Increase in time period for acquisition/ construction of house property for Interest Claim

Increase in time period for acquisition or construction of self-occupied house property for claiming deduction of interest

The existing provision of Clause (b) of section 24 provides that interest payable on capital borrowed for acquisition or construction of a house property shall be deducted while computing income from house property. The second proviso to the said clause provides that a deduction of an amount of two lakh rupees shall be allowed where a house property referred to in sub-section (2) of section 23 (self-occupied house property) has been acquired or constructed with capital borrowed on or after the 1^stday of April, 1999 and such acquisition or construction is completed within three years from the end of the financial year in which capital was borrowed.

In view of the fact that housing projects often take longer time for completion, it is proposed that second proviso of clause (b) of section 24 be amended to provide that the deduction under the said proviso on account of interest paid on capital borrowed for acquisition or construction of a self-occupied house property shall be available if the acquisition or construction is completed within five years from the end of the financial year in which capital was borrowed.

This amendment will take effect from 1st day of April, 2017 and will, accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-2018 and subsequent years.

Clause 10 of Finance BIll 2016

Clause 10 of the Bill seeks to amend section 24 of the Income-tax Act relating to deductions from income from house property.

Clause (b) of the aforesaid section provides that interest payable on capital borrowed for acquisition or construction of a house property shall be deducted while computing income from house property. The second proviso to the said clause provides that a deduction of an amount of two lakh rupees shall be allowed where a house property referred to in sub-section (2) of section 23 (self-occupied house property) has been acquired or constructed with capital borrowed on or after the 1st day of April, 1999 and such acquisition or construction is completed within three years from the end of the financial year in which capital was borrowed.

It is proposed to amend the second proviso to clause (b) of the said section so as to provide that the deduction of an amount of two lakh rupees under the said proviso shall be allowed if the acquisition or construction is completed within five years from the end of the financial year in which the capital was borrowed.

This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and will, accordingly apply in relation to assessment year 2017-2018 and subsequent years.

Amendment of section 24.

In section 24 of the Income-tax Act, in clause (b), in the second proviso, for the words “three years”, the words “five years” shall be substituted with effect from the 1st day of April, 2017.