Financial institutions are in the process of carrying out the due diligence of financial accounts and obtaining self-certification from the account holders. Representatives of FIs have informed that there are large number of financial accounts and it is practically very difficult to physically obtain the self certification from the account holders. It has been requested to provide alternative channels to obtain self-certification.
From F.Y.2016-17 onwards, this exercise would be undertaken every year to identify defaulters as on 31st March in cases where undisputed outstanding demand /tax exceeds Rs. 1 crore in all category of cases specified in para 3 for publication of names by 31st July
It has now been decided to cover two more cities, namely Hyderabad and Kolkata, for implementing e-mail based communication scheme for paperless assessment proceedings. It shall now be open for all the taxpayers assessed in those seven cities, whose cases have been selected under scrutiny, to opt for being scrutinized under the e-mail based paperless assessment proceedings by giving their consent.
The Board vide Instruction dated 29.2.2016 (copy available on CBEC Website) has prescribed the procedure for selection of Special Public Prosecutors (SPPs) for handling CBEC cases before the Subordinate Courts/Courts of Session and High Court. Para ‘2’ of the said Instruction dated 29.02.2016, inter alia, provides times lines for processing and forwarding the proposal to Board.
It has been brought to the notice of the Board by Registrar, Central Information Commission, New Delhi that in certain cases orders passed by the CIC are not being complied with by the Income Tax Department. Reference has been made to some orders passed by CIC in this regard.
The Hon’ble Tribunal in the aforesaid decision dated 28.04.2016 has held that the MACP benefit would be given in the hierarchy of next higher Grade Pay and not in Grade Pay of promotional hierarchy which will be payable on actual promotion.
It is frequently seen that requests for Exchange of Information in Form A (of the Manual of Exchange of Information issued by C.B.D.T. in May, 2015) addressed to Foreign Tax Authorities have been received from field formations without proper explanation in SI. No. 8 of Part II of Form A as to why it is necessary to refrain from notifying the taxpayer.
Pr. CCsIT/CCIT (Exemptions)/CCIT (Intl. Tax)/Pr. DGsIT/DGIT(Inv.) wise details of number of limited scrutiny cases converted into complete scrutiny, along with the actual assessed income in these cases (may be given in board tax bracket wise, for example Rs. 5-10 Lakh/Rs. 10-15 Lakh and so on.
Over the past few years, India has sent several EOI requests to BVI under the India-BVI Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA). A lot of requests are likely to be made to the BVI in near future in view of the investigations being carried out in the Panama Papers.
It is clarified that if the Government servant has to compulsorily avail the catering facility and the cost is included in the rail fare for Rajdhani/Shatabdi/Duronto trains, the fare charged shall be reimbursable in full as per the entitlement/eligibility of the Government servant.
