transaction tax

Income tax refunds may get delayed for a fortnight, following a complete revamp of security buffers in the computer software system of tax departments across the country, after the discovery last week that someone had hacked into an account and made off with Rs 11 crore. Full Article

The Finance Act, 2004 introduced section 111A in the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the Act) prescribing a tax rate of 10 percent on Short Term Capital Gains (STCG) arising from sale of shares on or after 1 October 2004 on a stock exchange which are subject to Securities Transaction Tax (STT). Full Article

Buying and selling mutual funds units on the recently opened trading facility on stock exchanges will not be tax-free. While equity schemes would attract securities transaction tax, debt and liquid funds would face capital gains tax. Capital gains in respect of transfer of units of ‘equity-oriented mutual fund’ held for a period of more than 12 months (long-term) would not be liable to income tax provided the transfer of unit is subject to STT. If the units are held.. Full Article

Net direct tax collections during first eight months of the present fiscal (up to November 2009) stood at Rs.1,83,822 crore, up from Rs.1,77,251 crore in the same period last fiscal, registering a growth of 3.71 percent. Growth in Corporate Taxes was 3.17 percent (Rs.1,13,210 crore as against Rs.1,09,735 crore), while Personal Income Tax (including STT, and residual FBT and BCTT) grew at 4.53 percent (Rs.70,262 crore as against Rs.67,215 crore). Full Article

To encourage foreign portfolio investment, the Finance Ministry has set up a working group for suggesting changes in the existing policy on foreign capital inflows by FIIs, NRIs and venture capital funds. The 16-member group on portfolio investments, to be headed by UTI MF CMD U K Sinha, will also review the current arrangements relating to participatory notes-- instruments through which unregistered foreign entities invest in Indian stock markets, sources said. Full Article

For individuals, the proposed rate is likely to be 10% for income upto 10 lakhs, 20% upto 25 lakhs and 30% above that. Incentive to save is likely to rise to 3 lakhs from the present 1 lakh. Corporate taxes are likely to be revised downward to 25%. Security Transaction tax is likely to be scrapped. Wealth tax is likely to be 0.25% for wealth above 50 crores. Full Article

The Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (“the Tribunal”)  , in the case of First State Investments (Hongkong) Ltd. A/c  First State Asia Innovation and Technology Fund1 (“the  assessee”), examined the manner of set-off of short- term capital loss suffered from sale transactions subject  to Securities  Transaction Tax (”STT”) against short- term capital gains arising prior to introduction of [...] Full Article

The new draft Direct Taxes Code proposes to tax capital gains as regular income at normal tax rates, thereby removing the benefits of lower rates for long-term capital gains on sale of shares. Full Article