Section 215

Computation and payment of advance tax by assessee.

209A. [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1988. Original section was inserted by the Finance Act, 1978, w.e.f. 1-6-1978.]

Estimate by assessee.

212. [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1988.]

Self-assessment.⁸¹

140A. (1) Where any tax is payable on the basis of any return required to be furnished under section 115WD or section 115WH or section 139 or section 142 or section 148 or section 153A or, as the case may be, section 158BC, after taking into account,—

  (i) the amount of tax, if any, already paid under any provision of this Act;

  (ii) any tax deducted or collected at source;

 (iia) any relief of tax claimed under section 89;

 (iii) any relief of tax or deduction of tax claimed under section 90 or section 91 on account of tax paid in a country outside India;

 (iv) any relief of tax claimed under section 90A on account of tax paid in any specified territory outside India referred to in that section;

  (v) any tax credit claimed to be set off in accordance with the provisions of section 115JAA or section 115JD; and

 (vi) any tax or interest payable according to the provisions of sub-section (2) of section 191,

the assessee shall be liable to pay such tax together with interest and fee payable under any provision of this Act for any delay in furnishing the return or any default or delay in payment of advance tax, before furnishing the return and the return shall be accompanied by proof of payment of such tax, interest and fee⁸².

Explanation.—Where the amount paid by the assessee under this sub-section falls short of the aggregate of the tax, interest and fee as aforesaid, the amount so paid shall first be adjusted towards the fee payable and thereafter towards the interest payable as aforesaid and the balance, if any, shall be adjusted towards the tax payable.

(1A) For the purposes of sub-section (1), interest payable,—

  (i) under section 234A shall be computed on the amount of the tax on the total income as declared in the return as reduced by the amount of,—

  (a) advance tax, if any, paid;

  (b) any tax deducted or collected at source;

(ba) any relief of tax claimed under section 89;

  (c) any relief of tax or deduction of tax claimed under section 90 or section 91 on account of tax paid in a country outside India;

  (d) any relief of tax claimed under section 90A on account of tax paid in any specified territory outside India referred to in that section; and

  (e) any tax credit claimed to be set off in accordance with the provisions of section 115JAA or section 115JD;

 (ii) under section 115WK shall be computed on the amount of tax on the value of the fringe benefits as declared in the return as reduced by the advance tax, paid, if any.

(1B) For the purposes of sub-section (1), interest payable under section 234B shall be computed on an amount equal to the assessed tax or, as the case may be, on the amount by which the advance tax paid falls short of the assessed tax.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, "assessed tax" means the tax on the total income as declared in the return as reduced by the amount of,—

  (i) tax deducted or collected at source, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XVII, on any income which is subject to such deduction or collection and which is taken into account in computing such total income;

(ia) any relief of tax claimed under section 89;

 (ii) any relief of tax or deduction of tax claimed under section 90 or section 91 on account of tax paid in a country outside India;

(iii) any relief of tax claimed under section 90A on account of tax paid in any specified territory outside India referred to in that section; and

 (iv) any tax credit claimed to be set off in accordance with the provisions of section 115JAA or section 115JD.

(2) After a regular assessment under section 115WE or section 115WF or section 143 or section 144 or an assessment under section 153A or section 158BC has been made, any amount paid under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to have been paid towards such regular assessment or assessment, as the case may be.

(3) If any assessee fails to pay the whole or any part of such tax, interest or fee in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1), he shall, without prejudice to any other consequences which he may incur, be deemed to be an assessee in default in respect of the tax, interest or fee remaining unpaid, and all the provisions of this Act shall apply accordingly.

(4) The provisions of this section as they stood immediately before their amendment by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987 (4 of 1988), shall apply to and in relation to any assessment for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1988, or any earlier assessment year and references in this section to the other provisions of this Act shall be construed as references to those provisions as for the time being in force and applicable to the relevant assessment year.

¹³[Income escaping assessment.

147. If any income chargeable to tax, in the case of an assessee, has escaped assessment for any assessment year, the Assessing Officer may, subject to the provisions of sections 148 to 153, assess or reassess such income or recompute the loss or the depreciation allowance or any other allowance or deduction for such assessment year (hereafter in this section and in sections 148 to 153 referred to as the relevant assessment year).

Explanation.—For the purposes of assessment or reassessment or recomputation under this section, the Assessing Officer may assess or reassess the income in respect of any issue, which has escaped assessment, and such issue comes to his notice subsequently in the course of the proceedings under this section, irrespective of the fact that the provisions of section 148A have not been complied with.]

Rectification of mistake.

154. (1) With a view to rectifying any mistake apparent from the record an income-tax authority referred to in section 116 may,—

 (a) amend any order passed by it under the provisions of this Act ;

 (b) amend any intimation or deemed intimation under sub-section (1) of section 143;

 (c) amend any intimation under sub-section (1) of section 200A;

 (d) amend any intimation under sub-section (1) of section 206CB.

(1A) Where any matter has been considered and decided in any proceeding by way of appeal or revision relating to an order referred to in sub-section (1), the authority passing such order may, notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, amend the order under that sub-section in relation to any matter other than the matter which has been so considered and decided.

(2) Subject to the other provisions of this section, the authority concerned—

 (a) may make an amendment under sub-section (1) of its own motion, and

 (b) shall make such amendment for rectifying any such mistake which has been brought to its notice by the assessee or by the deductor or by the collector, and where the authority concerned is ⁷¹[the Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or] the Commissioner (Appeals), by the Assessing Officer also.

(3) An amendment, which has the effect of enhancing an assessment or reducing a refund or otherwise increasing the liability of the assessee or the deductor or the collector, shall not be made under this section unless the authority concerned has given notice to the assessee or the deductor or the collector of its intention so to do and has allowed the assessee or the deductor or the collector a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

(4) Where an amendment is made under this section, an order shall be passed in writing by the income-tax authority concerned.

(5) Where any such amendment has the effect of reducing the assessment or otherwise reducing the liability of the assessee or the deductor or the collector, the Assessing Officer shall make any refund which may be due to such assessee or the deductor or the collector.

(6) Where any such amendment has the effect of enhancing the assessment or reducing a refund already made or otherwise increasing the liability of the assessee or the deductor or the collector, the Assessing Officer shall serve on the assessee or the deductor or the collector, as the case may be a notice of demand in the prescribed form specifying the sum payable, and such notice of demand shall be deemed to be issued under section 156 and the provisions of this Act shall apply accordingly.

(7) Save as otherwise provided in section 155 or sub-section (4) of section 186 no amendment under this section shall be made after the expiry of four years from the end of the financial year in which the order sought to be amended was passed.

(8) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (7), where an application for amendment under this section is made by the assessee or by the deductor or by the collector on or after the 1st day of June, 2001 to an income-tax authority referred to in sub-section (1), the authority shall pass an order, within a period of six months from the end of the month in which the application is received by it,—

 (a) making the amendment; or

 (b) refusing to allow the claim.

Other amendments.

155. (1) Where, in respect of any completed assessment of a partner in a firm for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1992, or any earlier assessment year, it is found—

 (a) on the assessment or reassessment of the firm, or

 (b) on any reduction or enhancement made in the income of the firm under this section, section 154, section 250, section 254, section 260, section 262, section 263 or section 264, or

 (c) on any order passed under sub-section (4) of section 245D on the application made by the firm,

that the share of the partner in the income of the firm has not been included in the assessment of the partner or, if included, is not correct, the Assessing Officer may amend the order of assessment of the partner with a view to the inclusion of the share in the assessment or the correction thereof, as the case may be; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the financial year in which the final order was passed in the case of the firm.

(1A) Where in respect of any completed assessment of a firm it is found—

 (a) on the assessment or reassessment of the firm, or

 (b) on any reduction or enhancement made in the income of the firm under this section, section 154, section 250, section 254, section 260, section 262, section 263 or section 264, or

 (c) on any order passed under sub-section (4) of section 245D on the application made by the firm,

that any remuneration to any partner is not deductible under clause (b) of section 40, the Assessing Officer may amend the order of assessment of the partner with a view to adjusting the income of the partner to the extent of the amount not so deductible ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the financial year in which the final order was passed in the case of the firm.

(2) Where in respect of any completed assessment of a member of an association of persons or of a body of individuals it is found—

 (a) on the assessment or reassessment of the association or body, or

 (b) on any reduction or enhancement made in the income of the asso-ciation or body under this section, section 154, section 250, section 254, section 260, section 262, section 263 or section 264, or

 (c) on any order passed under sub-section (4) of section 245D on the application made by the association or body,

that the share of the member in the income of the association or body, as the case may be, has not been included in the assessment of the member or, if included, is not correct, the Assessing Officer may amend the order of assessment of the member with a view to the inclusion of the share in the assessment or the correction thereof, as the case may be ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the financial year in which the final order was passed in the case of the association or body, as the case may be.

(3) [***]

(4) Where as a result of proceedings initiated under section 147, a loss or depreciation has been recomputed and in consequence thereof it is necessary to recompute the total income of the assessee for the succeeding year or years to which the loss or depreciation allowance has been carried forward and set off under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 72, or sub-section (2) of section 73, or sub-section (1) or sub-section (3) of section 74, or sub-section (3) of section 74A, the Assessing Officer may proceed to recompute the total income in respect of such year or years and make the necessary amendment ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the financial year in which the order was passed under section 147.

