Any gain or loss arising from transfer of Capital Asset shall be considered as a Capital Gain or Loss as the case may be. Section 45(1) of the Income Tax, 1961, is charging section and provides that-
‘Any profits or gains arising from the transfer of a capital asset effected in the previous year shall, save as otherwise provided in sections 54, 54B, 54D, 54E, 54EB, 54F, 54G and 54H, be chargeable to income tax under the head ‘Capital Gain’ and shall be deemed to be the income of the previous year in which the transfer took place.’
Agriculture Land in India
As per Income Tax Act, there are two types of Agriculture Land in India that is ‘Rural Agriculture Land’ and ‘Urban Agriculture Land’. Therefore, it is very important to understand the meaning of ‘Rural Agriculture Land’ and ‘Urban Agriculture Land’.
Agricultural Land in Rural Area in India is not considered a capital asset. Therefore, any gains from its sale are not taxable under the head Capital Gains. As per Section 2(14) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 Capital Assets does not include-
“agricultural land in India, not being land situate-
(a) In an area which is comprised within the jurisdiction of a municipality (whether known as a municipality, municipal corporation, notified area committee, town area committee, town committee, or by any other name) or a cantonment board and which has a population of not less than then thousand; or
(b) In any area within the distance, measured aerially-
(i) Not being more than two kilometres, from the local limits of any municipality or cantonment board referred to in item (a) and which has a population of more than ten thousand but not exceeding one lakh; or
(ii) Not being more than six kilometres, from the local limits of any municipality or cantonment board referred to in item (a) and which has a population of more than one lakh but not exceeding ten lakh; or
(iii) Not being more than eight kilometres, from the local limits of any municipality or cantonment board refereed to in item (a) and which has a population of more than ten lakh.
Explanation- For the purposes of this sub-clause, “population” means the population according to the last preceding census of which the relevant figures have been published before the first day of the previous year.”
Rural Agricultural land.
It means an agricultural land in India –
(a) If situated in any area which is comprised within the jurisdiction of a municipality and its population is less than 10,000, or
(b) If situated outside the limits of municipality, then situated at a distance measured-
(i) more than 2 kms, from local limits of municipality and which has a population of more than 10,000 but not exceeding 1,00,000; or
(ii) more than 6 kms, from local limits of municipality and which has a population of more than 1,00,000 but not exceeding 10,00,000; or
(iii) more than 8 kms, from local limits of municipality and which has a population of more than 10,00,000.
Urban Agricultural Land.
Urban Agricultural Land is a land located in specified location i.e. not a Rural Agricultural Land and used for agricultural purposes.
Taxability of sale of Agriculture Land in India
Sale of land can result in two kinds of incomes. If the land is held as stock in trade then the sale of such lands results in business income.Whereas, if the land is held as investment then the income on the sale of the land results in Capital Gain.
Rural Agricultural Land: A Rural Agricultural Land does not qualify to be a capital asset, hence no capital gains/loss arise on sale or transfer of Rural Agricultural Land.
Urban Agricultural Land: An Urban Agricultural Land qualifies to be a capital asset, hence capital gains shall arise on sale or transfer of urban agricultural land. Nature of capital gain like long term or short term will depend upon the no. of years asset is held by the assessee. If the period of holding is more than 2 years then the capital gain arising will be termed as long-term capital gain. If the holding period is shorter than 2 years, then the gain arising is termed as short-term capital gain. Long term capital gain shall be taxable at 20% whereas short term capital gain is chargeable at slab rate.
Holding Agricultural Land as Stock-in-Trade: If you are into buying and selling land regularly or in the course of your business, i.e., if you hold agricultural land as stock in trade then in such a case, any gains from its sale are taxable under the head Business & Profession, i.e., no capital gains shall be chargeable on such agricultural land.
Exemption in case of Compulsory Acquisition of Urban Agricultural Land: Urban agricultural land is although a capital asset but any capital gain arising from the compulsory acquisition of such land shall be exempt as per Section 10(37) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, if certain conditions mentioned in that section are satisfied.
Conditions to be satisfied for claiming exemption from Capital Gains u/s 10(37)–
1. Such land should be an Urban Agricultural Land.
2. Such land, during the period of two years immediately preceding the date of transfer, was being used for agricultural purposes by HUF or individual or his parent.
3. Such transfer is by way of compulsory acquisition under any law, or a transfer the consideration for which is determined or approved by the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India.
4. Such income has arisen from the compensation or consideration for such transfer received by such assessee on or after the 1st day of April 2004.
Exemption in other case of transfer: The exemption under Section 54B of the income Tax Act, 1961, is available in respect of capital gains arising from transfer of agricultural land. This exemption is available when capital gain arising on sale of Urban Agriculture Land (as Rule Agricultural Land is not Capital Assets) & such capital gain is used for another agriculture land.
Conditions to be satisfied for claiming exemption from Capital Gainsu/s 54B–
1. The exemption is available to an Individual or a HUF.
2. The land which is being sold must have been used for agricultural purposes by the individual or his parents or by the HUF for a period of two years immediately before the date of transfer.
3. Another land for the agricultural purpose(whether Rural or Urban) should be purchased within a period of two years from the date of transfer of this land.
4. The new agricultural land which is purchased to claim capital gains exemption should not be sold within a period of three years from the date of its purchase.
5. In case assessee is not able to purchase agricultural land before the date of furnishing of Income Tax Return u/s 139 – the amount of capital gains must be deposited before the date of filing of return in any bank or institution specified according to the Capital Gains Account Scheme, 1988. The exemption can be claimed for the amount which is deposited.
