Download - Basics of income tax assessments and appeals
PRESENTED AT THE
COURSE FOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS
ORGANISED BY BOMBAY CHARTERED
ACCOUNTANTS’ SOCIETY
Basics of Income-tax Assessments
Procedures, Appeals & Revision
29th November, 2013
CA Ameet N. Patel
TIME FOR FILING RETURN OF INCOME [SEC.
139 (1)]
Different Situations Due Date for filing Return
1. Where the assessee is a company
i. Required to file a Transfer Pricing report under section 92E
30th November
ii. In any other case
30th September
2. Where the assessee is person other than a company –
i. In case where accounts of the assessee are required to be audited under any law
30th September
ii. Where the assessee is “working partner” in a firm whose accounts are required to be audited under any law
30th September
iii. In any other case 31st July
FILING OF RETURNS - STEPS
Compute income for each Source of Income
Aggregate the income from various sources under the respective Heads of Income
Arrive at the Gross Total Income
Claim the Deductions available
Arrive at the Total Income
FILING OF RETURNS - STEPS
Compute the Tax payable on the Total Income
Reduce the Rebates, if any from the tax payable
Add Surcharge as applicable to the tax
Add the Education Cess to the figure of tax plus surcharge
Arrive at the Gross Tax Liability
FILING OF RETURNS - STEPS
From the Gross Tax payable, reduce the TDS
Arrive at the Net Tax Payable or the Refund due as the case may be
If the net tax payable is equal to or more than Rs. 10,000 then Advance Tax is payable
Advance tax is payable in 3 installments (4 in case of companies) during the previous year itself
FILING OF RETURNS - STEPS
If there is a shortfall in payment of advance tax then calculate Interest u/s. 234B and/or 234C
If the return is filed late then calculate Interest u/s. 234A
From the net tax payable, reduce the Advance Tax
Add the Interest to the balance amount to arrive at the Self Assessment Tax Payable / Net Refund Due
FILING OF RETURNS - STEPS
Pay the Self Assessment Tax
File the Return physically or upload the return
electronically.
ADVANCE TAX [SECTION 211]
Advance tax is payable in 3 Instalments
(4 in case of Companies)
Payable on 15th June
15th September
15th December and
15th March
Where first installment of 15th June is payable only if the assessee is a company.
SELF ASSESSMENT TAX [SECTION 140A]
When on computation of income for the year for the
purpose of filing the return of income it is found that
some tax remains payable even after adjustment of
advance tax along with deducted/collected at source,
such balance tax along with interest thereon is
required to be paid as self-assessment tax before filing
the returns of income.
From A.Y 2013-14, any return uploaded without paying
the Self-assessment tax would not be accepted by the
Income-tax department and considered defective.
RETURN OF INCOME [SECTION 139]
Normal Return
Belated Return
Revised Return
Loss Return
Defective Return
NORMAL RETURN
Who is required to file return of income
Company or a firm – mandatory requirement
Others – total income exceeds basic threshold limit (i.e. INR 2,00,000 for A.Y. 2013-14)
Any person who is otherwise not required to furnish return of income will be required to file a return if he has any asset located outside India or has signing authority in any account located outside India.
BELATED RETURN
Any person who has not furnished a
return
within the time allowed u/s 139(1) or
Within the time allowed under a notice issued u/s
142(1),
but filed before the end of one year from the
relevant assessment year or the completion of
the assessment, whichever is earlier
REVISED RETURN
Can be filed if the assessee discovers an omission
or wrong statement
Replaces the original return
Can be filed before the end of one year from the
relevant assessment year or the completion of the
assessment, whichever is earlier
Can be revised further
Belated return cannot be revised
LOSS RETURN
Return must be filed within the prescribed time limits
If not filed, no carry forward of loss, however carry
forward of loss under House property head, unabsorbed
depreciation & unabsorbed family planning expenses are
permissible
DEFECTIVE RETURN Incomplete return
Assessee may be given an opportunity to rectify the defect
If the defect not rectified, the return treated as invalid.
