draft code

The government looks all set to introduce the new Direct Taxes Code in the forthcoming budget session , a government official said. Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday to discuss the contours of the new code, billed as the major reform of the direct tax structure being undertaken by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in its second tenure. Full Article

The government is through with the consultation process on the proposed direct taxes code and the contours of the new tax structure could be finalised soon, a top government official said on Wednesday. The process of consultation is almost complete," finance secretary Ashok Chawala told reporters on the sidelines of a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry seminar in New Delhi. Full Article

The finance ministry is likely to retain the EET (exempt-exempt-tax) principle proposed in the Direct Tax Code on the lump sum amount a salaried taxpayer will receive from his investment in savings schemes such as the Public Provident Fund and other superannuation funds. This means while the contribution and accumulation are tax-free, withdrawal will be taxed at the marginal rate of income tax. Full Article

The Corporate Affairs Ministry is expected to bring out the code on corporate governance in a year's time. Mr Salman Khursheed, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs, said on Monday that the final code would be based on the draft common minimum code, which would be out for public review by the third week of December. Full Article

Insurance companies have asked the government to shift to the new tax regime under the Direct Tax Code only for those policies sold after the proposed Code came into effect from April 2011. The draft code, circulated for public comments, had suggested that life insurance policies should be taxed at the time of maturity. So, the [...] Full Article

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on August 10 released the New Draft Direct Tax Code. The draft, which is expected to radically change the tax structure, will now be open for discussion after which it will take the form of law. The finance minister had in his budget promised to deliver a new code within 45 [...] Full Article