1. What is TAN? TAN or Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number is a 10 digit alpha numeric number required to be obtained by all persons who are responsible for deducting or collecting tax. It is compulsory to quote TAN in TDS/TCS return (including any e-TDS/TCS return), any TDS/TCS payment challan and TDS/TCS certificates. 2. Who must apply for TAN? -All those persons who are required to deduct tax at source or collect tax at source on behalf of Income Tax Department are required to apply for and obtain TAN.

Under the proposed new section 80TTA of the Income-tax Act, a deduction up to an extent of ten thousand rupees in aggregate shall be allowed to an assessee, being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, in respect of any income by way of interest on deposits (not being time deposits) in a savings account with—

A new provision relating to tax deduction at source (TDS) under the Income Tax Act 1961 will become applicable with effect from 1st April 2010. Tax at higher of the prescribed rate or 20% will be deducted on all transactions liable to TDS, where the Permanent Account Number (PAN) of the deductee is not available.

Air travel agents will have to forego a part of the commission they receive from airlines on tickets sold by them, as the tax department has decided that such payments will be subject to tax deduction at source, or TDS. This could increase cost of air travel, as agents will pass on this burden to the flyer. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, the apex direct tax body, has directed its field officers to deduct tax at source on payment of commission to travel agents, a tax department official told.

This Tax Alert summarizes a recent ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) [AIT-2009-450- SC] in a batch of cases represented by the lead case of Alom Extrusions Ltd. (Taxpayer) as to whether amendment to Section 43B (Section) of the Indian Tax Law (ITL), enacted with effect from 1 April 2004, is retrospectively applicable. This amendment was introduced to rationalize the tax deduction of the employer’s contribution to provident fund, superannuation fund, gratuity fund and such other funds for the welfare of employees (social security contributions).The SC held that the amendment, being curative in nature, should be construed as retrospectively applicable from 1 April 1988.

1) Whether capitalization of interest payable attracts TDS U/S 194A? A) Yes, Capitalization of interest payable attracts the provisions of TDS. TDS is to be made on interest payment regardless of the fact whether borrower uses funds for acquiring fixed assets, capital assets or stock-in-trade or for making payments of trading debts.

On 18th June 2009 the Government of Maharashtra has passed the Maharashtra Value Added Tax (2nd Amendment) Rules 2009 These amendments are brought into effect from 1st July 2009 unless otherwise specified. Following are the amendments which are made in the MVAT Rules: - 

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 [...]

Foreign companies cannot be discriminated vis-a-vis Indian firms so far as capital gains tax on securities transaction is concerned, according to an order by the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR). Giving its ruling in a case related to UK-based Fujitsu Services, AAR said the company should also be given an option of paying tax at [...]

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has ruled that foreign companies can claim tax deduction on expenses incurred in setting up a project office in India even if the mandatory approval from the Reserve Bank of India comes subsequently.  The ruling was issued in the case of Stork Engineers & Contractors of the Netherlands, which was [...]