(4A) Where an allowance by way of investment allowance has been made wholly or partly to an assessee in respect of a ship or an aircraft or any machinery or plant in any assessment year under section 32A and subsequently—

 (a) at any time before the expiry of eight years from the end of the previous year in which the ship or aircraft was acquired or the machinery or plant was installed, the ship, aircraft, machinery or plant is sold or otherwise transferred by the assessee to any person other than the Government, a local authority, a corporation established by a Central, State or Provincial Act or a ⁷²Government company as defined in section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), or in connection with any amalgamation or succession referred to in sub-section (6) or sub-section (7) of section 32A ; or

 (b) at any time before the expiry of ten years from the end of the previous year in which the ship or aircraft was acquired or the machinery or plant was installed, the assessee does not utilise the amount credited to the reserve account under sub-section (4) of section 32A for the purposes of acquiring a new ship or a new aircraft or new machinery or plant (other than machinery or plant of the nature referred to in clauses (a), (b) and (d) of the second proviso to sub-section (1) of section 32A) for the purposes of the business of the undertaking ; or

 (c) at any time before the expiry of ten years referred to in clause (b) the assessee utilises the amount credited to the reserve account under sub-section (4) of section 32A—

   (i) for distribution by way of dividends or profits ; or

  (ii) for remittance outside India as profits or for the creation of any asset outside India ; or

 (iii) for any other purpose which is not a purpose of the business of the undertaking,

the investment allowance originally allowed shall be deemed to have been wrongly allowed, and the Assessing Officer may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, recompute the total income of the assessee for the relevant previous year and make the necessary amendment; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned,—

  (i) in a case referred to in clause (a), from the end of the previous year in which the sale or other transfer took place ;

 (ii) in a case referred to in clause (b), from the end of the ten years referred to in that clause ;

(iii) in a case referred to in clause (c), from the end of the previous year in which the amount was utilised.

Explanation.—For the purposes of clause (b), "new ship" or "new aircraft" or "new machinery or plant" shall have the same meanings as in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 32A.

(5) Where an allowance by way of development rebate has been made wholly or partly to an assessee in respect of a ship, machinery or plant installed after the 31st day of December, 1957, in any assessment year under section 33 or under the corresponding provisions of the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922 (11 of 1922), and subsequently—

  (i) at any time before the expiry of eight years from the end of the previous year in which the ship was acquired or the machinery or plant was installed, the ship, machinery or plant is sold or otherwise transferred by the assessee to any person other than the Government, a local authority, a corporation established by a Central, State or Provincial Act or a ^72aGovernment company as defined in section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), or in connection with any amalgamation or succession referred to in sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of section 33 ; or

 (ii) at any time before the expiry of the eight years referred to in sub-section (3) of section 34, the assessee utilises the amount credited to the reserve account under clause (a) of that sub-section—

  (a) for distribution by way of dividends or profits ; or

  (b) for remittance outside India as profits or for the creation of any asset outside India ; or

  (c) for any other purpose which is not a purpose of the business of the undertaking,

the development rebate originally allowed shall be deemed to have been wrongly allowed, and the Assessing Officer may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, recompute the total income of the assessee for the relevant previous year and make the necessary amendment; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the sale or transfer took place or the money was so utilised.

(5A) Where an allowance by way of development allowance has been made wholly or partly to an assessee in respect of the cost of planting in any area in any assessment year under section 33A and subsequently—

  (i) at any time before the expiry of eight years from the end of the previous year in which such allowance was made, the land is sold or otherwise transferred by the assessee to any person other than the Government, a local authority, a corporation established by a Central, State or Provincial Act or a ⁷³Government company as defined in section 617 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), or in connection with any amalgamation or succession referred to in sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) of section 33A ; or

 (ii) at any time before the expiry of the eight years referred to in sub-section (3) of section 33A, the assessee utilises the amount credited to the reserve account under clause (ii) of that sub-section—

  (a) for distribution by way of dividends or profits ; or

  (b) for remittance outside India as profits or for the creation of any asset outside India ; or

  (c) for any other purpose which is not a purpose of the business of the undertaking ;

the development allowance originally allowed shall be deemed to have been wrongly allowed, and the Assessing Officer may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, recompute the total income of the assessee for the relevant previous year and make the necessary amendment ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the sale or transfer took place or the money was so utilised.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, where an assessee having any leasehold or other right of occupancy in any land transfers such right, he shall be deemed to have sold or otherwise transferred such land.

(5B) Where any deduction in respect of any expenditure on scientific research has been made in any assessment year under sub-section (2B) of section 35 and the assessee fails to furnish a certificate of completion of the programme obtained from the prescribed authority within one year of the period allowed for its completion by such authority, the deduction originally made in excess of the expenditure actually incurred shall be deemed to have been wrongly made, and the Assessing Officer may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, recompute the total income of the assessee for the relevant previous year and make the necessary amendment; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the period allowed for the completion of the programme by the prescribed authority expired.

(6) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(7) Where as a result of any proceeding under this Act, in the assessment for any year of a company in whose case an order under section 104 has been made for that year, it is necessary to recompute the distributable income of that company, the Assessing Officer may proceed to recompute the distributable income and determine the tax payable on the basis of such recomputation and make the necessary amendment ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the financial year in which the final order was passed in the case of the company in respect of that proceeding.

(7A) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(7B) Where in the assessment for any year, the capital gain arising from the transfer of a capital asset is not charged under section 45 by virtue of the provisions of clause (iv) or, as the case may be, clause (v) of section 47, but is deemed under section 47A to be income chargeable under the head "Capital gains" of the previous year in which the transfer took place by reason of—

 (i) such capital asset being converted by the transferee company into, or being treated by it, as stock-in-trade of its business ; or

 (ii) the parent company or its nominees or, as the case may be, the holding company ceasing to hold the whole of the share capital of the subsidiary company,

at any time before the expiry of the period of eight years from the date of such transfer, the Assessing Officer may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, recompute the total income of the transferor company for the relevant previous year and make the necessary amendment ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the capital asset was so converted or treated or in which the parent company or its nominees or, as the case may be, the holding company ceased to hold the whole of the share capital of the subsidiary company.

(8) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(8A) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(9) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(9A) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(10) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(10A) Where in the assessment for any year, a capital gain arising from the transfer of a long-term capital asset, is charged to tax and within a period of six months after the date of such transfer, the assessee has made any investment or deposit in any specified asset within the meaning of Explanation 1 to sub-section (1) of section 54E, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to exclude the amount of the capital gain not chargeable to tax under the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 54E ; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the financial year in which the assessment was made.

(10B) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(10C) [Omitted by the Direct Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 1987, w.e.f. 1-4-1992.]

(11) Where in the assessment for any year, a capital gain arising from the transfer of any original asset as is referred to in section 54H is charged to tax and within the period extended under that section the assessee acquires the new asset referred to in that section or, as the case may be, deposits or invests the amount of such capital gain within the period so extended, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to exclude the amount of the capital gain not chargeable to tax under any of the sections referred to in section 54H; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of section 154 being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the compensation was received by the assessee.

(11A) Where in the assessment for any year, the deduction under section 10A or ⁷⁴[section 10AA or] section 10B or section 10BA has not been allowed on the ground that such income has not been received in convertible foreign exchange in India, or having been received in convertible foreign exchange outside India, or having been converted into convertible foreign exchange outside India, has not been brought into India, by or on behalf of the assessee with the approval of the Reserve Bank of India or such other authority as is authorised under any law for the time being in force for regulating payments and dealings in foreign exchange and subsequently such income or part thereof has been or is received in, or brought into, India in the manner aforesaid, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to allow deduction under section 10A or ⁷⁴[section 10AA or] section 10B or section 10BA, as the case may be, in respect of such income or part thereof as is so received in, or brought into, India, and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, and the period of four years shall be reckoned from the end of the previous year in which such income is so received in, or brought into, India.

(12) Where in the assessment for any year commencing before the 1st day of April, 1988, the deduction under section 80-O in respect of any income, being the whole or any part of income by way of royalty, commission, fees or any similar payment as is referred to in that section, has not been allowed on the ground that such income has not been received in convertible foreign exchange in India, or having been received in convertible foreign exchange outside India, or having been converted into convertible foreign exchange outside India, has not been brought into India, by or on behalf of the assessee in accordance with any law for the time being in force for regulating payments and dealings in foreign exchange and subsequently such income or part thereof has been or is received in, or brought into, India in the manner aforesaid, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to allow deduction under section 80-O in respect of such income or part thereof as is so received in, or brought into, India; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which such income is so received in, or brought into, India; so, however, that the period from the 1st day of April, 1988 to the 30th day of September, 1991 shall be excluded in computing the period of four years.

(13) Where in the assessment for any year, the deduction under section 80HHB or section 80HHC or section 80HHD or section 80HHE or section 80-O or section 80R or section 80RR or section 80RRA has not been allowed on the ground that such income has not been received in convertible foreign exchange in India, or having been received in convertible foreign exchange outside India, or having been converted into convertible foreign exchange outside India, has not been brought into India, by or on behalf of the assessee with the approval of the Reserve Bank of India or such other authority as is authorised under any law for the time being in force for regulating payments and dealings in foreign exchange and subsequently such income or part thereof has been or is received in, or brought into, India in the manner aforesaid, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to allow deduction under section 80HHB or section 80HHC or section 80HHD or section 80HHE or section 80-O or section 80R or section 80RR or section 80RRA, as the case may be, in respect of such income or part thereof as is so received in, or brought into, India; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, and the period of four years shall be reckoned from the end of the previous year in which such income is so received in, or brought into, India.

