The revised Discussion Paper on Direct Tax Code has been issued for public discussion and response is solicited upto June 30, 2010. The proposals in short are:-
i) MAT: MAT will be calculated with reference to ‘book profit’ and not on the basis of ‘value of gross assets’.
ii) EET :EET will not include Government Provident Fund (GPF), PPF, Recognised Provided Funds, Pension Scheme administered by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority as well as approved pure life insurance products and annuity scheme. These will be governed by EEE.
iii) Salary
A) The following amounts shall not be included in ‘Salary’ subject to specified limits.
a) An employer’s contribution to an approved provident fund, Super Annuation Fund and New Pension Scheme.
b) Retirement Benefits
c) Gratuity
d) VRS
e) Commutation of Pension linked to gratuity and
f) Encashment of leave on superannuation.
B) Medical facilities / reimbursement provided by an employer to employees be valued as per existing law.
C) Perquisite value of rent free accommodation shall not be on market value.
iv) Income From House Property
a) SA Property shall be valued at Rs. NIL. However, interest upto Rs. 1.5 lakh on borrowed capital will be allowed.
b) In case of let out property, gross rent will be the amount of rent received or receivable.
c) Gross rent will not be computed at a presumptive rate of 6% of rateable value or cost of construction / acquisition.
v) Capital Gains
a) Income under the head ‘Capital Gains’ will be considered as Income from ordinary sources in case of all tax payers including non-residents. It will be taxed at the rate applicable to that tax payers.
b) Capital Asset held for a period of more than one year from the end of the financial year in which asset is acquired.
A) Listed equity shares or units of an equity oriented fund, capital gains shall be computed after allowing a deduction at a specified percentage of capital gains without any indexation. Similarly, loss arising on transfer of such asset will be scaled down in a similar manner.
B) Other assets:-
i) Base date is shifted to April 01, 2000 instead of April 01, 1981.
ii) The capital gains on such assets shall be computed after allowing indexation on this raised base.
c) Income arising on purchase and sale of securities by an FII shall be deemed to be income chargeable under the head ‘capital gains’. No TDS on such income, however, they will have to pay advance tax.
vi) Non-Profit Organisation (NPO)
a) NPO registered under the Income-tax Act, 1961 would not be required to apply for fresh registration under the DTC.
b) NPO may not able to spend the entire receipts during the financial year itself, may be allowed to carry forward upto 15% of the surplus or 10% of gross receipts, whichever is higher, to be used within three years from the end of the relevant financial year.
c) A basic exemption limit will be provided and the surplus in excess of such limit will be subject to tax.
d) The phrase ‘charitable purpose’ will be retained in place of ‘permitted welfare activity’.
e) It is proposed to retain the cash system of accounting.
f) The Central Government shall be empowered to notify any non-profit organization of public importance as an exempt entity.
g) The income of a public religious institution shall be exempt subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Donation to these institutions will not be eligible for any deduction in the hands of donor.
h) Partly religious and partly charitable institutions will be treated as NPO if they are registered under this code. Their income from public religious activity will be exempt subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions.
vii) SEZ – Taxation of existing unit
As a policy, it has been decided not to extend the scope or the period of profit linked deductions. However, specific provisions for protecting such deduction for the unexpired period have been provided in DTC in case of SEZ developers. Similar provision to protect profit linked deductions of units already operating in SEZ shall be incorporated.
viii)Concept of residence in the case of a company incorporated outside India
a) Foreign company will be treated as resident in India , if its ‘place of effective management’ is situated in India .
ix) DTAA vs. DTC
a) Between the domestic law and relevant DTAA, whichever is more beneficial to the tax payer shall apply. However, DTAA will not have preferential status over the domestic law in the following circumstances: –
– When GAAR is invoked,
– When CFC provisions are invoked, or
– When Branch Profit tax is levied.
x) Wealth Tax
Specified ‘unproductive assets’ will be subject to Wealth Tax. It will be payable by all tax payers except non-profit organizations.
xi) GAAR
The provisions would apply, if any one of the following conditions is met:-
a) It is not at arms length,
b) It represents misuse or abuse of the provisions of the code,
c) It lacks commercial substance,
d) It is entered or carried on in a manner not normally employed for bonafide business purposes.
