Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) on transfer of certain immovable properties (other than agricultural land)
Under the existing provisions of the Income-tax Act, tax is required to be deducted at source on certain specified payments made to residents by way of salary, interest, commission, brokerage, professional services, etc.
On transfer of immovable property by a non-resident, tax is required to be deducted at source by the transferee. However, there is no such requirement on transfer of immovable property by a resident except in the case of compulsory acquisition of certain immovable properties.
In order to collect tax at the earliest point of time and also to have a reporting mechanism of transactions in the real estate sector, it is proposed to insert a new provision to provide that every transferee, at the time of making payment or crediting any sum by way of consideration for transfer of immovable property (other than agricultural land), shall deduct tax, at the rate of 1% of such sum, if the consideration paid or payable for the transfer of such property exceeds –
(a) fifty lakh rupees in case such property is situated in a specified urban agglomeration; or
(b) twenty lakh rupees in case such property is situated in any other area.
It is further proposed to provide that where the consideration paid or payable for the transfer of such property is less than the value adopted or assessed or assessable by any authority of a State Government for the purposes of payment of stamp duty, the value so adopted or assessed or assessable shall be deemed as consideration paid or payable for the transfer of such immovable property.
For better compliance, it is also proposed to provide that a registering officer appointed under the Indian Registration Act,
1908 (Registrar) shall not register the transfer of any immovable property where taxes are required to be deducted under this provision unless the transferee furnishes proof of deduction and payment of TDS.
For reducing the compliance burden on the transferee, it is also proposed that a simple one page challan for payment of TDS would be prescribed containing details (including PAN) of transferor and transferee and also certain details of the property. The transferee would not be required to obtain any Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number (TAN) or to furnish any TDS statement as this would be mostly a one time transaction. The transferor would get credit of TDS like any other pre-paid taxes on the basis of information furnished by the transferee in the challan of payment of TDS.
This amendment will take effect from 1st October, 2012.