(14) Where in the assessment for any previous year or in any intimation or deemed intimation under sub-section (1) of section 143 for any previous year, credit for tax deducted or collected in accordance with the provisions of section 199 or, as the case may be, section 206C has not been given on the ground that the certificate furnished under section 203 or section 206C was not filed with the return and subsequently such certificate is produced before the Assessing Officer within two years from the end of the assessment year in which such income is assessable, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment or any intimation or deemed intimation under sub-section (1) of section 143, as the case may be, and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto :

Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall apply unless the income from which the tax has been deducted or income on which the tax has been collected has been disclosed in the return of income filed by the assessee for the relevant assessment year.

(14A) Where in the assessment for any previous year or in any intimation or deemed intimation under sub-section (1) of section 143 for any previous year, credit for income-tax paid in any country outside India or a specified territory outside India referred to in section 90, section 90A or section 91 has not been given on the ground that the payment of such tax was under dispute, and if subsequently such dispute is settled; and the assessee, within six months from the end of the month in which the dispute is settled, furnishes to the Assessing Officer evidence of settlement of dispute and evidence of payment of such tax along with an undertaking that no credit in respect of such amount has directly or indirectly been claimed or shall be claimed for any other assessment year, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment or any intimation or deemed intimation under sub-section (1) of section 143, as the case may be, and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto:

Provided that the credit of tax which was under dispute shall be allowed for the year in which such income is offered to tax or assessed to tax in India.

(15) Where in the assessment for any year, a capital gain arising from the transfer of a capital asset, being land or building or both, is computed by taking the full value of the consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer to be the value adopted or assessed by any authority of a State Government for the purpose of payment of stamp duty in accordance with sub-section (1) of section 50C, and subsequently such value is revised in any appeal or revision or reference referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (2) of that section, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to compute the capital gain by taking the full value of the consideration to be the value as so revised in such appeal or revision or reference; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, and the period of four years shall be reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the order revising the value was passed in that appeal or revision or reference.

(16) Where in the assessment for any year, a capital gain arising from the transfer of a capital asset, being a transfer by way of compulsory acquisition under any law, or a transfer, the consideration for which was determined or approved by the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India, is computed by taking the compensation or consideration as referred to in clause (a) or, as the case may be, the compensation or consideration enhanced or further enhanced as referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (5) of section 45, to be the full value of consideration deemed to be received or accruing as a result of the transfer of the asset and subsequently such compensation or consideration is reduced by any court, Tribunal or other authority, the Assessing Officer shall amend the order of assessment so as to compute the capital gain by taking the compensation or consideration as so reduced by the court, Tribunal or any other authority to be the full value of consideration; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, and the period of four years shall be reckoned from the end of the previous year in which the order reducing the compensation was passed by the court, Tribunal or other authority.

(17) Where a deduction has been allowed to an assessee in any assessment year under section 80RRB in respect of any patent, and subsequently by an order of the Controller or the High Court under the Patents Act, 1970 (39 of 1970),—

  (i) the patent was revoked, or

 (ii) the name of the assessee was excluded from the patents register as patentee in respect of that patent,

the deduction from the income by way of royalty attributable to the period during which the patent had been revoked or the period for which the assessee's name was excluded as patentee in respect of that patent, shall be deemed to have been wrongly allowed and the Assessing Officer may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, recompute the total income of the assessee for the relevant previous year and make necessary amendment; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section being reckoned from the end of the previous year in which such order of the Controller referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1), or the High Court referred to in clause (i) of sub-section (1) of section 2, of the Patents Act, 1970 (39 of 1970), as the case may be, was passed.

⁷⁵[(18) Where any deduction in respect of any surcharge or cess, which is not allowable as deduction under section 40, has been claimed and allowed in the case of an assessee in any previous year, such claim shall be deemed to be under-reported income of the assessee for such previous year for the purposes of sub-section (3) of section 270A, notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (6) of section 270A, and the Assessing Officer shall recompute the total income of the assessee for such previous year and make necessary amendment; and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of section 154 being reckoned from the end of the previous year commencing on the 1st day of April, 2021:

Provided that in a case where the assessee makes an application to the Assessing Officer in the prescribed form⁷⁶ and within the prescribed time, requesting for recomputation of the total income of the previous year without allowing the claim for deduction of surcharge or cess and pays the amount due thereon within the specified time, such claim shall not be deemed to be under-reported income for the purposes of sub-section (3) of section 270A.]

⁷⁷[(19) Where any deduction in respect of any expenditure incurred for the purchase of sugarcane has been claimed by an assessee, being a co-operative society engaged in the business of manufacture of sugar, and such deduction has been disallowed wholly or partly in any previous year commencing on or before the 1st day of April, 2014, the Assessing Officer shall, on the basis of an application made by such assessee in this regard, recompute the total income of the assessee for such previous year after allowing deduction to the extent such expenditure is incurred at a price which is equal to or less than the price fixed or approved by the Government for that previous year, and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto, and the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section shall be reckoned from the end of previous year commencing on the 1st day of April, 2022.]

⁷⁸[(20) Where any income has been included in the return of income furnished by an assessee under section 139 for any assessment year (herein referred to as the relevant assessment year) and tax on such income has been deducted at source and paid to the credit of the Central Government in accordance with the provisions of Chapter XVII-B in a subsequent financial year, the Assessing Officer shall, on an application made by the assessee in such form, as may be prescribed, within a period of two years from the end of the financial year in which such tax was deducted at source, amend the order of assessment or any intimation allowing credit of such tax deducted at source in the relevant assessment year, and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply thereto and the period of four years specified in sub-section (7) of that section shall be reckoned from the end of the financial year in which such tax has been deducted:

Provided that the credit of such tax deducted at source shall not be allowed in any other assessment year.]

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—

 (a) "additional compensation" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (1) of the Explanation^@ to sub-section (2) of section 54;

 (b) "additional consideration", in relation to the transfer of any capital asset the consideration for which was determined or approved by the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India, means the difference between the amount of consideration for such transfer as enhanced by any court, tribunal or other authority and the amount of consideration which would have been payable if such enhancement had not been made.

Procedure in appeal.

250. (1) The ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) shall fix a day and place for the hearing of the appeal, and shall give notice of the same to the appellant and to the Assessing Officer against whose order the appeal is preferred.

(2) The following shall have the right to be heard at the hearing of the appeal—

(a) the appellant, either in person or by an authorised representative;

(b) the Assessing Officer, either in person or by a representative.

(3) The ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) shall have the power to adjourn the hearing of the appeal from time to time.

(4) The ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) may, before disposing of any appeal, make such further inquiry as he thinks fit, or may direct the Assessing Officer to make further inquiry and report the result of the same to the ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals).

(5) The ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) may, at the hearing of an appeal, allow the appellant to go into any ground of appeal not specified in the grounds of appeal, if the ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) is satisfied that the omission of that ground from the form of appeal was not wilful or unreasonable.

(6) The order of the ⁸¹[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) disposing of the appeal shall be in writing and shall state the points for determination, the decision thereon and the reason for the decision.

⁸²[(6A) In every appeal, the Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the Commissioner (Appeals), as the case may be, where it is possible, may hear and decide such appeal within a period of one year from the end of the financial year in which such appeal is filed before him under sub-section (1) or transferred to him under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) of section 246 or filed before him under sub-section (1) of section 246A, as the case may be.]

(6B) The Central Government may make a scheme, by notification in the Official Gazette, for the purposes of disposal of appeal by Commissioner (Appeals), so as to impart greater efficiency, transparency and accountability by—

(a) eliminating the interface between the Commissioner (Appeals) and the appellant in the course of appellate proceedings to the extent technologically feasible;

(b) optimising utilisation of the resources through economies of scale and functional specialisation;

(c) introducing an appellate system with dynamic jurisdiction in which appeal shall be disposed of by one or more Commissioner (Appeals).

(6C) The Central Government may, for the purposes of giving effect to the scheme made under sub-section (6B), by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that any of the provisions of this Act relating to jurisdiction and procedure for disposal of appeals by Commissioner (Appeals) shall not apply or shall apply with such exceptions, modifications and adaptations as may be specified in the notification:

Provided that no direction shall be issued after the 31st day of March, 2022:

⁸³[Provided further that the Central Government may amend any direction, issued under this sub-section on or before the 31st day of March, 2022, by notification in the Official Gazette.]

(6D) Every notification issued under sub-section (6B) and sub-section (6C) shall, as soon as may be after the notification is issued, be laid before each House of Parliament.

(7) On the disposal of the appeal, the ⁸⁴[Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or the] Commissioner (Appeals) shall communicate the order passed by him to the assessee and to the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner.

Orders of Appellate Tribunal.

254. (1) The Appellate Tribunal may, after giving both the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit.

