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Home e-Newsletters Index Year 2015 June Day 25 - Thursday

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TMI Tax Updates - e-Newsletter
June 25, 2015

Case Laws in this Newsletter:

Income Tax Customs Corporate Laws Service Tax Central Excise CST, VAT & Sales Tax Wealth tax



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Articles

1. GOODS AND SERVICE TAX AS PROPOSED

   By: Dr. Sanjiv Agarwal

Summary: The proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India introduces a dual model where both the Center and States will levy taxes on goods and services. The Center will exclusively handle inter-state and international trade taxes, with a 1% additional tax on inter-state goods for two years. Petroleum products are partially included, while alcohol is excluded from GST. A constitutional amendment is required, needing approval from Parliament and at least 15 states. A special purpose company will manage the GST network, ensuring electronic interactions. GST aims to enhance transparency, reduce prices, and eliminate tax cascading, potentially boosting economic activity and tax revenue.

2. ACCEPTANCE OF DEPOSITS BY COMPANIES UNDER COMPANIES ACT, 2013 – PART II

   By: DR.MARIAPPAN GOVINDARAJAN

Summary: The article discusses the provisions under the Companies Act, 2013, regarding the acceptance of deposits by companies. Eligible companies must issue circulars or advertisements to their members, detailing the terms of deposit invitations. These must be approved by the Board of Directors and registered with the Registrar. Companies must provide deposit insurance and create security on assets for deposit repayment. Trustees are appointed to oversee security and ensure compliance. Companies must maintain detailed registers of deposits and provide receipts to depositors. Penalties are outlined for non-compliance, including fines and potential imprisonment for officers in default. Public companies must adhere to additional requirements, including obtaining credit ratings.


News

1. Conversion of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) from Section 8 company to Section 3 company under the Companies Act, 2013 and renaming it as Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI).

Summary: The Union Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, approved the conversion of the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) from a Section 8 company to a Section 3 company under the Companies Act, 2013, and its renaming to Renewable Energy Corporation of India (RECI). This change allows SECI to engage in commercial activities, enabling it to own and operate solar power plants and expand into other renewable energy sectors such as geothermal, offshore wind, and tidal energy. The move aims to enhance the company's growth potential and improve grid management by integrating various renewable energy sources.

2. Renewal of Long Term Agreements for Supply of high grade Indian iron ore to Japan and South Korea through MMTC Limited during the three year period from April, 2015 to March, 2018.

Summary: The Union Cabinet approved the renewal of Long Term Agreements for supplying high-grade Indian iron ore to Japanese and South Korean steel mills from April 2015 to March 2018. The agreement, facilitated by MMTC Limited, involves annual supplies ranging from 3.8 to 5.5 million tonnes, sourced mainly from NMDC mines. This renewal continues a decades-long relationship, enhancing Indo-Japanese collaboration in technology transfer and joint ventures, while also utilizing India's surplus iron ore production.

3. MOC for bilateral cooperation in the field of Industrial Property (IP) for capacity building, human resource development and awareness generation between India and Japan.

Summary: The Union Cabinet of India approved a Memorandum of Cooperation between India's Department of Industrial Policy Promotion and Japan's Patent Office to enhance bilateral cooperation in Industrial Property. This agreement focuses on capacity building, human resource development, and awareness generation. It includes a biennial Action Plan covering areas such as information sharing on IP protection systems, examination cooperation through examiner exchanges, collaboration under the Patent Cooperation Treaty, IP infrastructure development, IT infrastructure capacity building, and public awareness initiatives.

4. RBI Reference Rate for US $

Summary: The Reserve Bank of India set the reference rate for the US Dollar at Rs. 63.6600 on June 24, 2015, compared to Rs. 63.6406 on June 23, 2015. The exchange rates for the Euro, British Pound, and Japanese Yen against the Rupee on June 24, 2015, were Rs. 71.3119, Rs. 100.5000, and Rs. 51.38, respectively. These rates are derived from the US Dollar reference rate and cross-currency quotes. The SDR-Rupee rate will also be based on this reference rate.

5. ITR 4S - Validation Rules for AY 2015-16

Summary: The Income Tax Department has released validation rules for ITR 4S applicable for the Assessment Year 2015-16. These rules are intended to guide taxpayers in accurately filing their returns using the ITR 4S form, which is specifically designed for presumptive income from business and profession. The guidelines ensure compliance with tax regulations and aim to streamline the filing process by providing clear instructions on necessary documentation and procedural requirements. This initiative is part of the department's ongoing efforts to enhance transparency and efficiency in tax administration.

