect the domestic industry by counteracting the adverse effects of dumped imports. The duty will be effective for five years, subject to earlier revocation or amendment.

2. 142/2016 - dated 29-11-2016 - Cus (NT)

Courier Imports and Exports (Clearance) Amendment Regulations, 2016

Summary: The Courier Imports and Exports (Clearance) Amendment Regulations, 2016, issued by the Central Board of Excise and Customs under the Customs Act, 1962, amends the 1998 regulations. The amendment introduces "Courier Shipping Bill CSB-V" into sub-regulations (1) and (3) of regulation 6, replacing the previous proviso with a new one. This change mandates that goods specified in Appendix 3C of the Foreign Trade Policy (2015-20) be entered using Form Courier Shipping Bill CSB-V. The regulations take effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.

3. 141/2016 - dated 29-11-2016 - Cus (NT)

Regarding appointment of Common Adjudicating Authority

Summary: The Central Board of Excise and Customs, under the Ministry of Finance, has appointed a Common Adjudicating Authority to oversee specific customs cases. This appointment is made under the powers conferred by the Customs Act, 1962. The designated officer will adjudicate show cause notices issued to various parties, including M/s Collective Trade Links and M/s Sai Impex, among others. The Commissioner of Customs in Pune is appointed as the Common Adjudicating Authority to handle these cases, which were initially under the jurisdiction of different Commissioners of Customs in Mumbai and Pune.

Income Tax

4. 107/2016 - dated 28-11-2016 - IT

Income-tax ( 33rd Amendment) Rules, 2016

Summary: The Income-tax (33rd Amendment) Rules, 2016, effective from June 1, 2016, amend the Income-tax Rules, 1962. A new rule, 12CC, requires securitisation trusts to submit a statement of income distributed to investors to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner of Income-tax by November 30 of the financial year following distribution, and to investors by June 30. These statements must be submitted electronically using Form No. 64E for tax authorities and Form No. 64F for investors, both verified by an accountant. The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) is responsible for the filing procedure and data security.

Service Tax

5. 51/2016 - dated 30-11-2016 - ST

Seeks to amend Place of Provision of Services Rules, 2012 so as to exclude 'online information and database access or retrieval services' from the definition of 'telecommunication services'

Summary: The Government of India, through the Ministry of Finance, has issued Notification No. 51/2016-Service Tax to amend the Place of Provision of Services Rules, 2012. Effective December 1, 2016, this amendment excludes 'online information and database access or retrieval services' from the definition of 'telecommunication services' by modifying clause (q) of rule 2 to include these services alongside broadcasting. This change is enacted under the authority of section 66C and section 94 of the Finance Act, 1994.


Circulars / Instructions / Orders

Income Tax

1. 39/2016 - dated 29-11-2016

Transport, Power and Interest subsidies received by an Industrial Undertaking - Eligibility for deduction under sections 80-IB, 80-IC etc., of the Income-tax Act, 1961- Reg.

Summary: The circular addresses the eligibility of transport, power, and interest subsidies received by industrial undertakings for deductions under sections 80-IB and 80-IC of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The Supreme Court ruled these subsidies as part of profits and gains derived from business activities, not as 'Income from other sources.' Consequently, such subsidies qualify for deductions under Chapter VI-A of the Act. The circular advises that appeals on this settled issue should not be filed, and existing ones should be withdrawn. This directive is to be communicated to all relevant parties.


Highlights / Catch Notes

    Income Tax

  • Government Revenue Subsidies Qualify for Deductions Under Chapter VI-A, Counted as Business Profits from Industrial Undertakings.

    Circulars : Revenue subsidies received from the Government towards reimbursement of cost of production/ manufacture or for sale of the manufactured goods are part of profits and gains of business derived from the Industrial Undertaking / eligible business, and are thus, admissible for applicable deduction under Chapter VI-A of the Act.

  • High Court Affirms Right to Offset Charges Against Interest Income, Permitting Deductions for Prior Period Expenditure.

    Case-Laws - HC : Entitlement to set off interest finance and professional and other charges from the interest income for the next assessment year - prior period expenditure - Deduction allowed - HC

  • Section 292C: Documents Found in Searches Presumed Correct, But Not Income of Assessee.