(1A) [***]

(2) The Appellate Tribunal may, at any time within six months from the end of the month in which the order was passed, with a view to rectifying any mistake apparent from the record, amend any order passed by it under sub-section (1), and shall make such amendment if the mistake is brought to its notice by the assessee or the Assessing Officer :

Provided that an amendment which has the effect of enhancing an assessment or reducing a refund or otherwise increasing the liability of the assessee, shall not be made under this sub-section unless the Appellate Tribunal has given notice to the assessee of its intention to do so and has allowed the assessee a reasonable opportunity of being heard :

Provided further that any application filed by the assessee in this sub-section on or after the 1st day of October, 1998, shall be accompanied by a fee of fifty rupees.

(2A) In every appeal, the Appellate Tribunal, where it is possible, may hear and decide such appeal within a period of four years from the end of the financial year in which such appeal is filed under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 253:

Provided that the Appellate Tribunal may, after considering the merits of the application made by the assessee, pass an order of stay in any proceedings relating to an appeal filed under sub-section (1) of section 253, for a period not exceeding one hundred and eighty days from the date of such order subject to the condition that the assessee deposits not less than twenty per cent of the amount of tax, interest, fee, penalty, or any other sum payable under the provisions of this Act, or furnishes security of equal amount in respect thereof and the Appellate Tribunal shall dispose of the appeal within the said period of stay specified in that order:

Provided further that no extension of stay shall be granted by the Appellate Tribunal, where such appeal is not so disposed of within the said period of stay as specified in the order of stay, unless the assessee makes an application and has complied with the condition referred to in the first proviso and the Appellate Tribunal is satisfied that the delay in disposing of the appeal is not attributable to the assessee, so however, that the aggregate of the period of stay originally allowed and the period of stay so extended shall not exceed three hundred and sixty-five days and the Appellate Tribunal shall dispose of the appeal within the period or periods of stay so extended or allowed:

Provided also that if such appeal is not so disposed of within the period allowed under the first proviso or the period or periods extended or allowed under the second proviso, which shall not, in any case, exceed three hundred and sixty-five days, the order of stay shall stand vacated after the expiry of such period or periods, even if the delay in disposing of the appeal is not attributable to the assessee.

(2B) The cost of any appeal to the Appellate Tribunal shall be at the discretion of that Tribunal.

(3) The Appellate Tribunal shall send a copy of any orders passed under this section to the assessee and to the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner.

(4) Save as provided in section 256 or section 260A, orders passed by the Appellate Tribunal on appeal shall be final.

Decision of High Court or Supreme Court on the case stated.

260. (1) The High Court or the Supreme Court upon hearing any such case shall decide the questions of law raised therein, and shall deliver its judgment thereon containing the grounds on which such decision is founded, and a copy of the judgment shall be sent under the seal of the Court and the signature of the Registrar to the Appellate Tribunal which shall pass such orders as are necessary to dispose of the case conformably to such judgment.

(1A) Where the High Court delivers a judgment in an appeal filed before it under section 260A, effect shall be given to the order passed on the appeal by the Assessing Officer on the basis of a certified copy of the judgment.

(2) The costs of any reference to the High Court or the Supreme Court which shall not include the fee for making the reference shall be in the discretion of the Court.

Hearing before Supreme Court.

262. (1) The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), relating to appeals to the Supreme Court shall, so far as may be, apply in the case of appeals under section 261 as they apply in the case of appeals from decrees of a High Court :

Provided that nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 260 or section 265.

(2) The costs of the appeal shall be in the discretion of the Supreme Court.

(3) Where the judgment of the High Court is varied or reversed in the appeal, effect shall be given to the order of the Supreme Court in the manner provided in section 260 in the case of a judgment of the High Court.

E.—Revision by the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner*

Revision of orders prejudicial to revenue.

263. (1) The ⁹⁹[Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner may call for and examine the record of any proceeding under this Act, and if he considers that any order passed therein by the Assessing Officer ¹[or the Transfer Pricing Officer, as the case may be,] is erroneous in so far as it is prejudicial to the interests of the revenue, he may, after giving the assessee an opportunity of being heard and after making or causing to be made such inquiry as he deems necessary, pass such order thereon as the circumstances of the case justify, ²[including,—

  (i) an order enhancing or modifying the assessment or cancelling the assessment and directing a fresh assessment; or

 (ii) an order modifying the order under section 92CA; or

(iii) an order cancelling the order under section 92CA and directing a fresh order under the said section].

Explanation 1.—For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that, for the purposes of this sub-section,—

(a) an order passed on or before or after the 1st day of June, 1988 by the Assessing Officer ¹[or the Transfer Pricing Officer, as the case may be,] shall include—

  (i) an order of assessment made by the Assistant Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner or the Income-tax Officer on the basis of the directions issued by the Joint Commissioner under section 144A;

 (ii) an order made by the Joint Commissioner in exercise of the powers or in the performance of the functions of an Assessing Officer ³[or the Transfer Pricing Officer, as the case may be,] conferred on, or assigned to, him under the orders or directions issued by the Board or by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Director General or Director General or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner authorised by the Board in this behalf under section 120;

³[(iii) an order under section 92CA by the Transfer Pricing Officer;]

(b) "record" shall include and shall be deemed always to have included all records relating to any proceeding under this Act available at the time of examination by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner;

(c) where any order referred to in this sub-section and passed by the Assessing Officer ³[or the Transfer Pricing Officer, as the case may be,] had been the subject matter of any appeal filed on or before or after the 1st day of June, 1988, the powers of the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner under this sub-section shall extend and shall be deemed always to have extended to such matters as had not been considered and decided in such appeal.

Explanation 2.—For the purposes of this section, it is hereby declared that an order passed by the Assessing Officer ³[or the Transfer Pricing Officer, as the case may be,] shall be deemed to be erroneous in so far as it is prejudicial to the interests of the revenue, if, in the opinion of the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner,—

(a) the order is passed without making inquiries or verification which should have been made;

(b) the order is passed allowing any relief without inquiring into the claim;

(c) the order has not been made in accordance with any order, direction or instruction issued by the Board under section 119; or

(d) the order has not been passed in accordance with any decision which is prejudicial to the assessee, rendered by the jurisdictional High Court or Supreme Court in the case of the assessee or any other person.]

³[Explanation 3.—For the purposes of this section, "Transfer Pricing Officer" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in the Explanation to section 92CA.]

(2) No order shall be made under sub-section (1) after the expiry of two years from the end of the financial year in which the order sought to be revised was passed.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (2), an order in revision under this section may be passed at any time in the case of an order which has been passed in consequence of, or to give effect to, any finding or direction contained in an order of the Appellate Tribunal, the High Court or the Supreme Court.

Explanation.—In computing the period of limitation for the purposes of sub-section (2), the time taken in giving an opportunity to the assessee to be reheard under the proviso to section 129 and any period during which any proceeding under this section is stayed by an order or injunction of any court shall be excluded.

Revision of other orders.

264. (1) In the case of any order other than an order to which section 263 applies passed by an authority subordinate to him, the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner may, either of his own motion or on an application by the assessee for revision, call for the record of any proceeding under this Act in which any such order has been passed and may make such inquiry or cause such inquiry to be made and, subject to the provisions of this Act, may pass such order thereon, not being an order prejudicial to the assessee, as he thinks fit.

(2) The Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner shall not of his own motion revise any order under this section if the order has been made more than one year previously.

(3) In the case of an application for revision under this section by the assessee, the application must be made within one year from the date on which the order in question was communicated to him or the date on which he otherwise came to know of it, whichever is earlier :

Provided that the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner may, if he is satisfied that the assessee was prevented by sufficient cause from making the application within that period, admit an application made after the expiry of that period.

(4) The Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner shall not revise any order under this section in the following cases—

(a) where an appeal against the order lies to the Deputy Commissioner (Appeals) or to ⁴[the Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or] the Commissioner (Appeals)] or to the Appellate Tribunal but has not been made and the time within which such appeal may be made has not expired, or, in the case of an appeal to ⁴[the Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or] the Commissioner (Appeals) or to the Appellate Tribunal, the assessee has not waived his right of appeal; or

(b) where the order is pending on an appeal before the Deputy Commissioner (Appeals); or

(c) where the order has been made the subject of an appeal to ^5-6[the Joint Commissioner (Appeals) or] the Commissioner (Appeals) or to the Appellate Tribunal.

(5) Every application by an assessee for revision under this section shall be accompanied by a fee of five hundred rupees.

(6) On every application by an assessee for revision under this sub-section, made on or after the 1st day of October, 1998, an order shall be passed within one year from the end of the financial year in which such application is made by the assessee for revision.

Explanation.—In computing the period of limitation for the purposes of this sub-section, the time taken in giving an opportunity to the assessee to be re-heard under the proviso to section 129 and any period during which any proceeding under this section is stayed by an order or injunction of any court shall be excluded.

(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (6), an order in revision under sub-section (6) may be passed at any time in consequence of or to give effect to any finding or direction contained in an order of the Appellate Tribunal, the High Court or the Supreme Court.

Explanation 1.—An order by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner declining to interfere shall, for the purposes of this section, be deemed not to be an order prejudicial to the assessee.

Explanation 2.—For the purposes of this section, the Deputy Commissioner (Appeals) shall be deemed to be an authority subordinate to the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner.

Interest payable by assessee.