6. ITR-1 - Validation Rules for AY 2015-16

Summary: The Income Tax Department released validation rules for ITR-1 for the Assessment Year 2015-16. These rules are designed to ensure accurate and consistent filing of tax returns. The guidelines specify the necessary checks and validations required when taxpayers submit their ITR-1 forms, aiming to streamline the process and reduce errors. This initiative is part of the department's ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of tax administration and compliance.


Notifications

DGFT

1. 12/2015-2020 - dated 24-6-2015 - FTP

Extension of prohibition on import of milk and milk products (including chocolates and chocolate products and candies/ confectionary/ food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient) from China till 23-6-2016.

Summary: The Government of India has extended the prohibition on the import of milk and milk products from China, including chocolates, candies, and food preparations containing milk or milk solids, until June 23, 2016, or until further notice. This decision, enacted under the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020, follows a review of the existing ban, which was initially set to expire on June 23, 2015. The extension is part of an amendment to the Import Policy Schedule under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.

Income Tax

2. 48/2015 - dated 18-6-2015 - IT

SECTION 10(46) OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT, 1961 - EXEMPTIONS - STATUTORY BODY/AUTHORITY/BOARD/COMMISSION - NOTIFIED BODY OR AUTHORITY - WEST BENGAL ELECTRICITY REGULATORY COMMISSION SUBJECT TO SOME CONDITIONS.

Summary: The Central Government has notified the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission as exempt under Section 10(46) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, for specified income types. This includes income from funds maintained per the West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission Rules, 2006, and fees collected under the West Bengal Electricity Rules, 2005. The exemption applies to financial years 2011-12 to 2015-16, provided the Commission does not engage in commercial activities, maintains consistent activities and income nature, and files income returns as required by law.

3. 47/2015 - dated 18-6-2015 - IT

SECTION 10(46) OF THE INCOME-TAX ACT, 1961 - EXEMPTIONS - STATUTORY BODY/AUTHORITY/BOARD/COMMISSION - NOTIFIED BODY OR AUTHORITY - PUNJAB STATE AIDS CONTROL SOCIETY SUBJECT TO SOME CONDITIONS.

Summary: The Central Government, under clause (46) of section 10 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, has notified the Punjab State AIDS Control Society as a statutory body exempt from income tax on specific incomes. These include grants-in-aid and interest earned on such grants from the Government of India for the financial years 2011-12 to 2015-16. This exemption is contingent upon the Society not engaging in commercial activities, maintaining its activities and income nature, and filing income returns as per the Act's provisions.

Indian Laws

4. S.O. 998(E).- - dated 10-4-2015 - Indian Law

De-reservation of SSI items

Summary: The Central Government, utilizing its authority under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951, has amended a previous notification to remove certain items from the list reserved for exclusive manufacture in the Small Scale Sector. This change affects serial numbers 3, 7, 11, 13, 47, 79, 253, 308, 313, 314, 319, 335, 364, 394, 402, 404, 409, 428, 447-A, and 474. The amendment follows recommendations from the Advisory Committee and takes effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.


Circulars / Instructions / Orders

Indian Laws

1. 456CT/PRO-3C/PRO/2012 - dated 28-5-2015

Extension of the last date of filing Profession Tax Return for the period ending 31/03/2015 in State of West Bengal.

Summary: The Government of West Bengal's Directorate of Commercial Taxes has extended the deadline for filing the Profession Tax Return in Form-III for the period ending March 31, 2015. The new deadlines are as follows: electronic transmission of data is now due by June 30, 2015, and the paper form must be submitted by July 15, 2015. These extensions are granted under the provisions of the West Bengal State Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments Rules, 1979. Late fees will be determined according to the applicable rules. The circular is to be uploaded on the official website for public awareness.

Income Tax

2. 05/2015 - dated 23-6-2015

Upper limit of Clerkage fees prescribed - 10% of the appearance fee and drafting fee subject to a maximum of ₹ 4,375 in a case - Paid for engagement of Standing Counsels to represent the Income tax Department before High Courts and other judicial forums.

Summary: The circular issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes revises the guidelines for engaging Standing Counsels to represent the Income Tax Department in High Courts and other judicial forums. It amends Instruction No. 3 of 2012 to include clerkage fees for drafting, setting the clerkage fee at 10% of the appearance and drafting fee, capped at Rs. 4,375 per case or batch of cases. This amendment is effective immediately and has been approved by the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Department of Expenditure. A Hindi version of the instruction will be provided subsequently.