6. If the amount which was deposited as per Capital Gains Account Scheme was not used for the purchase of agricultural land – it shall be treated as the capital gain of the year in which the period of two years from the date of sale of land expires.
Amount of exemption from Capital Gains u/s 54B– If cost of new Agricultural Land is equal or greater than capital gains, then entire capital gains is exempt. Moreover, if cost of new Agricultural Land is less than capital gains, capital gains to the extent of thecost of new agricultural land is exempt.
Disclaimer: Nothing contained in this document is to be construed as a legal opinion or view of either of the authors whatsoever and the content is to be used strictly for educative purposes only.
Author Bio
sir good evening.
we r joint familly. our mother purchased agriculture land in 2006-07. it is 9 km distance from dharwad land is mugad village. in 2020. my mother gifted that land to me. for familly problems i sold that land july 2023. in saled amount i gifeted 50% amout to my 2 brothers and in remaining amount i purchasing site to build house. so my question is how to file income tax.
i gifted amount is consider capital gain.
Mr A had sold their Urbana Agricultural land in 21-22; but he receives part payment in 21-22, remaining payment will be receive in 22-23 & final payment will receive in 23-24.
How to calculate capital gain and claim exemptions..
I HAVE SOLD THE AGRICULTURAL LAND LOACTED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF DHRAMSHALA H.P WHICH I INHERITD FROM MY MOTHER 25 YRS AGO.WILL THE SALE BE TAXED AND IF SO HOW MUCH?
I own 4 acres of rural agricultural land for 40 years now. I want to sell it now. The guideline value is only 10% of the market value. I have a buyer who is willing to buy it at market value. But registration guidelines in Tamil Nadu do not allow registration at values much higher than guideline value. How will the ITD view if I registered the property at guideline value but received the market value under a ‘sale agreement’?
agricultural land sold by assessee but this land is rural area which is taxable how to solution for this act
I have purchased agriculture land on 2005, now planning to sell it and planning to purchase a new home out of the sale proceedings. will it attract LTCG as 54B tells that we need to purchase only Agriculture land from the sale proceedings within 2 year of time.
I am a retried Army Officer. I have about 6 hectares of agricultural land in UP, inherited from from my father. If I sell some or all of the land, what will be my tax liability?
I hv sold land situated in rural area for Rs 60 lacs. 45000 was deducted as tds by the buyer and is shown in form 26 AS. Since no LTCG OR STCG is applicable on sale of this land how do I claim credit for Rs 45000.since it is neither available in itr1 nor in itr2. They are asking for TAN number of buyer which he doesn’t have
Agriculture land in urban area which is from 6.3 KM from municipal corporation was sold. No crop taken for more than 2 years and mentioned in the sale agreement. For the tax exemption, can we purchase residential property?
I am a pensioner from Govt. of India and pension income is Rs5.0 lakhs. Interst from FD is Rs33,000. Income from another FD- Rs55457/- is from PMC Bank Ltd.,. This amount is only reflectd in form 26AS only, I have not received the same in my SBA/c.This bank is facing closure/revival. Even if it is revived, I may get only upto Rs5.0 lakhs maximum compensation from DIGC though my FD of Rs 9.0 Lakhs is in that bank. So I may loose around Rs4.5 lakhs.
During this year FY 2020-21 I received Rs 8.0 lakhs from the sale of ancestral agriculture property in village ( Rural area)
1)Which form to be used for filing return. Is it ITR1 or ITR 2?
3) I am told that Income tax on Sale of ancestral agriculture land in Rural India is exempted. In that case should I reflect in ITR-2 ? and which column??
My father had sold his one Acer agricultural land to the another party. and that agricultural land comes under the jurisdiction of municipal area. that land was inheritance land so that land come any under capital assets & if yes so what tax will be pay on that sale amount pl replay me
Agriculture land sold to another party and that agriculture land comes under the jurisdiction of municipal area that land was inheritance land and that time it was not comes under municipal area and rate was that time 5 Lakh per Bigha and after municipal area rate of land was 70 lakh per bigha. municipal area declared in 2009 and land sold in the year 2014, whether index rate for the purpose of capital gain will consider 2001 or after declared municipal area rate was 70 lakh per bigha. i shall feel highly oblige.
My mother get agriculture land gifted from brother in 2012 after in this year it converted Industrial NA and sell to my company
can exempted in capital gain
My ancestral inherited active agri land situated 3.5 km away from municipal area has been notified for acquisition by central govt agency. Will it be capital gains & IT exempt. Or I have to pay these two taxes. Pls clarify.
My father is a pensioner of Central Govt. He has got also 5 lakh rupees by selling of rural agricultural land in F.Y. 2019-20. Is this extra income exempted income ? If yes or not, how I will show this income in ITR 2. Please specify the appropriate column under specific head. If this does not exist in dropdown list of specified cell, then what should be mentioned ? Please suggest me clearly as early as possible.
Sir,
I am retired Govt Employee having income around 9lac non taxable income from sale of agricultur land in my village.
Should I show this amount in ITR if so which ITR I have filed online
my brother purchased agricultural land in 2011, now he want to sale in december 2020 . the deference of amount is taxable or exempted. plz suggest me
Thanks for this useful info. I intend to purchase a small patch of agriculture land admeasuring 8000sqft for farming, residing & leasing out a portion to a environment friendly fly ash bricks production unit. Please let me know Income Tax implications on incomes from farming & leasing as mentioned.
Please advise section 2 (14) agriculture capital gains tax free . in ITR witch page or section I show capital gains exempt from tax
A nice ,v ery useful, enriched with effective discussion, clarification, observation but current Supreme Court view has to be cited in all highlighted issues.