215. ¹ (1) Where, in any financial year, an assessee has paid advance tax under section 209A or section 212 on the basis of his own estimate (including revised estimate), and the advance tax so paid is less than seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax, simple interest at the rate of fifteen per cent per annum from the 1st day of April next following the said financial year up to the date of the regular assessment shall be payable by the assessee upon the amount by which the advance tax so paid falls short of the assessed tax:

Provided that in the case of an assessee, being a company, the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words "seventy-five per cent", the words "eighty-three and one-third per cent" had been substituted.

(2) Where before the date of completion of a regular assessment, tax is paid by the assessee under section 140A or otherwise,—

(i) interest shall be calculated in accordance with the foregoing provision up to the date on which the tax is so paid ; and

(ii) thereafter, interest shall be calculated at the rate aforesaid on the amount by which the tax as so paid (in so far as it relates to income subject to advance tax) falls short of the assessed tax.

(3) Where as a result of an order under section 147 or section 154 or section 155 or section 250 or section 254 or section 260 or section 262 or section 263 or section 264 or an order of the Settlement Commission under sub-section (4) of section 245D, the amount on which interest was payable under sub-section (1) has been increased or reduced, as the case may be, the interest shall be increased or reduced accordingly, and—

(i) in a case where the interest is increased, the Assessing Officer shall serve on the assessee, a notice of demand in the prescribed form specifying the sum payable, and such notice of demand shall be deemed to be a notice under section 156 and the provisions of this Act shall apply accordingly;

(ii) in a case where the interest is reduced, the excess interest paid, if any, shall be refunded.

(4) In such cases and under such circumstances as may be prescribed², the Assessing Officer may reduce or waive the interest payable by the assessee under this section.

(5) In this section and sections 217 and 273, "assessed tax" means the tax determined on the basis of the regular assessment (reduced by the amount of tax deductible in accordance with the provisions of sections 192 to 194, section 194A, section 194C, section 194D, section 195 and section 196A so far as such tax relates to income subject to advance tax and so far as it is not due to variations in the rates of tax made by the Finance Act enacted for the year for which the regular assessment is made.

(6) Where, in relation to an assessment year, an assessment is made for the first time under section 147, the assessment so made shall be regarded as a regular assessment for the purposes of this section and sections 216, 217 and 273.

Notice of demand.^78a

156. (1) When any tax, interest, penalty, fine or any other sum is payable in consequence of any order passed under this Act, the Assessing Officer shall serve upon the assessee a notice of demand in the prescribed form^78b specifying the sum so payable :

Provided that where any sum is determined to be payable by the assessee or the deductor or the collector under sub-section (1) of section 143 or sub-section (1) of section 200A or sub-section (1) of section 206CB, the intimation under those sub-sections shall be deemed to be a notice of demand for the purposes of this section.

(2) Where the income of the assessee of any assessment year, beginning on or after the 1st day of April, 2021, includes income of the nature specified in clause* (vi) of sub-section† (2) of section 17 and such specified security or sweat equity shares referred to in the said clause* are allotted or transferred directly or indirectly by the current employer, being an eligible start-up referred to in section 80-IAC, the tax or interest on such income included in the notice of demand referred to in sub-section (1) shall be payable by the assessee within fourteen days—

  (i) after the expiry of forty-eight months from the end of the relevant assessment year; or

 (ii) from the date of the sale of such specified security or sweat equity share by the assessee; or

(iii) from the date of the assessee ceasing to be the employee of the employer who allotted or transferred him such specified security or sweat equity share,

whichever is the earliest.

Interest payable by assessee when no estimate made.

⁴217. (1) Where, on making the regular assessment, the Assessing Officer finds—

(a) that any such person as is referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A has not sent the statement referred to in that clause or the estimate in lieu of such statement referred to in sub-section (2) of that section; or

(b) that any such person as is referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 209A has not sent the estimate referred to in that clause,

simple interest at the rate of fifteen per cent per annum from the 1st day of April next following the financial year in which the advance tax was payable in accordance with the said sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) up to the date of the regular assessment shall be payable by the assessee upon the amount equal to the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215.

(1A) Where, on making the regular assessment, the Assessing Officer finds that any person who is required to send an estimate under sub-section (4) of section 209A or any such person as is referred to in sub-section (3A) of section 212 has not sent the estimate referred to therein, simple interest at the rate of fifteen per cent per annum from the 1st day of April next following the financial year in which the advance tax was payable in accordance with the said sub-section (4) or, as the case may be, sub-section (3A) up to the date of the regular assessment shall be payable by the assessee upon the amount by which the advance tax paid by him falls short of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215.

(2) The provisions of sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of section 215 shall apply to interest payable under this section as they apply to interest payable under that section.

False estimate of, or failure to pay, advance tax.

273. (1) If the Assessing Officer, in the course of any proceedings in connection with the regular assessment for any assessment year, is satisfied that any assessee—

(a) has furnished under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A a statement of the advance tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe to be untrue, or

(b) has failed to furnish a statement of the advance tax payable by him in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A,

he may direct that such person shall, in addition to the amount of tax, if any, payable by him, pay by way of penalty a sum—

(i)  which, in the case referred to in clause (a), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which the tax actually paid during the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year under the provisions of Chapter XVII-C falls short of—

 (1)  seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215, or

 (2)  the amount which would have been payable by way of advance tax if the assessee had furnished a correct and complete statement in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A,

whichever is less;

(ii) which, in the case referred to in clause (b), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215:

Provided that in the case of an assessee, being a company, the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words "seventy-five per cent", at both the places where they occur, the words "eighty-three and one-third per cent" had been substituted.

(2) If the Assessing Officer, in the course of any proceedings in connection with the regular assessment for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1970, or any subsequent assessment year, is satisfied that any assessee—

(a)  has furnished under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (5) of section 209A, or under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 212, an estimate of the advance tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe to be untrue, or

(aa) has furnished under sub-section (4) of section 209A or under sub-section (3A) of section 212 an estimate of the advance tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe to be untrue, or

(b)  has failed to furnish an estimate of the advance tax payable by him in accordance with the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 209A, or

(c)  has failed to furnish an estimate of the advance tax payable by him in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 209A or sub-section (3A) of section 212,

he may direct that such person shall, in addition to the amount of tax, if any, payable by him, pay by way of penalty a sum—

(i)  which, in the case referred to in clause (a), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which the tax actually paid during the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year under the provisions of Chapter XVII-C falls short of—

(1)  seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215, or

(2)  where a statement under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A was furnished by the assessee or where a notice under section 210 was issued to the assessee, the amount payable under such statement or, as the case may be, such notice,

whichever is less;

(ia) which, in the case referred to in clause (aa), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which the tax actually paid during the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year under the provisions of Chapter XVII-C falls short of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215;

(ii)  which, in the case referred to in clause (b), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215; and

(iii) which, in the case referred to in clause (c), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which—

(a)  where the assessee has sent a statement under clause (a), or an estimate under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 209A, or an estimate in lieu of a statement under sub-section (2) of that section, the tax payable in accordance with such statement or estimate; or

(b)  where the assessee was required to pay advance tax in accordance with the notice issued to him under section 210, the tax payable under such notice,

falls short of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215:

Provided that in the case of an assessee, being a company, the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words "seventy-five per cent", wherever they occur, the words "eighty-three and one-third per cent" had been substituted.

Explanation 1.—For the purposes of clause (ia), the amount paid by the assessee on or before the date extended by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner under the first proviso to sub-section (4) of section 209A or, as the case may be, first proviso to sub-section (3A) of section 212 shall, where the date so extended falls beyond the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year, also be regarded as tax actually paid during that financial year.

Explanation 2.—When the person liable to penalty is a registered firm or an unregistered firm which has been assessed under clause (b) of section 183, then, notwithstanding anything contained in the other provisions of this Act, the penalty imposable under this section shall be the same amount as would be imposable on that firm if that firm were an unregistered firm.

(3) The provisions of this section shall apply to and in relation to any assessment for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1988, or any earlier assessment year, and references in this section to the other provisions of this Act shall be construed as references to those provisions as for the time being in force and applicable to the relevant assessment year.

B.—Deduction at source

Salary.

192. ⁹⁷(1) Any person responsible for paying any income chargeable under the head "Salaries" shall, at the time of payment, deduct income-tax on the amount payable at the average rate of income-tax computed on the basis of the rates in force for the financial year in which the payment is made, on the estimated income of the assessee under this head for that financial year.

(1A) Without prejudice to the provisions contained in sub-section (1), the person responsible for paying any income in the nature of a perquisite which is not provided for by way of monetary payment, referred to in clause (2) of section 17, may pay, at his option, tax on the whole or part of such income without making any deduction therefrom at the time when such tax was otherwise deductible under the provisions of sub-section (1).

(1B) For the purpose of paying tax under sub-section (1A), tax shall be determined at the average of income-tax computed on the basis of the rates in force for the financial year, on the income chargeable under the head "Salaries" including the income referred to in sub-section (1A), and the tax so payable shall be construed as if it were, a tax deductible at source, from the income under the head "Salaries" as per the provisions of sub-section (1), and shall be subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

(1C) For the purposes of deducting or paying tax under sub-section (1) or sub-section (1A), as the case may be, a person, being an eligible start-up referred to in section 80-IAC, responsible for paying any income to the assessee being perquisite of the nature specified in clause (vi)* of sub-section (2)† of section 17 in any previous year relevant to the assessment year, beginning on or after the 1st day of April, 2021, shall deduct or pay, as the case may be, tax on such income within fourteen days—

  (i) after the expiry of forty-eight months from the end of the relevant assessment year; or

 (ii) from the date of the sale of such specified security or sweat equity share by the assessee; or

(iii) from the date of the assessee ceasing to be the employee of the person,

whichever is the earliest, on the basis of rates in force for the financial year in which the said specified security or sweat equity share is allotted or transferred.

