All You Wanted to Know About Income Declaration Scheme 2016
Vimal Punmiya 29 June 2016
Keen to unearth black money, the Indian government has unveiled a new scheme for domestic taxpayers in a limited period compliance window to declare their undisclosed income whether in the form of investment in assets in India or otherwise, and clear up their past tax transgressions. Such people would have to pay a tax of 45%, including 30% basic tax, 7.5% as Krishi Kalyan Cess and 7.5% of the undisclosed income as penalty.
 
The Income Declaration Scheme, 2016 (the Scheme) has been introduced as Chapter IX of the Finance Act, 2016. The Scheme is effective from 1st June to 30 September 2016. 
 
Here are answers to some questions that a taxpayer may have about the scheme
 
Question: Where an undisclosed income in the form of investment in asset is declared under the Scheme and tax, surcharge and penalty is paid on the fair market value of the asset as on 1 June 2016, then will the declarant be liable for capital gains on sale of such asset in the future? If yes, then how will the capital gains in such case be computed?
Answer: Yes, the declarant will be liable for capital gains under the Income-tax Act on sale of such asset in future. As per the current provisions of the Income-tax Act, the capital gains is computed by deducting cost of acquisition from the sale price. However, since the asset will be taxed at its fair market value the cost of acquisition for the purpose of Capital Gains shall be the fair market value as on 01.06.2016 and the period of holding shall start from the said date (i.e. the date of determination of fair market value for the purposes of the Scheme).
 
Question: Where a notice under section 142(1)/ 143(2)/ 148/ 153A/ 153C of the Income-Tax Act has been issued to a person for an assessment year will he be ineligible from making a declaration under the Scheme?
Answer: The person will only be ineligible from declaration for those assessment years for which a notice under section 142(1)/143(2)/148/153A/153C is issued and the proceeding is pending before the Assessing Officer. He is free to declare undisclosed income for other years for which no notice under above referred sections has been issued.
 
Question: As per the Scheme, declaration cannot be made where an undisclosed asset has been acquired during any previous year relevant to an assessment year for which a notice under section 142, 143(2), 148, 153A or 153C of the Income-Tax Act has been issued. If the notice has been issued but not served on the declarant then how will he come to know whether the notice has been issued?
Answer: The declarant will not be eligible for declaration under the Scheme where the undisclosed income relates to the assessment year where a notice under section 142, 143(2), 148, 153A or 153C of the Income-tax Act has been issued and served on the declarant on or before 31 May 2016. The declarant is required to file a declaration regarding receipt of any such notice in Form-1.
 
Question: In a case where the undisclosed income is represented in the form of investment in asset and such asset is partly from income that has been assessed to tax earlier, then what shall be the method of computation of undisclosed income represented by such undisclosed asset for the purposes of the Scheme?
Answer: As per sub-rule (2) of rule 3 of the Income Declaration Scheme Rules, 2016, where investment in any asset is partly from an income which has been assessed to tax, the undisclosed income represented in form of such asset will be the fair market value of the asset determined in accordance with sub-rule (1) of rule 3 as reduced by an amount which bears to the value of the asset as on the 1.6.2016, the same proportion as the assessed income bears to the total cost of the asset. This is illustrated by an example as under:
Investment in acquisition of asset in previous year 2013-14 is of Rs500 out of which Rs200 relates to income assessed to tax in AY2012-13 and Rs300 is from undisclosed income pertaining to previous year 2013-14. The fair market value of the asset as on 1June 2016 is Rs1,500.
The undisclosed income represented by this asset under the scheme shall be:
1,500 minus (1,500 X 200/500) = 900
 
Question: Can a declaration be made of undisclosed income which has been assessed to tax and the case is pending before an Appellate Authority?
Answer: As per section 189 of the Finance Act, 2016, the declarant is not entitled to re-open any assessment or reassessment made under the Income-Tax Act. Therefore, he is not entitled to avail the tax compliance in respect of such income. However, he can declare other undisclosed income for the said assessment year, which has not been assessed under the Income-tax Act.
 
