New regime for taxation of long-term capital gains on sale of equity shares etc.
Under the existing regime, long term capital gains arising from transfer of long term capital assets, being equity shares of a company or an unit of equity oriented fund or an unit of business trusts , is exempt from income-tax under clause (38) of section 10 of the Act. However, transactions in such long term capital assets carried out on a recognized stock exchange are liable to securities transaction tax (STT). Consequently, this regime is inherently biased against manufacturing and has encouraged diversion of investment in financial assets. It has also led to significant erosion in the tax base resulting in revenue loss. The problem has been further compounded by abusive use of tax arbitrage opportunities created by these exemptions.
In order to minimize economic distortions and curb erosion of tax base, it is proposed to withdraw the exemption under clause (38) of section 10 and to introduce a new section 112A in the Act to provide that long term capital gains arising from transfer of a long term capital asset being an equity share in a company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust shall be taxed at 10 per cent. of such capital gains exceeding one lakh rupees .
This concessional rate of 10 per cent. will be applicable to such long term capital gains, if—
(i) in a case where long term capital asset is in the nature of an equity share in a company , securities transaction tax has been paid on both acquisition and transfer of such capital asset; and
(ii) in a case where long term capital asset is in the nature of a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust, securities transaction tax has been paid on transfer of such capital asset.
Further, sub-section (4) of the new section 112A empowers the Central Government to specify by notification the nature of acquisitions in respect of which the requirement of payment of securities transaction tax shall not apply in the case of equity share in a company. Similarly, the requirement of payment of STT at the time of transfer of long term capital asset, being a unit of equity oriented fund or a unit of business trust, shall not apply if the transfer is undertaken on recognized stock exchange located in any International Financial Services Centre( IFSC) and the consideration of such transfer is received or receivable in foreign currency.
Further, the new provision of section 112A also proposes to provide the following:—
i) The long term capital gains will be computed without giving effect to the first and second provisos to section 48, i.e. inflation indexation in respect of cost of acquisitions and cost of improvement, if any, and the benefit of computation of capital gains in foreign currency in the case of a non-resident, will not be allowed.
ii) The cost of acquisitions in respect of the long term capital asset acquired by the assessee before the 1st day of February, 2018 , shall be deemed to be the higher of –
a) the actual cost of acquisition of such asset; and
b) the lower of –
(I) the fair market value of such asset; and
(II) the full value of consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer of the capital asset.
iii) “equity oriented fund” has been defined to mean a fund set up under a scheme of a mutual fund specified under clause (23D) of section 10 and,—
a) In a case where the fund invests in the units of another fund which is traded on a recognized stock exchange,-
(I) A minimum of 90 per cent. of the total proceeds of such funds is invested in the units of such other fund ; and
(II) such other fund also invests a minimum of 90 per cent. of its total proceeds in the equity shares of domestic companies listed on recognized stock exchange; and
b) in any other case, a minimum of 65 per cent. of the total proceeds of such fund is invested in the equity shares of domestic companies listed on recognized stock exchange.
iv) Fair market value has been defined to mean –
a) in a case where the capital asset is listed on any recognized stock exchange, the highest price of the capital asset quoted on such exchange on the 31st day of January, 2018. However, where there is no trading in such asset on such exchange on the 31st day of January, 2018 , the highest price of such asset on such exchange on a date immediately preceding the 31st day of January, 2018 when such asset was traded on such exchange shall be the fair market value; and
b) in a case where the capital asset is a unit and is not listed on recognized stock exchange, the net asset value of such asset as on the the 31st day of January, 2018.
v) The benefit of deduction under chapter VIA shall be allowed from the gross total income as reduced by such capital gains. Similarly, the rebate under section 87A shall be allowed from the income tax on the total income as reduced by tax payable on such capital gains.
These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2019 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2019-20 and subsequent assessment years.
Extract of Clause 5 and 31 of Finance Bill 2018
Clause 5 of the Bill seeks to amend section 10 of the Income-tax Act relating to incomes not included in total income.
Clause (38) of section 10, inter alia, provides for exemption from tax on the income arising from the transfer of a long-term capital asset, being an equity share in a company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust subject to certain conditions specified in the said clause.
It is proposed to amend the said clause so as to provide that the provisions of said clause shall not apply to any income arising from the transfer of long-term capital asset, being an equity share in a company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust, made on or after the 1st day of April, 2018.
These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2019 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2019-2020 and subsequent years.
Clause 31 of the Bill seeks to insert a new section 112A of the Income-tax Act relating to tax on long-term capital gains in certain cases.
The proposed new section 11 2A provides that where the total income of an assessee, includes any income chargeable under the head “Capital gains”, arising from the transfer of a long-term capital asset, being an equity share in a company or a unit of an equity oriented fund or a unit of a business trust, subject to the conditions specified under the section, the tax payable by the assessee on the capital gains exceeding one lakh rupees shall be calculated at the rate of ten per cent.
It is further proposed to provide that in the case of an individual or a Hindu undivided family, being a resident, where the total income as reduced by such long-term capital gains is below the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax, then, such long-term capital gains shall be reduced by the amount by which the total income as so reduced falls short of the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax.
It is also proposed to provide that capital gains arising from a transaction undertaken on a recognised stock exchange located in any International Financial Services Centre and where the consideration for such transaction is received or receivable in foreign currency, shall be eligible under this section without payment of securities transaction tax.
For more details, Click at capital gains tax on shares.
It is also proposed to provide that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any income arising from the transfer of a longterm capital asset, being an equity share in a company, if the transaction of acquisition, other than the acquisition notified by the Central Government in this behalf, of such equity share is entered into on or after the 1st day of October, 2004 and such transaction is not chargeable to securities transaction tax under Chapter VII of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2004.
It is also proposed to provide that capital gains under the said section shall be computed without giving effect to the first and second proviso to section 48.
It is also proposed to provide that the cost of acquisition for the purposes of computing capital gains under the section in respect of capital asset acquired by the assessee before the 1st day of February, 2018, shall be as provided in the said section.
It is also proposed to provide that where the gross total income of an assessee includes any long-term capital gains, deduction under Chapter VI-A shall be allowed from the gross total income as reduced by such capital gains.
It is also proposed to provide that where the total income of an assessee includes any long-term capital gains referred to in the said section, the rebate under section 87A shall be allowed from the income-tax on the total income as reduced by tax payable on such capital gains.
It is also proposed to define the expressions “equity oriented fund”, “fair market value”, “International Financial Services Centre”and”recognised stock exchange”.
This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2019 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 201 9-2020 and subsequent years.
[Clause 5 & 31]
