Section 43(5)(e) of the Income Tax Act

Conditions to be fulfilled to be notified as a recognised association u/s 43(5)(e) of the Income Tax Act, for derivative transactions [notification no. 51/2013, dated july 4, 2013 S.O. 2017(E)].

CBDT instructions no.3

CBDT instructions no.3 dated 05-07-2013 issued regarding procedure to be followed in receipt and disposal of rectification application u/s 154 of the Income Tax Act.

Circular on Writing of Arrears of Excise,Customs & ST

Circular No.  971/5 /2013

F.No.296/10/2009-CX-9(Pt.)

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

Department of Revenue

Central Board of Customs & Excise

New Delhi, the 29th May, 2013

To

            All Chief Commissioners

            All Directors General

           

Sub:     Writing off of arrears of Central Excise duty, Customs duty and Service Tax - Constitution of Committees to advise the authority for writing off of arrears-reg.

Sir,

I am directed to refer to the Circular No. 946/07/2011 dated 01.06.2011 issued from this file number on the subject and to say that certain amendments have been made in the Delegation of Financial Power Rules, 1978 vide S.O. 3624 dated 14.12.2012. A copy of the said notification is enclosed.

2.         With this amendment, the authorities competent to write-off the arrears of Central Excise and the Commissioner of Service Tax are also delegated powers to write-off the arrears of Service Tax as well. Consequently, the constitution of the Committees for examining the proposals for write-off of irrecoverable arrears and recommending deserving cases to the authority competent to order such write-off, also requires modification.  Hence, para 4 & 5 of the Circular No. 946/07/2011 be substituted by the following:-

"4.        The constitution of the Committees and the powers to write off, delegated to the competent authorities are as under:-

S. No.	Competent Authority	Constitution of the Committee	Powers delegated
1.	Chief Commissioner of  Customs & Central Excise/ Central Excise/ Customs	Committee of two Chief Commissioners of  Customs & Central Excise/ Central Excise/ Customs and the Chief Commissioner (TAR)	(a) Full powers for abandonment of irrecoverable amounts of fines and penalties imposed under the Customs Act, 1962, the Central Excise Act, 1944, the Gold Control Act, 1968 and the Finance Act, 1994; and  (b) To write off irrecoverable amounts of Customs or Central Excise duty or Service Tax upto Rs. 15 lakhs subject to a report to the Board.
2.	Commissioner of  Customs & Central Excise / Commissioner of Customs / Commissioner of Central Excise/ Commissioner of Service Tax	Committee of two Commissioners of  Customs & Central Excise/ Central Excise/ Customs/ Service Tax and one Commissioner (TAR) nominated by CC(TAR))	(a) Full powers for abandonment of irrecoverable amounts of fines and penalties imposed under the Customs Act, 1962, the Central Excise Act, 1944, the Gold Control Act, 1968 and the Finance Act, 1994; and   (b) To write off irrecoverable amounts of Customs or Central Excise duty or Service Tax upto Rs. 10 lakhs subject to a report to the Chief Commissioner.

5.         As regards write off of interest amount, it is clarified that once duty/ tax involved is written off, the interest due thereon would get automatically written off.  It is also clarified that the duty/ tax involved in the case would determine the level of authority/Committee competent to write off the amount involved."

Click here for : Notification  |   Circular No. 946/07/2011 dated 01.06.2011

Yours faithfully,

(Surendra Singh)

Under Secretary to the Govt. of India

Tel: 2309 2413

ICAI cannot be deemed to be pursuing commercial activities by

CBDT Instructions On S. 143(1) Intimations And S. 154 Rectifications

July 5th, 2013

The CBDT has issued Instruction No. 03/2013 dated 05.07.2013 with regard to the the directive issued by the Delhi High Court in Court on Its Own Motion vs. UOI 352 ITR 273 on the procedure to be followed on the receipt and disposal of rectification applications filed u/s 154 of the Act. The CBDT has set out a detailed procedure on where applications should be received, the maintenance of registers and their disposal.
 The CBDT has also issued Instruction No. 04/2013 dated 05.07.2013 with regard to the directive issued by the Delhi High Court in Court on Its Own Motion vs. UOI 352 ITR 273 that the demand should not be enforced in cases where no intimation u/s 143(1) was sent by the field authorities in respect of returns which were processed prior to 31.03.2010.

ICAI cannot be deemed to be pursuing commercial activities by coaching classes

ICAI cannot be deemed to be pursuing commercial activities by taking coaching classes or campus placements for a fee exemption under 10(23C)(iv) cannot be denied to ICAI on account of fees received by it for providing coaching classes and campus placement for its students. [ ICAI v/s Director General of Income-tax (exemptions) [2013] 35 taxmann.com 140 (Delhi)].

For exemption under sec 54F

For exemption under sec 54F, deposit in capital gains A/c scheme by due date of filing ITR under sec 139(4). [CIT, Rohtak v/s Shri J S Chawla, HC, Punjab and Haryana].

Kerala HC on ST on AC Restuarants

Kerala HC rules service tax on AC restaurants invalid

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday held that the Centre's decision to impose service tax on food and beverages supplied by air-conditioned restaurants with licences to serve alcoholic beverages in the 2011-12 budget was beyond the legislative competence of Parliament.

Justice A.M. Shaffique passed the verdict while allowing a batch of writ petitions filed by Kerala Bar Hotels Association and certain bar hoteliers.

