Amend Section 10(13) to exempt commuted value received by an employee from superannuation corpus: ICAI

Issue/Justification

Section 10(10AA) provides for exemption for payment received as cash equivalent of leave salary in respect of earned leave period at the time of retirement whether superannuation or otherwise.

Section 10(13) provides for exemption with regard to payment from an approved superannuation fund. Section 10(13)(ii) of the Act provides for exemption in the hands of the employee in respect of the amount received on commutation of the annuity in case of retirement at or after a specified age or becoming incapacitated prior to such retirement. This provision however, does not cover commutation of an annuity paid on voluntary retirement of the employee.

Section 10(10AA), as mentioned above, has taken care of such case by using the terminology “or otherwise”. Since the intention of the law makers is clear by the wordings of section 10(10AA), section 10(13)(ii) may be appropriately amended to include the words “or otherwise”. This will provide relief to genuine taxpayers who are taking voluntary retirement.

Suggestion

Section 10(13) may be amended to exempt commuted value received by an employee from the superannuation corpus standing to his credit at the time of voluntary retirement, by including the words “or otherwise” in line with section 10(10AA) of the Income tax Act, 1961.

(SUGGESTIONS FOR RATIONALIZATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF DIRECT TAX LAWS)

Source-  ICAI Pre-Budget Memorandum–2018 (Direct Taxes and International Tax)