(2) Where, during the financial year, an assessee is employed simultaneously under more than one employer, or where he has held successively employment under more than one employer, he may furnish to the person responsible for making the payment referred to in sub-section (1) (being one of the said employers as the assessee may, having regard to the circumstances of his case choose), such details of the income under the head "Salaries" due or received by him from the other employer or employers, the tax deducted at source therefrom and such other particulars, in such form and verified in such manner as may be prescribed⁹⁸, and thereupon the person responsible for making the payment referred to above shall take into account the details so furnished for the purposes of making the deduction under sub-section (1).

(2A) Where the assessee, being a Government servant or an employee in a company, co-operative society, local authority, university, institution, association or body is entitled to the relief under sub-section (1) of section 89, he may furnish to the person responsible for making the payment referred to in sub-section (1), such particulars, in such form and verified in such manner as may be prescribed⁹⁹, and thereupon the person responsible as aforesaid shall compute the relief on the basis of such particulars and take it into account in making the deduction under sub-section (1).

Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, "University" means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central, State or Provincial Act, and includes an institution declared under section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956), to be a University for the purposes of that Act.

(2B) Where an assessee who receives any income chargeable under the head "Salaries" has, in addition, any income chargeable under any other head of income (not being a loss under any such head other than the loss under the head "Income from house property") for the same financial year, he may send to the person responsible for making the payment referred to in sub-section (1) the particulars of—

 (a) such other income and of any tax deducted thereon under any other provision of this Chapter;

 (b) the loss, if any, under the head "Income from house property",

in such form and verified in such manner as may be prescribed¹, and thereupon the person responsible as aforesaid shall take—

 (i) such other income and tax, if any, deducted thereon; and

(ii) the loss, if any, under the head "Income from house property",

also into account for the purposes of making the deduction under sub- section (1) :

Provided that this sub-section shall not in any case have the effect of reducing the tax deductible except where the loss under the head "Income from house property" has been taken into account, from income under the head "Salaries" below the amount that would be so deductible if the other income and the tax deducted thereon had not been taken into account.

(2C) A person responsible for paying any income chargeable under the head "Salaries" shall furnish to the person to whom such payment is made a statement giving correct and complete particulars of perquisites or profits in lieu of salary provided to him and the value thereof in such form and manner as may be prescribed².

(2D) The person responsible for making the payment referred to in sub-section (1) shall, for the purposes of estimating income of the assessee or computing tax deductible under sub-section (1), obtain from the assessee the evidence or proof or particulars of prescribed claims (including claim for set-off of loss) under the provisions of the Act in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

(3) The person responsible for making the payment referred to in sub-section (1) or sub-section (1A) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (2A) or sub-section (2B) may, at the time of making any deduction, increase or reduce the amount to be deducted under this section for the purpose of adjusting any excess or deficiency arising out of any previous deduction or failure to deduct during the financial year.

(4) The trustees of a recognised provident fund, or any person authorised by the regulations of the fund to make payment of accumulated balances due to employees, shall, in cases where sub-rule (1) of rule 9 of Part A of the Fourth Schedule applies, at the time an accumulated balance due to an employee is paid, make therefrom the deduction provided in rule 10 of Part A of the Fourth Schedule.

³(5) Where any contribution made by an employer, including interest on such contributions, if any, in an approved superannuation fund is paid to the employee, tax on the amount so paid shall be deducted by the trustees of the fund to the extent provided in rule 6 of Part B of the Fourth Schedule.

(6) For the purposes of deduction of tax on salary payable in foreign currency, the value in rupees of such salary shall be calculated at the prescribed⁴ rate of exchange.

Dividends.

194. ⁹The principal officer of an Indian company or a company which has made the prescribed arrangements for the declaration and payment of dividends (including dividends on preference shares) within India, shall, before making any payment by any mode in respect of any dividend or before making any distribution or payment to a shareholder, who is resident in India, of any dividend within the meaning of sub-clause (a) or sub-clause (b) or sub-clause (c) or sub-clause (d) or sub-clause (e) of clause (22) of section 2, deduct from the amount of such dividend, income-tax at the rate of ten per cent :

Provided that no such deduction shall be made in the case of a shareholder, being an individual, if—

 (a) the dividend is paid by the company by any mode other than cash; and

 (b) the amount of such dividend or, as the case may be, the aggregate of the amounts of such dividend distributed or paid or likely to be distributed or paid during the financial year by the company to the shareholder, does not exceed five thousand rupees:

Provided further that the provisions of this section shall not apply to such income credited or paid to—

 (a) the Life Insurance Corporation of India established under the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 (31 of 1956), in respect of any shares owned by it or in which it has full beneficial interest;

 (b) the General Insurance Corporation of India (hereafter in this proviso referred to as the Corporation) or to any of the four companies (hereafter in this proviso referred to as such company), formed by virtue of the schemes framed under sub-section (1) of section 16 of the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 (57 of 1972), in respect of any shares owned by the Corporation or such company or in which the Corporation or such company has full beneficial interest;

 (c) any other insurer in respect of any shares owned by it or in which it has full beneficial interest;

^9a[(d) a "business trust", as defined in clause (13A) of section 2, by a special purpose vehicle referred to in the Explanation to clause (23FC) of section 10;

 (e) any other person as may be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette in this behalf.]

Interest other than "Interest on securities".

194A. ¹⁰(1) Any person, not being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, who is responsible for paying to a resident any income by way of interest other than income by way of interest on securities, shall, at the time of credit of such income to the account of the payee or at the time of payment thereof in cash or by issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier, deduct income-tax thereon at the rates in force :

Provided that an individual or a Hindu undivided family, whose total sales, gross receipts or turnover from the business or profession carried on by him exceed one crore rupees in case of business or fifty lakh rupees in case of profession during the financial year immediately preceding the financial year in which such interest is credited or paid, shall be liable to deduct income-tax under this section.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, where any income by way of interest as aforesaid is credited to any account, whether called "Interest payable account" or "Suspense account" or by any other name, in the books of account of the person liable to pay such income, such crediting shall be deemed to be credit of such income to the account of the payee and the provisions of this section shall apply accordingly.

(2) [Omitted by the Finance Act, 1992, w.e.f. 1-6-1992.]

(3) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply—

  (i) where the amount of such income or, as the case may be, the aggregate of the amounts of such income credited or paid or likely to be credited or paid during the financial year by the person referred to in sub-section (1) to the account of, or to, the payee, does not exceed—

  (a) forty thousand rupees, where the payer is a banking company to which the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) applies (including any bank or banking institution, referred to in section 51 of that Act);

  (b) forty thousand rupees, where the payer is a co-operative society engaged in carrying on the business of banking;

  (c) forty thousand rupees, on any deposit with post office under any scheme framed by the Central Government and notified by it in this behalf; and

  (d) five thousand rupees in any other case:

Provided that in respect of the income credited or paid in respect of—

  (a) time deposits with a banking company to which the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) applies (including any bank or banking institution referred to in section 51 of that Act); or

  (b) time deposits with a co-operative society engaged in carrying on the business of banking;

  (c) deposits with a public company which is formed and registered in India with the main object of carrying on the business of providing long-term finance for construction or purchase of houses in India for residential purposes and which is eligible for deduction under clause (viii) of sub-section (1) of section 36;

the aforesaid amount shall be computed with reference to the income credited or paid by a branch of the banking company or the co-operative society or the public company, as the case may be :

Provided further that the amount referred to in the first proviso shall be computed with reference to the income credited or paid by the banking company or the co-operative society or the public company, as the case may be, where such banking company or the co-operative society or the public company has adopted core banking solutions:

Provided also that in case of payee being a senior citizen, the provisions of sub-clause (a), sub-clause (b), and sub-clause (c) shall have effect as if for the words "forty thousand rupees", the words "fifty thousand rupees" had been substituted.

