Accounting regulator, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has decided to allow officials of the Indian Audits and Accounts Service (IA&AS)—the stream of civil servants who audit state-run companies—acquire the chartered accountancy (CA) qualification in less than the usual time. Officers of IA&AS, a central government service under the government’s statutory auditor the Comptroller and Auditor General of India , will now be able to become qualified CAs by undergoing only two years of training rather than the mandatory three year training called articleship.
The Supreme Court has stayed the Karnataka High Court ruling that asked technology firms to deduct tax on all payments made to non-residents on software purchases.A Bench headed by Justice S H Kapdia stayed the Karnataka High Court judgement on a couple of petitions by GE India Technology Centre Pvt Ltd and Engineering Analysis Centre of Excellance Pvt Ltd (EACEPL) seeking to set aside the high court judgement that held them legally bound to withhold tax on all cross-border payments.
A little-known circular issued by the Bombay high court promises to bring respite to senior citizens, who have been caught in the web of litigations. The HC has decided that preference should be given to cases where either of the parties involved in the court matter has attained the age of 60 years and above.
Draft Bank Branch Auditors’ Panel 2009-10. MEF00001 to MEF10000, MEF10001 to MEF20000, MEF20001 to MEF30000, MEF30001 to MEF40000 http://www.meficai. org/mef_draft_ panel.jsp? list=list4
Income of foreign companies providing technical services and data to oil exploration and production companies in India will be taxed at a concessional rate, the Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) on income tax has said in a recent decision. The ruling will be a big help to oil prospecting companies in India as they step up exploration activities, allowing them to avail of technical services and data more easily.
19 PwC tax partners have resigned following the resignation of the PwC tax head Dinesh Kanabar on Saturday December 26. Among the people who quit today are H Kotak, G Mistry and R Dhume – all of whom have joined KPMG. All the resigning partners were originally from RSM.
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 Supreme Court would decide whether foreign airlines are liable to deduct tax at source (TDS) on commissions paid to travel agents for rendering ticketing services. The issue for consideration before the apex court is if airlines would have to deduct TDS on the difference between the full value of tickets and the concessional tickets issued to their travel agents.
Air travel agents will have to forego a part of the commission they receive from airlines on tickets sold by them, as the tax department has decided that such payments will be subject to tax deduction at source, or TDS. This could increase cost of air travel, as agents will pass on this burden to the flyer. The Central Board of Direct Taxes, the apex direct tax body, has directed its field officers to deduct tax at source on payment of commission to travel agents, a tax department official told.
The date for rolling out the Goods and Services Tax could be announced on January 8, the Chairman of the Empowered Committee on State Finance Ministers, Asim Dasgupta, said today. “There will be a joint statement after a meeting with Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on January 8 on GST rollout,” Dasgupta told reporters on the sidelines of the 23rd industrial trade fair, organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry here.
