The Supreme Court Monday was angry at the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) which submitted its second status report on money laundering by India’s top tax evader Hasan Ali. A bench of Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy and Justice S.S. Nijjar said: ‘When we look at the (status) report, it is very difficult to remain calm and poised as to what was happening in the country. Let the people of this country know what is happening.’
Rheema Khan, the wife of Pune-based stud farm owner Hasan Ali, would be present in the Supreme Court tomorrow when the Enforcement Directorate submits a status report of the probe into his alleged money-laundering activities. “Hasan Ali’s wife would appear before the Supreme Court tomorrow,” said his lawyer, advocate I A Bagadia here.
Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR) in the case of D.B.Zwirn Mauritius (AAR No. 879 of 2011) (Judgment date: 28 March 2011) dealt with the issue of taxability of capital gains on sale of shares by a Mauritian entity under the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the Act) or India-Mauritius tax treaty (the tax treaty). The AAR held that the applicant, holding tax residence certificate, was eligible for the tax treaty benefits. Accordingly, under Article 13(4) of the tax treaty the taxpayer is not liable to pay capital gains tax in India in respect of the transfer of shares held in an Indian company.
Perhaps, for the first time in Indian history, we have a situation that the Union Budget is presented and passed by both the houses of the Parliament in less than a month. Not only this, that too in the current financial year itself. Thanks to virtually no debate in the house even on crucial proposals impacting economy and growth of nation and thanks to the democratic country we are. Simply because there are elections in few states in May / June, we had to cut short the economic agenda of Parliament and made budget a not so important event.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister presented the State budget for the year 2011-12 on 23 March 2011. The changes effected in various regulations shall be effective from a date to be notified unless otherwise specified. Considering a satisfactory rise in the sales tax revenue by 26% over earlier year, it is proposed to retain VAT rate on goods covered under schedule E @ 12.5%. The budget proposes certain amendments under the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Act, 2002 (MVAT Act) in respect of the following, which will be notified in due course.
In terms of Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) Regulations, 2000, Indian companies are required to report the details of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Form FC-GPR to the Regional Office of RBI within whose jurisdiction the Registered Office of the Company operates, within 30 days of issue of shares.
SC rejects claim of firms using HSD in captive units- The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a batch of appeals by various companies claiming credit of duty paid on high speed diesel oil used in their captive electricity generating plants. The Rajasthan high court had earlier rejected their contention in the case, Sangam Spinners Ltd vs Union of India. Their argument was that they had acquired accrued and vested right and it could not be taken away retrospectively by an Act of Parliament, in this case, the Finance Act, 2000. Since the companies were unable to pass on the burden to the customers, they would have to bear the entire burden themselves, and that too retrospectively, and therefore such a provision violated Article 14 of the Constitution (equality). The revenue authorities, on the other hand, contended that the 2000 Act was not a validating Act, but explanatory in nature in order to clarify and put in proper perspective the legal position as some tribunals had misinterpreted departmental notifications. The Supreme Court ruled that the subsequent changes made by Parliament were clarificatory and the companies were not entitled to the credit of duty.
In view of huge discrepancies found in transactions at stock exchanges, the Income Tax Department has asked NSE, BSE and other bourses to submit monthly statement of all transactions from April. According to sources, the I-T department has analysed data and found huge mismatch in the information provided by certain brokers to the stock exchanges.