Highlights / Catch Notes

    Income Tax

  • Tribunal Confirms Agricultural Income at Rs. 9 Lakhs; Rejects Appellant's Claim of Rs. 12 Lakhs as Unfounded.

    Case-Laws - HC : Computation of capital income - Tribunal having held the appellant's agricultural income to be ₹ 9 lacs as against the claim of ₹ 12 lacs - computation of the income at ₹ 9 lacs as against the claim of ₹ 12 lacs cannot be held to be perverse or absurd. - HC

  • Assessee Limited to 25% Deduction u/s 80-IC After Utilizing Full 100% in First Five-Year Period.

    Case-Laws - AT : Deduction u/s 80-IC - assessee is entitled to only 25% of deduction during the present year because the assessee has already availed the period of full deduction @ 100% in the earlier five years i.e. from assessment years 2004-05 to 2008-09 - AT

  • Horse Breeding Excluded from Section 74A Tax Benefits; Losses Not Recognized Like Poultry or Pig Breeding Losses.

    Case-Laws - AT : Disallowance of losses from activity of horse breeding and owning and maintaining race horses - The activity of breeding of horses is similar to that of poultry or piggeries etc. where the animals are bred for the purpose of selling. Section 74A is not applicable for such breeding activity. - AT

  • Concerns Raised Over Broad Granting of Section 12A Registration, Risking Widespread Tax Exemption Claims for Incidental Charitable Activities.

    Case-Laws - AT : Non-granting of registration u/s 12A - If the registration is granted to the assessee u/s 12A of the Act, then, it will open pandora's box and everybody will claim exemption from tax, who are incidentally doing some charitable activities in providing parks or roads - AT

  • Long-Term Lease of 999 Years Deemed Ownership for Tax Deduction u/s 54F of Income Tax Act.

    Case-Laws - AT : Entitlement to benefit of deduction u/s. 54F - In the instant case the lease is for a period of 999 years subject to renewal for further period of 999 years. - it cannot be said that the assessee is not the owner of the property. - AT

  • Penalty Waived: Assessee Not Notified u/s 271(1)(b) with 274; No Explanation Request Issued.

    Case-Laws - AT : Penalty Order u/s. 271(1)(b) r.w.s. 274 - assessee has never been put to the notice to explain as to why penalty should not be imposed under section 271(1)(b) - penalty waived - AT

  • Revised Tax Computation Accepted by Commissioner Despite Expired Filing Deadline During Assessment Proceedings.

    Case-Laws - AT : Time limit for filing revised return had already elapsed. - revised computation submitted by the assessee during assessment proceedings - revised computation was rightly accepted by the CIT(A) - AT

  • Rental Income from Flats Deemed Incidental; Assessed as Business Income for Trading Activities.

    Case-Laws - AT : The main activity of the assessee was not earning rental income rather it was an activity of trading in the flats. Rental was an incidental income - rental income is to be assessed as business income. - AT

  • Order u/s 172(4) Barred by Limitation Due to Three-Year Delay in Assessment Completion.

    Case-Laws - AT : Invoking the provisions of Section 172 r.w.s. 163 - The assessment was thus framed almost three years after the end of the relevant previous year. Viewed in this perspective, the impugned order under section 172(4) was indeed barred by limitation. - AT

  • Export Sales Commission to Non-Residents: Section 40(a)(i) & Section 195 Apply Only If Taxable in India.

    Case-Laws - AT : Disallowance u/s 40(a)(i) - 'Export Sales Commission' payments made to the non resident u/s.195 - section 195 would only apply if the payment in question is taxable as income in India and not otherwise - AT

  • Customs

  • Appellant penalized under Customs Act Section 114 for failing to safely deliver goods, no intent needed for liability.

    Case-Laws - AT : For physical loss, no mens rea is required - Appellant failed to deliver the sealed container from their CFs safely to the gateway port. Therefore, the adjudicating authority had rightly imposed penalty under Section 114 of the Customs Act - AT

  • Notification Not Available for Sale: Differential Duty Demand Invalid Under These Circumstances.

    Case-Laws - SC : Effective date and time of effective Rate of Duty - notification may have been published on the date when the goods were cleared, it was not offered for sale by the concerned Board - differential duty cannot be demanded on the basis of such notification - SC

  • Department's Claim for Additional Duty Unlawful as Notification Issued Post Office Hours on Filing Day.

    Case-Laws - SC : Effective date and time of effective Rate of Duty - bill of entry was filed filed on 03.08.2001 - notification was sent for publication after the normal office hours, i.e., much after 5 p.m. on 03.08.2001 - it was not justified and lawful on the part of the Department to claim the differential amount of duty on the basis of said notification - SC

  • Supreme Court Stresses Evidence-Based Decisions in Anti-Dumping Duty Cases Despite Non-Cooperation by Noticee.

