Section 270A(1) Penalty for under-reporting & misreporting of income

Penalty under section 270A of the Income Tax Act for under-reporting and misreporting of income can be imposed by the Assessing Officer / the Commissioner (Appeals) / the Principal Commissioner / the Commissioner.

Under the current article, we would thoroughly understand the penalty provisions attached with the under-reporting and misreporting of income.

Understanding provisions of section 270A(1)

Provisions of section 270A(1) states as under –

1. The person who has under-reported the income shall be liable to pay the penalty.

2. The direction for payment of penalty can be given only by any of the following –

a. The Assessing Officer; or

b. The Commissioner (Appeals); or

c. The Principal Commissioner; or

d. The Commissioner.

3. The direction for payment of penalty can be given only during the course of any proceedings under the Act.

Thus from the above, it can be easily concluded, that the penalty under section 270A(1) comes into picture only and only if there is under-reported income. Thus, it is important the understand the term ‘under-reported income’, which is being explained in the below paras.

Understanding the term under-reported income

The under-reported income shall be –

1. When an income tax return is furnished –

a. Income assessed is more than the income determined in return processed under section 143(1)(a).

b.  The amount of deemed total income assessed/ reassessed as per section 115JB (MAT) or section 115JC (AMT) is more than the deemed total income determined in return processed under section 143(1)(a).

2. When an income tax return is not furnished –

a. Income assessed is more than the maximum amount not chargeable to tax.

b. The amount of deemed total income assessed / reassessed, as per section 115JB (MAT) or section 115JC (AMT), is more than the maximum amount not chargeable to tax.

3. Re-assessment –

a. Income reassessed is more than the income assessed/ reassessed immediately before such reassessment.

b. The amount of deemed total income assessed/ reassessed as per section 115JB (MAT) or section 115JC (AMT) is more than the deemed total income assessed/ reassessed immediately before such reassessment.

c. The income assessed/ reassessed has the effect of reducing loss or converting the loss into the income.

What Under-reported income shall not include

1. The amount of income for which satisfactory explanation has been given by the assessee.

2. The amount of undisclosed income as referred in section 271AAB.

3. The amount of under-reported income arrived on the basis of the estimate –

If the accounts are complete and correct to the satisfaction of the concerned officer, however, the method employed is such that income cannot properly be deducted therefrom.

4. The amount of under-reported income representing addition due to the arm’s length price determined by the Transfer Pricing Officer, wherein, –

• The assessee had duly maintained information and documents as required under section 92D,
• The assessee had declared the international transaction under Chapter X, and
• The assessee had disclosed all the material facts relating to the transaction.

5. The amount of under-reported income calculated on the basis of an estimate, wherein, the assessee has himself estimated a lower amount of addition / disallowance on the same issue. The assessee has included such amount in the computation of the income and has also disclosed all the material facts to the addition / disallowance.

Understanding the term misreporting of income

The penalty amount under section 270A increases in case the under-reported income is in consequence of any misreporting. The cases of such misreporting income shall be following –

• Misrepresentation / suppression of facts.
• Claim of expenses not supported by any proofs.
• Failure to record investments in the books of accounts.
• Failure to record receipt, affecting the total income, in the books of accounts.
• Failure to record an international transaction / transaction deemed to be an international transaction / specified domestic transaction to which provisions of Chapter X apply.
• Recording of false entry in the books of accounts.

Amount of penalty payable under section 270A

The penalty payable under section 270A is tabulated hereunder –

Particulars	Amount of penalty payable
Where under-reported income is in consequence of any misreporting	200% of the amount of tax payable on under-reported income.
In any other case of under-reported income	50% of the amount of tax payable on under-reported income.

Read Also:-

S. No.	Title
1	Section 272BB Penalty for failure to comply section 203A provisions
2	Section 272B Penalty for failure to comply with provisions of PAN
3	Section 272AA Penalty for failure in complying with provisions of section 133B
4	Section 272A Penalty for failure to answer questions or furnish information / returns/ statements or allow inspections etc
5	Section 271J Penalty on professionals for furnishing incorrect information in reports / certificates
6	Section 271I Penalty for failure in furnishing Form 15CA & Form 15CB
7	Section 271H Penalty for late filing/non-filing of TDS or TCS return
8	Penalty for failure in furnishing report or furnishing inaccurate report under section 286 – Section 271GB
9	Section 271GA Penalty for failure in furnishing the information / document in Form 49D as required under section 285A
10	Section 271G Penalty for failure to furnish information / document as per provisions of section 92D
11	Section 271FB Penalty for default in furnishing return of fringe benefits
12	Section 271FAB Penalty for failure to furnish statement / information / document by an eligible investment fund
13	Penalty for providing inaccurate statement of financial transaction or reportable account- Section 271FAA
14	Section 271FA Penalty for failure in furnishing statement of financial transactions or reportable account
15	Section 271E Penalty for contravening provisions of section 269T
16	Section 271DB | Penalty for contravening provisions of section 269SU
17	Section 271DA Penalty for contravening provisions of section 269ST
18	Section 271CA Penalty for failure to collect tax at source (TCS)
19	Section 271D Penalty for contravening provisions of section 269SS
20	Section 271C Penalty for failure / non-deduction / non-payment of TDS
21	TDS Rate Chart for AY 2020-21 and AY 2021-22
22	Section 271BA Penalty for failure to furnish section 92E report
23	Section 271B Penalty for failure to get accounts audited
24	Section 271AAC Penalty in respect of certain specified income
25	Section 271AA Penalty for failure to maintain Transfer Pricing documents
26	Section 271A Penalty for failure to keep / maintain or retain books of accounts, documents
27	Section 270A(1) Penalty for under-reporting & misreporting of income
28	Section 269SU Acceptance of payment through electronic modes
29	Section 234F Late fees for default in filing of income tax return
30	Section 234E Late Fee for default in filing of TDS / TCS returns
31	Section 158BFA(2) – Penalty on undisclosed income for block period
32	Section 140A(3) Penalty for non-payment of self-assessment tax