The US watchdog has charged Ernst & Young and six of its current and former partners for their roles at a fitness business, for failing to know about its fraudulent financial accounting and disclosures. E&Y in the US issued unqualified audit opinions stating that Bally’s 2001 to 2003 financial statements confirmed with GAAP, and its audit conformed with accepted auditing standards.
The services/activities provided by the American Institute to DRDO pursuant to the agreement entered into between FICCI and the American Institute do not fall within the purview of Article 12(4)(b) of the Indo-US DTAA and the payments received by the Institute under the agreement are not liable to be taxed as fees for technical services under the domestic law; consequently, FICCI is not required to deduct tax under section 195 for payments made by it to the American Institute.
This article summarizes ruling of the Delhi Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in the case of DCIT v Dolphin Drilling Pte. Ltd. (Taxpayer) [2009-TIOL-754- 1TAT-DEL]. The ITAT held that the conversion of business income earned in foreign currency into INR, in accordance with Rule 115 (Rule) of the Indian Tax Law (ITL), is to be made by adopting the conversion rate prevailing at the end of the tax year. It also held that the Taxpayer, a company incorporated in Singapore and engaged in the business of hiring out drill-ship in India, is entitled to claim depreciation on the value of the drill-ship.
This article summarizes a recent ruling of the Delhi Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in the case of M/s ONGC Videsh Ltd. (Taxpayer) [2009-TIOL-758-ITAT-DEL] on the issue of allowability of depreciation on participatory right to carry out the hydrocarbon operations, acquired by the Taxpayer, pursuant to a Production Sharing Arrangement (PSA). The ITAT held that the participatory right acquired by the Taxpayer was in the nature of asset, in the form of ‘license’ i.e. license to have an access and to carry out exploration, development and production of hydrocarbon operations. Considering this, it was held that the participatory right is eligible for depreciation under the provisions of the Indian Tax Law (ITL).
The ITAT held that for the computation of MAT, profits disclosed as per the audited accounts should be adopted, provided the accounts are prepared in the prescribed format. If the accounts are not so prepared, the Tax Authority may substitute the amount declared as per the Profit and Loss Account (P&L) with the appropriate amount, regardless of the fact that the accounts are certified as complying with the prescribed format by auditors.
India may move to a dual Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime next year, but the Cenvat (excise duty) related exemptions, especially area-based ones, will not be withdrawn at one go for ushering in the new tax system. The Finance Ministry is not in favour of doing away with all the Central excise exemptions, numbering about 330, as part of the switchover to the GST regime.
Everyone who works on a computer must be familiar with the term “Cyber Crime”. Initially, when man invented computer and then the technology for communicating between computers was evolved, he would have never thought that the cyber space he is creating could be flooded with any crime i.e. cyber crime. But now almost all of us might have heard the term computer crime, cyber crime, e-crime, hi-tech crime or electronic crime which is nothing but an activity done with a criminal intent in cyber space.
Employee stock options (ESOPs) is a significant employer-granted benefit that too is subject to the above FBT /perquisite-based taxation system. In fact, it almost seems as if the authorities cannot quite make up their minds as to how they wish to tax shares given to employees by their employers on a concessional basis. Having been subject to various changes in their valuation norms, the following is the latest position:
It’s not going to be easy for small and unlisted companies to issue employees stock options schemes (ESOPs) as per the latest Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) rules for valuation of perquisites. The valuation rules for calculating the fair market value of shares allotted to employees is substantially the same as compared to the fringe benefit tax (FBT) regime. “Employers once again have to obtain a valuation from a Category 1 merchant banker to determine the fair market value of the shares for unlisted companies.
Way back on September 25, 2000, Rule 3 governing perquisites (perks) was amended by Notification SO 940(E). The major change brought in was taxing on a ‘cost to employer’ basis, thereby giving perks the colour and character of salary. This in turn resulted in many employers increasing the salary of the employee instead of granting perks, thereby avoiding the requirement to maintain cumbersome records.