Question: Can a person against whom a search/ survey operation has been initiated file declaration under the Scheme?
Answer: 
 
(a) The person is not eligible to make a declaration under the Scheme if a search has been initiated and the time for issuance of notice under section 153A has not expired, even if such notice for the relevant assessment year has not been issued. In this case, however, the person is eligible to file a declaration in respect of an undisclosed income in relation to an assessment year, which is prior to assessment years relevant for the purpose of notice under section 153A.
 
(b) In case of survey operation, the person is barred from making a declaration under the Scheme in respect of an undisclosed income in which the survey was conducted. The person is, however, eligible to make a declaration in respect of an undisclosed income of any other previous year.
 
Question: Where a search/ survey operation was conducted and the assessment has been completed but certain income was neither disclosed nor assessed, then whether such unassessed income can be declared under the Scheme?
Answer: Yes, such undisclosed income can be declared under the Scheme.
 
Question: What are the consequences if no declaration under the Scheme is made in respect of undisclosed income prior to the commencement of the Scheme?
Answer: As per section 197(c) of the Finance Act, 2016, where any income has accrued or arisen or received or any asset has been acquired out of such income prior to the commencement of the Scheme and no declaration is made under the Scheme, then such income shall be deemed to have been accrued, arisen or received or the value of the asset acquired out of such income shall be deemed to have been acquired in the year in which a notice under section 142/143(2)/148/153A/153C is issued by the Assessing Officer and the provisions of the Income-tax Act shall apply accordingly.
 
Question: If a declaration of undisclosed income is made under the Scheme and the same was found ineligible due to the reasons listed in section 196 of the Finance Act, 2016, then will the person be liable for consequences under section 197(c) of the Finance Act, 2016?
Answer: In respect of such undisclosed income which has been duly declared in good faith but not found eligible, then such income shall not be hit by section 197(c) of the Finance Act, 2016. However, such undisclosed income may be assessed under the normal provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
 
Question: If a person declares only a part of his undisclosed income under the Scheme, then will he get immunity under the Scheme in respect of the part income declared?
Answer: It is expected that one should declare all his undisclosed income. However, in such a case the person will get immunity as per the provisions of the Scheme in respect of the undisclosed income declared under the Scheme and no immunity will be available in respect of the undisclosed income, which is not declared.
 
Question: Can a person declare under the Scheme his undisclosed income which has been acquired from money earned through corruption?
Answer: No. As per section 196(b) of the Finance Act, 2016, the Scheme shall not apply, inter-alia, in relation to prosecution of any offence punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Therefore, declaration of such undisclosed income cannot be made under the Scheme. However, if such a declaration is made and in an event it is found that the income represented money earned through corruption it would amount to misrepresentation of facts and the declaration shall be void under section 193 of the Finance Act, 2016. If a declaration is held as void, the provisions of the Income-tax Act shall apply in respect of such income as they apply in relation to any other undisclosed income.
 
Question: Whether at the time of declaration under the Scheme, will the Principal Commissioner/ Commissioner do any enquiry in respect of the declaration made?
Answer: After the declaration is made the Principal Commissioner/ Commissioner will enquire whether any proceeding under section 142(1)/143(2)/148/153A/153C is pending for the assessment year for which declaration has been made. Apart from this no other enquiry will be conducted by him at the time of declaration.
 
Question: Will the declarations made under the Scheme be kept confidential?
Answer: The Scheme incorporates the provisions of section 138 of the Income-tax Act relating to disclosure of information in respect of assessees. Therefore, the information in respect of declaration made is confidential as in the case of return of income filed by assessees.
 
Question: Is it necessary to file a valuation report of an undisclosed income represented in the form of investment in asset along with the declaration under the Scheme?
Answer: It is not mandatory to file the valuation report of the undisclosed income represented in the form of investment in asset along with the declaration. However, the declarant should have the valuation report. While e-filing the declaration on the departmental website a facility for uploading the documents will be available.
 
 
(CA Vimal Punmiya is the Proprietor of Vimal Punmiya & Co and has been in this profession for more than 37 years. He has written a number of books on subjects like transfer of flats, stamp duty, registration, and capital gains.)
 

 

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