The Central Board of Direct Taxes, through Notification No. 96/2026 dated 23rd July, 2026, issued under Schedule III [Table: Sl. No. 36] read with Section 11 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, has notified the Kerala Headload Workers Welfare Board, Kochi (PAN AAAJK1176F) in respect of specified income comprising grants-in-aid and loans from Government, levy collected under the Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978, registration fees from registered beneficiaries, employer deposits under the Kerala Headload Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Scheme, 1983, member contributions, interest on loans and advances to staff and workers, wages received from employers under the 1983 Scheme, and interest earned on these receipts. The notification is subject to the conditions that the Board does not engage in commercial activity, files its return of income in accordance with clause (c)(xiii) of sub-section (9) of section 263 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, and that its activities and the nature of the specified income remain unchanged throughout the tax years. Non-compliance will result in withdrawal of the exemption and initiation of proceedings under the Act. The notification applies to tax years 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
(CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES)
NOTIFICATION
Notification No. 96/2026-Income-tax | Dated: 23rd July, 2026
S.O. 4048(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by Schedule III [Table: Sl. No. 36] read with Section 11 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, (30 of 2025), (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government hereby notifies for the purposes of the said clause, ‘Kerala Headload Workers Welfare Board, Kochi’,(PAN AAAJK1176F), a Board constituted by the State Government of Kerala, in respect of the following specified income arising to the said board namely:-
(a) Amount received in the form of grants-in-aid and loan from Government;
(b) Levy collected under the Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978 (20 of 1980), Kerala Headload Workers rules 1981 and schemes there under;
(c) Registration fees collected from members registered with the board as beneficiaries;
(d) Sums received as deposit from employers as per Para 27 of Kerala Headload Workers (regulation of employment and welfare) Scheme 1983 formulated under section 13 of the Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978 (20 of 1980);
(e) Contribution from the members as defined in the Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978 (20 of 1980), Kerala Headload Workers Rules 1981 and Scheme there under;
(f) Interest on loans and advances given to staff of the board and workers;
(g) Sums received as wages from employers as per Para 24(a) and 24(b) of Kerala Headload Workers (Regulation of employment and welfare) Scheme 1983 formulated under section 13 of the Kerala Headload Workers Act, 1978 (20 of 1980); and
(h) Interest earned on (a) to (g) above.
2. This notification shall be effective subject to the conditions that ‘Kerala Headload Workers Welfare Board, Kochi’, (PAN AAAJK1176F) –
(a) shall not engage in any commercial activity;
(b) shall file return of income in accordance with the provision of clause (c)(xiii) of sub-section (9) of section 263 of the said Act, 2025; and
(c) its activities and the nature of the specified income shall remain unchanged throughout the tax years.
3. Failure to comply with the conditions specified in paragraph 2 shall result in withdrawal of exemption under Schedule III [Table: Sl. No. 36] read with section 11 and initiation of proceedings under the said Act.
4. This notification shall be applicable for tax years 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.
[Notification No. 96/2026/F. No.300196/78/2024-ITA-I]
HARDEV SINGH, Under Secy.
