Whether the Tribunal was correct in holding that the assessee is not liable to deduct TDS in respect of payments made for purchase of software as the same cannot be treated as income liable to tax in India as Royalty or Scientific Work under section 9 of the Act read with Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements and treaties. Not correct, in the negative, against the assessee and in favour of the revenue
The assessee made payments to a foreign company for purchase of ‘shrink-wrapped’/ready-made software without deduction of tax at source u/s 195 (1). The AO held that the payments were chargeable to tax in the hands of the foreign company as “royalty” u/s 9 (1) (vi) and that the assessee was liable u/s 201 for non-deduction of tax and interest thereon.
The fact involved in the present case is that the assessee is a branch of Samsung Electronics Co Company Limited, Korea, engaged in the development, manufacture and export of software for use by its parent company, i.e., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Korea. The assessee develops various kinds of software for telecommunication system for office appliances, for computer systems and for mobile devices etc.,. The software developed by the assessee is for in-house use by the parent company.
This article summarizes a recent ruling of the Karnataka High Court (HC) [ITA No. 2808 of 2005] in the case of Samsung Electronics and others (Taxpayers). The HC held that any payment resulting in any income in the hands of a non-resident would be subject to withholding tax under the Indian Tax Law (ITL). Unless an order is obtained from the Tax Authority for withholding tax at a lower rate or for not withholding tax, a taxpayer would need to withhold tax on the income at the applicable withholding tax rates, even if the income may not be taxable in the hands of the non-resident.
The assessee entered into a contract with Raytheon – Ebasco, a foreign company, and two of its’ foreign subsidiaries, for commissioning of a power plant. The assessee made payments to Raytheon for rendering technical services, providing ‘start-up’ services and taking ‘overall responsibility’ for the Project. The two foreign subsidiaries of Raytheon carried on onshore services
Having regard to the agreement entered into inter se between the hospital and the TPA for payment of money to the hospital, it cannot be said that the TPA, who is the authority or the person to pay the amount to the hospital, is not required to deduct the tax at source and section 194J is not attracted.
Refund on appeal, etc. – Where, as a result of any order passed in appeal or other proceeding under this Act, refund of any amount becomes due to the assessee, the Assessing Officer shall, except as otherwise provided in this Act, refund the amount to the assessee, without his having to make any claim in that behalf:
Keeping in view that the Income-tax Act, 1961 was amended by the Finance Act, 2005 permitting an individual to deposit to the maximum of Rs. 1,00,000/- in any of the specified schemes, the concerned authorities should take steps to amend clause 3 of the PPF Scheme in terms of section 80C of the Income-tax Act.
The grievance of the revenue is that proviso appended to section 43B of the Act permitting allowing of deduction of PF, ESI etc., subsequent to the close of the accounting period but before the return is filed, should not have been followed but disallowance must be upheld. It has not been disputed before us that the proviso has been inserted by the Finance Act, 1987 effective from 1.4.1988. In view of this, the appeals preferred by the revenue have been dismissed.
No doubt, section 192 of the Income-tax Act requires the employer to deduct the income-tax from the salary and the salary is defined under section 17 of the Income-tax Act, which includes wages, any annuity or pension, any gratuity, any fees, commissions, perquisites or profits in lieu of or in addition to any salary or wages, any advance of salary and other payments
