Litigation has been a major area of concern in direct taxes. In order to reduce the huge backlog of cases and to enable the Government to realise its dues expeditiously, it is proposed to bring the Direct Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme, 2016 in relation to tax arrear and specified tax. The salient features of the proposed scheme are as under
With a view to providing an impetus to start-ups and facilitate their growth in the initial phase of their business, it is proposed to provide a deduction of one hundred percent of the profits and gains derived by an eligible start-up from a business involving innovation development, deployment or commercialization of new products, processes or services driven by technology or intellectual property.
In order to encourage indigenous research & development activities and to make India a global R & D hub, the Government has decided to put in place a concessional taxation regime for income from patents. The aim of the concessional taxation regime is to provide an additional incentive for companies to retain and commercialise existing patents
With a view to incentivise the growth of International Financial Services Centres into a world class financial services hub, it is proposed to amend the section 10 so as to provide for exemption from tax on capital gains to the income arising from transaction undertaken in foreign currency on a recognised stock exchange located in an International Financial Services Centre even when securities transaction tax is not paid in respect of such transactions.
Under the existing provisions contained in sub-section (1) of the 11 5JB in case of a company, if the tax payable on the total income as computed under the Income-tax Act, is less than eighteen and one-half per cent of its book profit, such book profit shall be deemed to be the total income of the assessee and the tax payable by the assessee for the relevant previous year shall be eighteen and one-half
The existing provisions of Section 5 of the Act provides for the scope of total income. In case of non-resident person, the taxation of income in India happens only if the income accrues or arises in India or is deemed to accrue or arise in India or is received in India. Section 9 of the Act provides circumstances under which income is deemed to accrue or arise in India.
The Finance Minister in his Budget Speech, 2015 has indicated that the rate of corporate tax will be reduced from 30% to 25% over the next four years along with corresponding phasing out of exemptions and deductions. The Government proposed to implement this decision in a phased manner.
Under the existing provisions of section 32(1 )(iia) of the Act, additional depreciation of 20% is allowed in respect of the cost of new plant or machinery acquired and installed by certain assessees engaged in the business of generation and distribution of power . This depreciation allowance is over and above the deduction allowed for general depreciation under section 32(1 )(ii) of the Act.
AO has not made any enquiry with respect to the claim of deduction of the assessee company with respect to provisions for warranty charges, excise duty, sales tax and liquidity damages amounting to Rs.17.72 crores.
It is a fact that the movement of prices of commodities cannot be predicted by anyone with accuracy and hence it is inconceivable or unlikely that the assessee could have made profits consistently, even if it is assumed for a moment that the assessee had actually carried out the transactions for its own benefit.