    Case-Laws - SC : Levy of anti dumping duty - noticee did not cooperate in the inquiry or furnishes the requisite material - while carrying out the "best judgment assessment", it is necessary for the Designated Authority to base its decision on the relevant considerations/ material - SC

  • Corporate Law

  • Petitioners accuse company of oppression and mismanagement, seek cancellation of 2010-2011 returns; delay in filing questioned.

    Case-Laws - Board : Charges of oppression and mismanagement - the petitioners have sought cancellation of various Returns filed by the Company with the Registrar of Companies in the year 2010 and 2011. This petition came to be filed on 18/07/2014. However, the Petitioners have not offered any sound and convincing reason as to why they approached the CLB after such inordinate lapse of time. - CLB

  • Service Tax

  • Refund Claim Denied Due to Limitation Bar u/s 11B; One-Year Period from Remittance Receipt Date Applies.

    Case-Laws - AT : Denial of refund claim - Bar of limitation - relevant date, if any, for the purpose of Section 11B for refund of CENVAT Credit in case of export of service will be one year from the date of receipt of remittance for the services rendered to the recipient of service outside India. - AT

  • Authorities Cannot Deny CENVAT Credit for Late Service Tax Registration Without Statutory Provision Mandating Registration First.

    Case-Laws - AT : Denial of CENVAT Credit - Belated service tax registration - in absence of a statutory provision prescribing the condition that registration is mandatory, the authorities cannot take the view that the assessee shall not be entitled to the benefit of refund. - AT

  • Free Recharge Vouchers Subject to Service Tax; Section 67 Lacks Clarity on Including Free Distribution Costs in Gross Value.

    Case-Laws - AT : Valuation - distribution of free of recharge voucher attracts service tax liability - during the relevant period the Explanation as per the Section 67 of Finance Act, 1994 also do not indicate inclusion in that gross value of any cost towards free distribution made by the service provider - AT

  • Central Excise

  • CENVAT Credit Denial Overturned: Refundable Duty Creates Revenue-Neutral Situation, Allegations of Suppression Unfounded.

    Case-Laws - AT : Denial of CENVAT credit - whatever duty they would have paid and they could claim the same as refund. - it is a case of revenue neutral situation - the allegation of suppression cannot be alleged against the appellants. - AT

  • Retail Price Marking on Defense-Supplied Shoes Challenged: Institutional Buyers' MRP Presumption Under Scrutiny by Department.

    Case-Laws - AT : Whether the retail price was indelibly printed or embarks on the shoes - just because the shoes were supplied to Defence organisation, which according to the Department are institutional buyers it cannot be presumed that no MRP had been printed or embossed on the footwear. - AT


Case Laws:

  • Income Tax

  • 2015 (6) TMI 727
  • 2015 (6) TMI 726
  • 2015 (6) TMI 725
  • 2015 (6) TMI 724
  • 2015 (6) TMI 723
  • 2015 (6) TMI 722
  • 2015 (6) TMI 721
  • 2015 (6) TMI 720
  • 2015 (6) TMI 719
  • 2015 (6) TMI 718
  • 2015 (6) TMI 717
  • 2015 (6) TMI 716
  • 2015 (6) TMI 715
  • 2015 (6) TMI 714
  • 2015 (6) TMI 713
  • 2015 (6) TMI 712
  • 2015 (6) TMI 711
  • 2015 (6) TMI 710
  • 2015 (6) TMI 709
  • 2015 (6) TMI 708
  • Customs

  • 2015 (6) TMI 743
  • 2015 (6) TMI 742
  • 2015 (6) TMI 732
  • 2015 (6) TMI 731
  • 2015 (6) TMI 730
  • Corporate Laws

  • 2015 (6) TMI 729
  • Service Tax

  • 2015 (6) TMI 749
  • 2015 (6) TMI 748
  • 2015 (6) TMI 747
  • 2015 (6) TMI 741
  • 2015 (6) TMI 740
  • 2015 (6) TMI 739
  • Central Excise

  • 2015 (6) TMI 746
  • 2015 (6) TMI 745
  • 2015 (6) TMI 744
  • 2015 (6) TMI 737
  • 2015 (6) TMI 736
  • 2015 (6) TMI 735
  • 2015 (6) TMI 734
  • 2015 (6) TMI 733
  • CST, VAT & Sales Tax

  • 2015 (6) TMI 738
  • Wealth tax

  • 2015 (6) TMI 728
 

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