The forum of DRP would be available where GAAR provisions are invoked.
we are charitable organisation and are entitled to exemption u/s 80 G.
please advise whether the following laws are applicable to us:
Minimum Wages Act
Provident Fund
ESI
In case these laws are applicable to us, shall we loose the benefit of Section 80G
Dear sir,
Please tell me what will be the effect of new DTC on ULIPs. I want to take an ULIP from Birla Sunlife, whether it will be beneficial for me or not.
Sir,
pls.update us the direct tax code for the HUF
DIRECT TAXES CODE 2009
REVISED PAPER FOR DISCUSSION
TAXATION OF NON PROFIT ORGANISATIONS- CHAPTER VI
Concerns and suggestions:
1.NPO classification-Religious/ Mixed/charitable –Para 3 (b) (c)
•The revised proposal differentiates between religious, mixed and wholly charitable institutions. The term “religious” is not defined in the code. It is suggested that the term “religious” be defined in the code itself for the purposes of the DTC.
•There is no provision as to what happens if a wholly charitable trust spends a small part of its income for activities akin to religious practices or for religious purposes. It is suggested that outgoings up to 10 % of the gross receipts of a charitable trust for religious activities be permitted without changing its character to religious trust.
•The criteria to determine predominant character of an NPO be specified so there is a clear cut understanding amongst the NPO and the tax authorities. There are Supreme Court judgments which have ruled that one or two clauses of religious nature does not change the character of the institution and that what is required to be seen is the paramount intention and nature of the activities of the trust to determine whether it is religious or charitable.
2.Basic Exemption: (Para 3-(g))
The proposal mentions about basic exemption limit to be provided for working out taxable surplus but the percentage of this basic exemption is not mentioned. It is suggested that the basic exemption of 15 % of the gross income as per the present law be retained.
3. Accumulation: Para 3 (d):
.As per the revised proposal, accumulation for a period up to 3 years -maximum limited to 10 % of gross receipts or 15 % of the surplus which ever is higher- will be permitted. It is not clear whether the surplus means the amount arrived at after deduction of the basic exemption or before. It is suggested that permissible accumulation be fixed with reference to the gross receipts and not with reference to the surplus at all.
•The provision permitting accumulation of 10% of gross receipts or 15% of the surplus is too harsh. At present the law provides for exercise of option u/s.S.11 (1) Explanation clause 2 to spend the entire surplus in the next financial year and/or accumulate the entire surplus for a specific purpose up to 5 years subject to conditions of about investments and intimation etc. u/s,S.11 (2). This power of the trustees has been taken away by restricting the accumulation only to the extent of 10% of gross receipts or 15% of surplus. This power should be restored as per the present law.
•Under the code income of the NPO is also subjected to TDS which is 10% of the income from each income receipts. In that case the permitted 10 % accumulation will not be available either for accumulation or for spending. It is suggested that the gross receipt should there fore be the net amount actually received by an NPO in its hands after TDS and the TDS amount should be treated as receipt of the year in which TDS is actually refunded to the NPO or alternatively the NPO should be exempted from TDS provisions as their liability to pay tax is contingent on their “ non spending”.
3.Computation of Surplus: Para 1.2(b)-outgoings: The proposals does not provide for deduction of provision for earmarking of the income for any “Earmarked funds” such as Endowment Funds, Scholarship Funds, Education Loan Funds, Natural Calamities Funds, Building Funds, Equipment Funds, Asset Replacement Funds, Heavy Repairs and Renovations Funds, Expansions Funds, Maintenance Funds, Loans Repayment Funds, Sinking Fund etc which is a commonly required to be done. It is necessary that NPO are allowed to provide for any providence or future needs of the trust activities, for maintenance and expansion. The proposed code compel them to spend what ever is received in the year of receipt or within three years. It is suggested that “permitted Earmarked funds” be listed and “outgoings” should also include the transfer of income to the “Permitted Earmarked Funds”.
