The Prime Minister has approved the constitution of an Expert Committee on GAAR to undertake stakeholder consultations and finalise the guidelines for GAAR. This committee would manage the consultation process and finalise the draft GAAR Guidelines. 2. While postponing GAAR by one year to 2013 was a very welcome move, a widespread consultative process is necessary to generate a discussion on GAAR provisions so that there is an informed debate on how GAAR is going to operate. Some steps have been taken in this direction:
All deductors other than Government deductors must file their quarterly TDS statement for the quarter ending 30th June 2012, on or before 15th July 2012 and Government deductors must file their statement on or before 30th July 2012. While submitting their statements, the deductors have to choose correct and relevant form, quote correct PAN against all entries and ensure that correct CIN/BIN is quoted in the TDS statement. Non-quoting of PAN or TAN in TDS statements or delay in filing of TDS statements may lead to levy of penalty.
Gross Direct Tax collections during April-June of the Financial Year 2012-13 was up by 6.77 percent at Rs. 1,11,182 crore as against Rs. 1,04,135 crore in the same period during the last year. Gross collection of Corporate Taxes showed an increase of 3.48 percent and stood at Rs. 70,594 crore as against Rs. 68,223 crore in the same period during last year.
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued a notification S.O. 626(E) dated 28th March 2012 vide which e-Filing has been made compulsory for Assessment Year 2012-13 onwards for – an individual or a Hindu undivided family, if his or its total income, or the total income in respect of which he is or it is assessable under the Act during the previous year, exceeds ten lakh rupees; and
In order to enhance the quality of financial reporting done by listed entities, it has been decided to put in place, a mechanism to process qualified annual audit reports filed by the listed entities with stock exchanges and Annual Audit Reports where accounting irregularities have been pointed out by Financial Reporting Review Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI-FRRB). It has been, inter-alia, decided that:
PRESS RELEASE As a taxpayer friendly initiative, the Department has decided to set up Tax Kiosks at various places within CCIT regions. The Tax Kiosk would be a temporary structure set up for 1-2 days in a residential area such as apartment blocks in association with RWAs, large offices and other central locations of the cities.
SEBI, is in the process of formulating the following:- a. Minimum listing standards:- SEBI shall separately prescribe minimum listing standards for listing of companies on stock exchanges. However, the stock exchanges can prescribe more stringent norms, if they so desire.
AIFs Regulations endeavour to extend the perimeter of regulation to unregulated funds with a view to systemic stability, increasing market efficiency, encouraging formation of new capital and consumer protection. Salient features of the AIF Regulations, inter alia, include the following:
A draft circular containing details of proposed amendments to harmonize the ER-1, ER-3 and ST-3 returns so that a single common return can be prescribed instead of these three returns as measure of simplification of the Business Processes in respect of filing the Return by assesses. The draft is being placed in public domain for widest possible circulation and an extensive debate from all stakeholders in trade and industry as also from all the field formations of the department.
It is proposed to prescribe a common application format (as per Annexure 1) for seeking registration under Central Excise as well as Service Tax. It is also proposed to revisit the process of registration under both Central Excise and Service Tax to amend procedures prescribed in respect of registration. The changes proposed in respect of Registration processes are as follows:
