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Benefit of carry forward and set off of losses

Section 79 of Act provides that carry forward and set off of losses in a closely held company shall be allowed only if there is a continuity in the beneficial owner of the shares carrying not less than 51 percent. of the voting power, on the last day of the year or years in which the loss was incurred.

In general, the case of a company seeking insolvency resolution under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, involves change in the beneficial owners of shares beyond the permissible limit under section 79. This acts as a hurdle for restructuring and rehabilitation of such companies.

In order to address this problem, it is proposed to relax the rigors of section 79 in case of such companies, whose resolution plan has been approved under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, after affording a reasonable opportunity of being heard to the jurisdictional Principal Commissioner or Commissioner.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2018 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to assessment year 2018-19 and subsequent assessment years.

It is also proposed to amend section 140 of the Act so as to provide that during the resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, the return shall be verified by an insolvency professional appointed by the Adjudicating Authority under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2018 and will, accordingly apply to return filed on or after the said date.

Extract of Clause 22 & 43 of Finance Bill 2018

Clause 22 of the Bill seeks to amend section 79 [as substitued by section 32 of the Finance Act, 2017] of the Income-tax Act relating to carry forward and set off of losses in case of certain companies.

The said section, inter alia, provides that where a change in shareholding has taken place in a previous year in the case of a company, not being a company in which the public are substantially interested, no loss incurred in any year prior to the previous year shall be carried forward and set off against the income of the previous year unless on the last day of the previous year the shares of the company carrying not less than fifty-one per cent. of the voting power were beneficially held by persons who beneficially held shares of the company carrying not less than fifty-one per cent. of the voting power on the last day of the year or years in which the loss was incurred.

It is proposed to amend the aforesaid section to provide that nothing contained in the said section shall apply to a company where a change in the shareholding takes place in a previous year pursuant to approved resolution plan under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, after affording a reasonable opportunity of being heard to the jurisdictional Principal Commissioner or Commissioner.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2018 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2018-2019 and subsequent years.

Clause 43 of the Bill seeks to amend section 140 of the Income-tax Act relating to return by whom to be verified.

It is proposed to amend the said section so as to provide that where in respect of a company an application has been admitted by the Adjudicating Authority under section 7 or section 9 or section 10 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, the return shall be verified by the insolvency professional appointed by such Adjudicating Authority.

It is further proposed to define the expressions “insolvency professional” and “Adjudicating Authority” in the said section.

These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2018.

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