Explanation.—[***]

  (ii) [***]

 (iii) to such income credited or paid to—

  (a) any banking company to which the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949), applies, or any co-operative society engaged in carrying on the business of banking (including a co-operative land mortgage bank), or

  (b) any financial corporation established by or under a Central, State or Provincial Act, or

  (c) the Life Insurance Corporation of India established under the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 (31 of 1956), or

  (d) the Unit Trust of India established under the Unit Trust of India Act, 1963 (52 of 1963)*, or

  (e) any company or co-operative society carrying on the business of insurance, or

  (f) such other institution, association or body or class of institutions, associations or bodies which the Central Government may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, notify in this behalf in the Official Gazette:

Provided that no notification under this sub-clause shall be issued on or after the 1st day of April, 2020;

 (iv) to such income credited or paid by a firm to a partner of the firm;

 (v) to such income credited or paid by a co-operative society (other than a co-operative bank) to a member thereof or to such income credited or paid by a co-operative society to any other co-operative society.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, "co-operative bank" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in Part V of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949);

 (vi) to such income credited or paid in respect of deposits under any scheme framed by the Central Government and notified by it in this behalf in the Official Gazette;

(vii) to such income credited or paid in respect of deposits (other than time deposits made on or after the 1st day of July, 1995) with a banking company to which the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) applies (including any bank or banking institution referred to in section 51 of that Act);

(viia) to such income credited or paid in respect of,—

  (a) deposits with a primary agricultural credit society or a primary credit society or a co-operative land mortgage bank or a co-operative land development bank;

  (b) deposits (other than time deposits made on or after the 1st day of July, 1995) with a co-operative society, other than a co-operative society or bank referred to in sub-clause (a), engaged in carrying on the business of banking;

(viii) to such income credited or paid by the Central Government under any provision of this Act or the Indian Income-tax Act, 1922 (11 of 1922), or the Estate Duty Act, 1953 (34 of 1953), or the Wealth-tax Act, 1957 (27 of 1957), or the Gift-tax Act, 1958 (18 of 1958), or the Super Profits Tax Act, 1963 (14 of 1963), or the Companies (Profits) Surtax Act, 1964 (7 of 1964), or the Interest-tax Act, 1974 (45 of 1974);

(ix) to such income credited by way of interest on the compensation amount awarded by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal;

(ixa) to such income paid by way of interest on the compensation amount awarded by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal where the amount of such income or, as the case may be, the aggregate of the amounts of such income paid during the financial year does not exceed fifty thousand rupees;

 (x) to such income which is paid or payable by an infrastructure capital company or infrastructure capital fund or ^10a[infrastructure debt fund or] a public sector company or scheduled bank in relation to a zero coupon bond issued on or after the 1st day of June, 2005 by such company or fund or public sector company or scheduled bank;

 (xi) to any income by way of interest referred to in clause (23FC) of section 10:

Provided that a co-operative society referred to in clause (v) or clause (viia) shall be liable to deduct income-tax in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1), if—

 (a) the total sales, gross receipts or turnover of the co-operative society exceeds fifty crore rupees during the financial year immediately preceding the financial year in which the interest referred to in sub-section (1) is credited or paid; and

 (b) the amount of interest, or the aggregate of the amounts of such interest, credited or paid, or is likely to be credited or paid, during the financial year is more than fifty thousand rupees in case of payee being a senior citizen and forty thousand rupees in any other case.

Explanation 1.—For the purposes of clauses (i), (vii) and (viia), "time deposits" means deposits (including recurring deposits) repayable on the expiry of fixed periods.

Explanation 2.—For the purposes of this sub-section, "senior citizen" means an individual resident in India who is of the age of sixty years or more at any time during the relevant previous year.

(4) The person responsible for making the payment referred to in sub-section (1) may, at the time of making any deduction, increase or reduce the amount to be deducted under this section for the purpose of adjusting any excess or deficiency arising out of any previous deduction or failure to deduct during the financial year.

(5) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, provide that the deduction of tax shall not be made or shall be made at such lower rate, from such payment to such person or class of persons, as may be specified in the said notification.

Explanation.—[Omitted by the Finance Act, 1992, w.e.f. 1-6-1992.]

Payments to contractors.

194C. (1) Any person responsible for paying any sum to any resident (hereafter in this section referred to as the contractor) for carrying out any work (including supply of labour for carrying out any work) in pursuance of a contract between the contractor and a specified person shall, at the time of credit of such sum to the account of the contractor or at the time of payment thereof in cash or by issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier, deduct an amount equal to—

 (i) one per cent where the payment is being made or credit is being given to an individual or a Hindu undivided family;

 (ii) two per cent where the payment is being made or credit is being given to a person other than an individual or a Hindu undivided family,

of such sum as income-tax on income comprised therein.

(2) Where any sum referred to in sub-section (1) is credited to any account, whether called "Suspense account" or by any other name, in the books of account of the person liable to pay such income, such crediting shall be deemed to be credit of such income to the account of the payee and the provisions of this section shall apply accordingly.

(3) Where any sum is paid or credited for carrying out any work mentioned in sub-clause (e) of clause (iv) of the Explanation, tax shall be deducted at source—

 (i) on the invoice value excluding the value of material, if such value is mentioned separately in the invoice; or

(ii) on the whole of the invoice value, if the value of material is not mentioned separately in the invoice.

(4) No individual or Hindu undivided family shall be liable to deduct income-tax on the sum credited or paid to the account of the contractor where such sum is credited or paid exclusively for personal purposes of such individual or any member of Hindu undivided family.

(5) No deduction shall be made from the amount of any sum credited or paid or likely to be credited or paid to the account of, or to, the contractor, if such sum does not exceed thirty thousand rupees :

Provided that where the aggregate of the amounts of such sums credited or paid or likely to be credited or paid during the financial year exceeds one lakh rupees, the person responsible for paying such sums referred to in sub-section (1) shall be liable to deduct income-tax under this section.

(6) No deduction shall be made from any sum credited or paid or likely to be credited or paid during the previous year to the account of a contractor during the course of business of plying, hiring or leasing goods carriages, where such contractor owns ten or less goods carriages at any time during the previous year and furnishes a declaration to that effect along with his Permanent Account Number, to the person paying or crediting such sum.

(7) The person responsible for paying or crediting any sum to the person referred to in sub-section (6) shall furnish, to the prescribed income-tax authority or the person authorised by it, such particulars, in such form and within such time as may be prescribed.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—

  (i) "specified person" shall mean,—

  (a) the Central Government or any State Government; or

  (b) any local authority; or

  (c) any corporation established by or under a Central, State or Provincial Act; or

  (d) any company; or

  (e) any co-operative society; or

  (f) any authority, constituted in India by or under any law, engaged either for the purpose of dealing with and satisfying the need for housing accommodation or for the purpose of planning, development or improvement of cities, towns and villages, or for both; or

  (g) any society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860) or under any law corresponding to that Act in force in any part of India; or

  (h) any trust; or

  (i) any university established or incorporated by or under a Central, State or Provincial Act and an institution declared to be a university under section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956 (3 of 1956); or

  (j) any Government of a foreign State or a foreign enterprise or any association or body established outside India; or

  (k) any firm; or

  (l) any person, being an individual or a Hindu undivided family or an association of persons or a body of individuals, if such person,—

 (A) does not fall under any of the preceding sub-clauses; and

 (B) has total sales, gross receipts or turnover from business or profession carried on by him exceeding one crore rupees in case of business or fifty lakh rupees in case of profession during the financial year immediately preceding the financial year in which such sum is credited or paid to the account of the contractor;

 (ii) "goods carriage" shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Explanation to sub-section (7) of section 44AE;

(iii) "contract" shall include sub-contract;

(iv) "work" shall include—

  (a) advertising;

  (b) broadcasting and telecasting including production of programmes for such broadcasting or telecasting;

  (c) carriage of goods or passengers by any mode of transport other than by railways;

  (d) catering;

  (e) manufacturing or supplying a product according to the requirement or specification of a customer by using material purchased from such customer or its associate, being a person placed similarly in relation to such customer as is the person placed in relation to the assessee under the provisions contained in clause (b) of sub-section (2) of section 40A,

but does not include manufacturing or supplying a product according to the requirement or specification of a customer by using material purchased from a person, other than such customer or associate of such customer.

Insurance commission.

194D. ¹⁷Any person responsible for paying to a resident any income by way of remuneration or reward, whether by way of commission or otherwise, for soliciting or procuring insurance business (including business relating to the continuance, renewal or revival of policies of insurance) shall, at the time of credit of such income to the account of the payee or at the time of payment thereof in cash or by issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier, deduct income-tax thereon at the rates in force :

Provided that no deduction shall be made under this section from any such income credited or paid before the 1st day of June, 1973:

Provided further that no deduction shall be made under this section in a case where the amount of such income or, as the case may be, the aggregate of the amounts of such income credited or paid or likely to be credited or paid during the financial year to the account of, or to, the payee, does not exceed fifteen thousand rupees.

Other sums.

195. (1) ⁵²Any person responsible for paying to a non-resident, not being a company, or to a foreign company, any interest (not being interest referred to in section 194LB or section 194LC) or section 194LD or any other sum chargeable under the provisions of this Act (not being income chargeable under the head "Salaries" ) shall, at the time of credit of such income to the account of the payee or at the time of payment thereof in cash or by the issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier, deduct income-tax thereon at the rates in force:

Provided that in the case of interest payable by the Government or a public sector bank within the meaning of clause (23D) of section 10 or a public financial institution within the meaning of that clause, deduction of tax shall be made only at the time of payment thereof in cash or by the issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode.

Explanation 1.—For the purposes of this section, where any interest or other sum as aforesaid is credited to any account, whether called "Interest payable account" or "Suspense account" or by any other name, in the books of account of the person liable to pay such income, such crediting shall be deemed to be credit of such income to the account of the payee and the provisions of this section shall apply accordingly.

Explanation 2.—For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that the obligation to comply with sub-section (1) and to make deduction thereunder applies and shall be deemed to have always applied and extends and shall be deemed to have always extended to all persons, resident or non-resident, whether or not the non-resident person has—

(i) a residence or place of business or business connection in India; or

(ii) any other presence in any manner whatsoever in India.