The service tax was imposed on air-conditioned restaurants with licence to serve alcoholic beverages in the 2011-12 Union Budget. A service tax of 12.36 per cent applicable on 30 per cent of the bill had been imposed on such restaurants, which came into effect on April 1 last year.

The petitioners contended that Article 366 Section 29 (f) of the Constitution defined supply of food and drinks in hotels as 'deemed sales' and empowered the State governments to collect sales tax on the total value of sales. Therefore, the Centre has no authority or power to collect such service tax.

The court observed that the every purpose of incorporating the definition of tax on sale or purchase of goods in Article 366 was to empower the State government to impose tax on the supply, whether it was by way of or as part of any service of goods either being food or any other article for human consumption or any drink, intoxicating or not.

The Constitution permitted sale of goods during service as taxable. Necessarily, service formed part of sale of goods. Therefore, the State government alone has the legislative competence to enact a law imposing a tax on service elements forming part of sales of goods, the court ruled.

The court also ordered that if the petitioners had made any payments on the basis of the impugned clauses, they were entitled to seek refund of the amount.

sr

ICAI clarified regarding deferment of SCA norms

ICAI clarified regarding deferment of SCA norms (Regarding DISA Requirement) of PSB’s by one year i.e. the norms will be effective from the year 2014-15 and bank audit fees increase clarification.

Books of account pre-requisites to tax unexplained cash credit

Books of account pre-requisites to tax unexplained cash credit, no additions for deposit in bank account in absence of books.[ CIT(A) – ITO vs kamal kumar mishra [2013] 33 taxmann.com 610 (Lucknow - Tribunal)].

Service tax department has issued notification

Service tax department has issued notification no. 12/2013-ST dated 01-07-2013 along with forms A-1, A-2, A-3 and A-4 regarding exemption on services provided to SEZ authorised operations.

Central board of direct tax withdraws circular

Central board of direct tax withdraws circular no.2 dated 26-03-2013 on profit split method (PSM) for transfer pricing, circular no. 05/2013 of 29-06-2013.

No penalty under section 76 was leviable if service tax was paid belatedly

No penalty under section 76 was leviable if service tax was paid belatedly with interest prior to issue of show cause notice – [professional couriers vs commissioner of customs, central excise & service tax[2013] 34 taxmann.com 120 (Bangalore - CESTAT)].

Breather for IT firms as CBDT withdraws controversial tax circular

Breather for IT firms as CBDT withdraws controversial tax circular

In a major relief to the IT industry, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) today announced the withdrawal of a controversial circular that could have adversely impacted the tax spend for this industry.

The CBDT also modified another circular relating to taxation of R&D centres that also has a crucial role in software development.

The circular (No 2 of 2013) that has been withdrawn related to the adoption of Profit Split Method (PSM) as a preferred mode for computation of tax liability. The decisions were taken following representation from the industry for clarity on two circulars concerning global taxation of transfer pricing.

Tax experts hailed the latest announcements stating that compliance cost will come down and chances of double taxation may be reduced.

"The rescinding of Circular No. 2 is very good news for the industry. This is a positive move and would certainly improve the sentiments of foreign investors who were shying away from investing in R&D in India," said Vijay Iyer, National Transfer Pricing Leader, Ernst & Young India

Safe harbour rules

The Finance Ministry also said that CBDT would soon issue safe harbour rules. Such a move would bring further certainty in assessment of development centres that are engaged in providing contract R&D services.

Safe harbour rules have been defined as circumstances in which the income-tax authorities shall accept the transfer price declared by the assessee.

The Income Tax Department by withdrawing Circular No 2 has made sure that profit-split method, which could lead to higher taxation, will not be the preferred mode.

Besides this method, there are five other methods for computing tax liability under the transfer pricing rules. These include resale price method, cost plus method, comparable uncontrolled price method and transactional net margin method.

Retention money is not an income

Retention money is not an income of contractor if it has got no rights on it till satisfactory completion of work. [DIT (International taxation) vs. Ballast Nedam International [2013] 34 taxmann.com 270 (Gujarat)].

Standardizing the process of filing application under section 10(46)

Ministry of Finance, Central Board of Direct Tax issued [Notification no. F.NO. 196/6/2013- ITA.1 by dated 24-06-2013], regarding standardizing the process of filing application under section 10(46) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Remuneration for branch audit work of the bank

Remuneration for branch audit work of the bank. Category of bank branch on the basis of quantum of advances. Rates of audit fees:-
Up to 10 crore-Rs. 40,250/-
Above 10 crore up to 20 crore- Rs. 57,500/-
Above 20 crore up to 30 crore- Rs. 79,350/-
Above 30 crore up to 50 crore- Rs. 1,20,750/-
Above 50 crore up to 75 crore- Rs. 1,38,000/-.

The soft ITR 5 for the assessment

The soft ITR 5 for the assessment year 2013-14 is now available at Income Tax department website.

RBI has increased the bank audit fees

RBI has increased the bank audit fees payable form financial year 2012-13 as per [RBI Notification no. DBS.ARS.No.BC. 08/ 08.92.001/ 2012-13 dated 25-06- 2013].

Lower Deduction Certificate

Lower Deduction Certificate to a unit enough to cover other units of assessee even if separate TANs. [CIT Chandigarh Vs Parle Biscuits. High Court of Punjab & Haryana].

Right to collect toll is an intangible asset

Right to collect toll is an intangible asset within the purview of sec. 32(1)(ii) of the Income Tax Act and is eligible for depreciation. [ACIT Vs. Ashoka Infraways (P.) Limited, 2013] 33 taxmann.com 499 (Pune - Tribunal)].