    Case-Laws - AT : The presumption u/s. 292C is a rebuttal presumption. The presumption as envisaged in section 292C is limited to the correctness of the documents found at the time of search or survey, but that presumption has not been extended by the statute to be presumed to be the income of the assessee - AT

  • High Court Rules Assessing Officer Cannot Reassess Depreciation from Asset Revaluation u/s 115J of Income Tax Act.

    Case-Laws - HC : Permission to enhance the depreciation by revaluation of the assets upwards - whether assessee company has shown high depreciation in the Profit & Loss A/c during the year under consideration and defeated the provisions of Section 115J? - AO has not power to revisit - HC

  • Payment u/s 195 Deemed Fees for Technical Services; Assessee Must Deduct Tax at Source.

    Case-Laws - AT : TDS u/s 195 - nature of payment made - reimbursement of expenses or payment towards product development fees to assessee - the payment in question is FTS and consequently the assessee was liable to deduct tax at source - AT

  • Customs

  • Section 14 Customs Act: Duty Drawback Not Applicable to Exported Carpet Rolls Outside Indian Territory.

    Case-Laws - AT : Duty drawback - carpet rolls - provisions of Section 14 of Customs Act, 1962 (issuance of SCN) are not applicable to goods which have already left the shore of Indian Territory and the export of which has already taken place - AT

  • Service Tax

  • Service Tax Exemption on Complexes for Personal Use: No Tax If Used as Residence, Rented or Free.

    Case-Laws - AT : If the complex is constructed by a person directly engaging any other person for design or planning or layout and such complex is intended for personal use as per the definition, service tax is not attracted. Personal use has been defined as permitting the complex for use as residence by another person on rent or without consideration. - AT

  • Excess baggage transport by air not taxed under "transportation of goods by air" per Section 65 (105) (zzn) Finance Act 1994.

    Case-Laws - AT : The incidental service of ‘transportation of excess baggage by air’ cannot be charged service tax under the category of service of ‘transportation of goods by air’ as defined under Section 65 (105) (zzn) of the Finance Act, 1994 - AT

  • Central Excise

  • High Court Criticizes Arbitrariness in Electricity Consumption Reports for Clandestine Removal Cases, Calls for Fair Assessments.

    Case-Laws - HC : Presumptive SCN - Clandestine removal - without experiment is being carried out at the premises of the noticees, use of any of the committee's report for electricity consumption pattern always leads to arbitrariness on the part of the respondent-department - HC

  • CENVAT Credit Valid Despite Lack of Storage Facility; Landlord Confirms Godown Rental to Dealer.

    Case-Laws - AT : CENVAT credit - it cannot be alleged against the appellant that they have received the invoices and not the goods merely on the ground that there was not storage facility specifically when the landlord made a statement that the godown was let out to the dealer. - AT

  • VAT

  • Submersible Pumps for Agriculture Tax-Free Until June 2006; Now Taxed if Below 5 HP Capacity.

    Case-Laws - HC : HVAT - submersible pump sets used for agricultural purposes fall in Entry 1(D)(9) of Schedule 'B' upto June 30, 2006, hence tax free. From 1.7.2006 onwards pump sets below 5 HP capacity will fall in Entry 71-A in Schedule 'C', hence will be taxable irrespective of its end use - HC

  • Dealers Dispatching Taxable Goods Out-of-State Fall u/s 17(2) of Karnataka VAT Act, Even Without Exempt Sales.

    Case-Laws - HC : If any dealer sells taxable goods and even if he is not selling exempted goods, but, despatches goods outside the State otherwise than by way of sale, he could be considered as falling u/s 17(2) of KVAT - HC


Case Laws:

  • Income Tax

  • 2016 (11) TMI 1373
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1372
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1371
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1370
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1369
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1368
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1367
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1366
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1365
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1364
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1362
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1361
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1360
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1359
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1358
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1357
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1356
  • Customs

  • 2016 (11) TMI 1325
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1324
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1323
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1322
  • Service Tax

  • 2016 (11) TMI 1363
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1355
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1354
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1353
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1352
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1351
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1350
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1349
  • Central Excise

  • 2016 (11) TMI 1348
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1347
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1346
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1345
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1344
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1343
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1342
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1341
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1340
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1339
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1338
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1337
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1336
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1335
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1334
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1333
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1332
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1331
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1330
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1329
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1328
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1327
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1326
  • CST, VAT & Sales Tax

  • 2016 (11) TMI 1321
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1320
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1319
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1318
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1317
  • 2016 (11) TMI 1316
  • Indian Laws

  • 2016 (11) TMI 1315
 

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