•The provision for “outgoings” should also include transfer of interest earned on investments of its “Permitted Earmarked Funds” to the respective “Permitted Earmarked Fund Account”.
•The amount of outgoing should include depreciation on investment assets to enable NPO to provide for replacement of its investment assets other than financial asset.
•The proposal provides that the investment asset which is a “financial asset” is not “deductible outgoing” for computing the taxable surplus of the NPO. However the term “financial asset” is not defined in the proposed code although all other terms such as “Capital asset” “Business trading asset”. “Business capital asset” and “investment asset” are defined. It is suggested that the term “Financial Asset” be also defined to avoid any ambiguity.
•The term “investment asset” is a misnomer as it covers all assets whether they are in the nature of investments to earn income thereon or not. So even a hospital building or a college building and furniture fixtures etc will also be termed as Investment Asset although there is no intention of investments as such.
•“Deficit” which is excess of outgoing over income of the NPO be allowed to be carried forward and set off against future income and be treated as the outgoing of the next financial years – provision similar the carry forward and set off of the losses in case of business undertaking.
•Out goings as listed for deductions does not include payments like contribution to the charity commissioner, tax liabilities, etc.
5. NPO of public importance as exempt entity: Para 3 (i)
NPO already approved u/s.10 (23) (C) (iv) be permitted to continue as an exempt entity under the category of “NPO of public importance.”.
6.EXEMPTION OF NPO FROM TDS (u/s.200 of the DTC Bill) :
The criteria for levying tax on NPO is their “not spending the income within the prescribed time” and the tax liability of the NPO is thus contingent. Therefore the income of their financial asset ( interest etc) should not be subjected to TDS at the point of earning. The present procedure requiring “No Deduction Certificate” from tax authorities creates lot of inconveniences and increases the departmental work. It is suggested that NPO registered by the Income tax authorities be exempted from TDS provisions on their investment incomes as they are primarily accepted as “tax exempt entities” while registering them under the code.
7.Disqualification of NPO- Consequences (S. 94 of the Bill.)
•What exactly means by “ Ceased to be an NPO” is not specified.
•The code provides for consequences if an NPO ceases to be an NPO in any year and had also been ceased in the two out of four year preceding financial year. There is no clarification as to who finally decides “ceased to be NPO” issue each year. Is it the Assessing authorities? If so is there any appeal against such decision ?
•the consequences provided are extremely harsh. It provides for 30 % tax on the market value of the net asset of the NPO when it disqualifies as NPO third time. An entity ceasing to be may be taxed on its income at normal rate for the year in which it disqualifies to be an NPO.
•S.94 (1) (a) as proposed provides a window for a scam as all the states are not having laws to governing NPO and allowing an NPO to convert itself into a non NPO would only defeat the purpose of bona fide donations given by the donors.
It is suggested that the S.94 needs a serious review.
8.The code as proposed in revised paper for discussion differentiates between a religious public charity and non religious public charity and this will only encourage more religious public charities being formed for the benefit of religion based caste systems. This will lead the country away from being “secular nation”.
Dear Sir,
The new provisions relating to capital gain taxation of listed shares is still disadvantageous for long term investors compared to short term speculators.There are thousands of investors holding shares for last 15 to 25 years and they were all holding these shares only with the hope that as and when they need money they can sell it with out payment of capital gain tax. But now they have to pay tax and that too without indexation. A mere 50-70% deduction in gain may not be sufficient compensation for their long holding period. To do JUSTICE TO THEM ALSO ALL SHARES HELD BY THEM FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAT AS ON 31-03-2011 MUST BE EXEMPTED FROM THE CAPITAL GAINS TAX AS IT IS DONE IN RESPECT OF OTHER EEE INVESTMENT PRODUCTS.
CA.N.VENKATESWARAN.