(2) Where the person responsible for paying any such sum chargeable under this Act (other than salary) to a non-resident considers that the whole of such sum would not be income chargeable in the case of the recipient, he may make an application in such form and manner to the Assessing Officer, to determine in such manner, as may be prescribed, the appropriate proportion of such sum so chargeable, and upon such determination, tax shall be deducted under sub-section (1) only on that proportion of the sum which is so chargeable.

(3) Subject to rules⁵³ made under sub-section (5), any person entitled to receive any interest or other sum on which income-tax has to be deducted under sub-section (1) may make an application in the prescribed form to the Assessing Officer for the grant of a certificate authorising him to receive such interest or other sum without deduction of tax under that sub-section, and where any such certificate is granted, every person responsible for paying such interest or other sum to the person to whom such certificate is granted shall, so long as the certificate is in force, make payment of such interest or other sum without deducting tax thereon under sub-section (1).

(4) A certificate granted under sub-section (3) shall remain in force till the expiry of the period specified therein or, if it is cancelled by the Assessing Officer before the expiry of such period, till such cancellation.

(5) The Board may, having regard to the convenience of assessees and the interests of revenue, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules specifying the cases in which, and the circumstances under which, an application may be made for the grant of a certificate under sub-section (3) and the conditions subject to which such certificate may be granted and providing for all other matters connected therewith.

(6) The person responsible for paying to a non-resident, not being a company, or to a foreign company, any sum, whether or not chargeable under the provisions of this Act, shall furnish the information relating to payment of such sum, in such form and manner, as may be prescribed. ⁵⁴

(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) and sub-section (2), the Board may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify a class of persons or cases, where the person responsible for paying to a non-resident, not being a company, or to a foreign company, any sum, whether or not chargeable under the provisions of this Act, shall make an application in such form and manner to the Assessing Officer, to determine in such manner, as may be prescribed, the appropriate proportion of sum chargeable, and upon such determination, tax shall be deducted under sub-section (1) on that proportion of the sum which is so chargeable.

Income in respect of units of non-residents.⁵⁵

196A. (1) Any person responsible for paying to a non-resident, not being a company, or to a foreign company, any income in respect of units of a Mutual Fund specified under clause (23D) of section 10 or from the specified company referred to in the Explanation to clause (35) of section 10 shall, at the time of credit of such income to the account of the payee or at the time of payment thereof by any mode, whichever is earlier, deduct income-tax thereon at the rate of twenty per cent:

⁵⁶[Provided that where an agreement referred to in sub-section (1) of section 90 or sub-section (1) of section 90A applies to the payee and if the payee has furnished a certificate referred to in sub-section (4) of section 90 or sub-section (4) of section 90A, as the case may be, then, income-tax thereon shall be deducted at the rate of twenty per cent or at the rate or rates of income-tax provided in such agreement for such income, whichever is lower.]

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), no deduction of tax shall be made from any income payable in respect of units of the Unit Trust of India to a non-resident Indian or a non-resident Hindu undivided family, where the units have been acquired from the Unit Trust of India out of the funds in a Non-resident (External) Account maintained with any bank in India or by remittance of funds in foreign currency, in accordance, in either case, with the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999), and the rules made thereunder.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section—

(a) "foreign currency" shall have the meaning assigned to it in the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999);

(b) "non-resident Indian" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (e) of section 115C;

(c) "Unit Trust of India" means the Unit Trust of India established under the Unit Trust of India Act, 1963 (52 of 1963);

(d) where any income as aforesaid is credited to any account, whether called "Suspense account" or by any other name, in the books of account of the person liable to pay such income, such crediting shall be deemed to be credit of such income to the account of the payee and the provisions of this section shall apply accordingly.

³Interest payable by assessee in case of under-estimate, etc.

216. Where, on making the regular assessment, the Assessing Officer finds that any assessee has—

(a) under section 209A or section 212 under-estimated the advance tax payable by him and thereby reduced the amount payable in either of the first two instalments; or

(b) under section 213 wrongly deferred the payment of advance tax on a part of his income;

he may direct that the assessee shall pay simple interest at fifteen per cent per annum—

(i) in the case referred to in clause (a), for the period during which the payment was deficient, on the difference between the amount paid in each such instalment and the amount which should have been paid, having regard to the aggregate advance tax actually paid during the year; and

(ii) in the case referred to in clause (b), for the period during which the payment of advance tax was so deferred.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, any instalment due before the expiry of six months from the commencement of the previous year in respect of which it is to be paid shall be deemed to have become due fifteen days after the expiry of the said six months.

Interest payable by assessee when no estimate made.

⁴217. (1) Where, on making the regular assessment, the Assessing Officer finds—

(a) that any such person as is referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A has not sent the statement referred to in that clause or the estimate in lieu of such statement referred to in sub-section (2) of that section; or

(b) that any such person as is referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 209A has not sent the estimate referred to in that clause,

simple interest at the rate of fifteen per cent per annum from the 1st day of April next following the financial year in which the advance tax was payable in accordance with the said sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) up to the date of the regular assessment shall be payable by the assessee upon the amount equal to the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215.

(1A) Where, on making the regular assessment, the Assessing Officer finds that any person who is required to send an estimate under sub-section (4) of section 209A or any such person as is referred to in sub-section (3A) of section 212 has not sent the estimate referred to therein, simple interest at the rate of fifteen per cent per annum from the 1st day of April next following the financial year in which the advance tax was payable in accordance with the said sub-section (4) or, as the case may be, sub-section (3A) up to the date of the regular assessment shall be payable by the assessee upon the amount by which the advance tax paid by him falls short of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215.

(2) The provisions of sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) of section 215 shall apply to interest payable under this section as they apply to interest payable under that section.

False estimate of, or failure to pay, advance tax.

273. (1) If the Assessing Officer, in the course of any proceedings in connection with the regular assessment for any assessment year, is satisfied that any assessee—

(a) has furnished under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A a statement of the advance tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe to be untrue, or

(b) has failed to furnish a statement of the advance tax payable by him in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A,

he may direct that such person shall, in addition to the amount of tax, if any, payable by him, pay by way of penalty a sum—

(i)  which, in the case referred to in clause (a), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which the tax actually paid during the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year under the provisions of Chapter XVII-C falls short of—

 (1)  seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215, or

 (2)  the amount which would have been payable by way of advance tax if the assessee had furnished a correct and complete statement in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A,

whichever is less;

(ii) which, in the case referred to in clause (b), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215:

Provided that in the case of an assessee, being a company, the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words "seventy-five per cent", at both the places where they occur, the words "eighty-three and one-third per cent" had been substituted.

(2) If the Assessing Officer, in the course of any proceedings in connection with the regular assessment for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1970, or any subsequent assessment year, is satisfied that any assessee—

(a)  has furnished under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (5) of section 209A, or under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of section 212, an estimate of the advance tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe to be untrue, or

(aa) has furnished under sub-section (4) of section 209A or under sub-section (3A) of section 212 an estimate of the advance tax payable by him which he knew or had reason to believe to be untrue, or

(b)  has failed to furnish an estimate of the advance tax payable by him in accordance with the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 209A, or

(c)  has failed to furnish an estimate of the advance tax payable by him in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 209A or sub-section (3A) of section 212,

he may direct that such person shall, in addition to the amount of tax, if any, payable by him, pay by way of penalty a sum—

(i)  which, in the case referred to in clause (a), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which the tax actually paid during the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year under the provisions of Chapter XVII-C falls short of—

(1)  seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215, or

(2)  where a statement under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 209A was furnished by the assessee or where a notice under section 210 was issued to the assessee, the amount payable under such statement or, as the case may be, such notice,

whichever is less;

(ia) which, in the case referred to in clause (aa), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which the tax actually paid during the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year under the provisions of Chapter XVII-C falls short of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215;

(ii)  which, in the case referred to in clause (b), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215; and

(iii) which, in the case referred to in clause (c), shall not be less than ten per cent but shall not exceed one and a half times the amount by which—

(a)  where the assessee has sent a statement under clause (a), or an estimate under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 209A, or an estimate in lieu of a statement under sub-section (2) of that section, the tax payable in accordance with such statement or estimate; or

(b)  where the assessee was required to pay advance tax in accordance with the notice issued to him under section 210, the tax payable under such notice,

falls short of seventy-five per cent of the assessed tax as defined in sub-section (5) of section 215:

Provided that in the case of an assessee, being a company, the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words "seventy-five per cent", wherever they occur, the words "eighty-three and one-third per cent" had been substituted.

Explanation 1.—For the purposes of clause (ia), the amount paid by the assessee on or before the date extended by the Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner or Principal Commissioner or Commissioner under the first proviso to sub-section (4) of section 209A or, as the case may be, first proviso to sub-section (3A) of section 212 shall, where the date so extended falls beyond the financial year immediately preceding the assessment year, also be regarded as tax actually paid during that financial year.

Explanation 2.—When the person liable to penalty is a registered firm or an unregistered firm which has been assessed under clause (b) of section 183, then, notwithstanding anything contained in the other provisions of this Act, the penalty imposable under this section shall be the same amount as would be imposable on that firm if that firm were an unregistered firm.

(3) The provisions of this section shall apply to and in relation to any assessment for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1988, or any earlier assessment year, and references in this section to the other provisions of this Act shall be construed as references to those provisions as for the time being in force and applicable to the relevant assessment year.