Return defective if:
columns of return not filled or annexures not attached;
computation of income tax not attached;
proof of tax deposited is not produced within the period of two years,
Non furnishing of tax audit report; etc
Self-assessment tax is not paid (from A.Y 2013-14)
RETURN IS FILED – WHAT NEXT?
Either a summary assessment (Section 143(1))
and/or
A regular (scrutiny) assessment (Section 143(3))
SUMMARY ASSESSMENT [SEC.
143(1)
To be issued only if there is a demand or a refund due.
If no demand/refund then Acknowledgement is deemed to be the intimation
Time limit – the end of one year from the relevant assessment year or the completion of the assessment, whichever is earlier
SCRUTINY ASSESSEMENT [SEC.
143 (2)/(3)]
Time limit for issuing notice
Time limit for completing the scrutiny
Type of questions that are being asked
REFUNDS [SECTION 237]
A claim for refund shall be claimed in Form No. 30
Adjustment of refund against demand for another
year (Section 245)
INTEREST [SECTION 234A TO SECTION
234D]
For Defaults in furnishing return of income
[SECTION 234A]
For Failure to Deduct and pay tax at source
[SECTION 201(1A)]
Interest for Default in payment of Advance Tax
[SECTION 234B]
INTEREST [SECTION 234A TO SECTION
234D]
For Deferment of Advance Tax [SECTION 234C]
Corporate Assessee [SECTION 234C(1)(a)]
Non Corporate Assessee [SECTION 234C(1)(c)]
Short payment of Advance Tax in case of Capital
Gains/Casual Income [First Proviso to SECTION 234C(1)]
INTEREST [SECTION 234A TO SECTION
234D]
Interest on Excess Refund [SECTION 234D]
For Making Late Payment of Income tax
[SECTION 220(2)]
Interest Payable to Assessee
[SECTION 244A]
RECTIFICATION OF MISTAKES
An income-tax authority may with a view to rectifying any mistake apparent from the record:
amend any order passed by it
amend any intimation or deemed intimation under section 143(1) and section 200A.
Rectification may also be made on application by the assessee
Orders cannot be rectified after expiry of 4 years from the end of the financial year in which order sought to be amended was passed
On rectification plea by assessee – Amendment / refusal order to be passed within 6 months from the end of the month in which the application is received by the income-tax authority
RECTIFICATION OF MISTAKES
Mistake
Obvious and patent
Self evident and reached without debate
Fresh determination of facts should not be required
Misreading of a clear provision of law/ applying an inapplicable provision/ overlooking mandatory provision
Statutory interpretation should not be involved
Record
Includes all materials/ documents available at the time of passing the order of assessment
Fresh documents/ materials not recorded at the time of passing the order cannot be considered
Record of any period can be considered
RECTIFICATION OF MISTAKES
Examples of mistakes apparent from record
which can be rectified
Error of law or fact
Clerical or arithmetical error
Error in determination of written down value
Overlooking the obligatory provisions of the legislature
Mistakes arising out of retrospective amendment of law
REVISION OF ORDERS BY
COMMISSION U/S 263
Pre-requisites
Prejudicial to interests of Revenue
Erroneous order
Record shall include and shall be deemed always to have included all records available at the time of examination by the Commissioner
Revised order should be passed before the expiry of 2 years from the end of the financial year in which order sought to be revised was passed
Opportunity of being heard should be given to the assessee before passing an order under section 263
Powers of Commissioner – Enhance, modify or cancel the assessment and direct a fresh assessment
Appeal can be filed to the Appellate Tribunal against the order under section 263
REVISION OF ORDERS BY
COMMISSION U/S 264
Revision of orders, on own motion of Commissioner or on application by the assessee
Revision of order on own motion by the Commissioner, to be passed within one year from date of order sought to be revised
Application by assessee should be made within 1 year from date on which the order in question was communicated or date on which assessee came to know of order, whichever is earlier
Order to be passed within 1 year from end of financial year in which application is made by assessee for revision
Pre-requisite – Assessee to waive right of appeal
Where appeal against the order has been filed – no revision possible
APPEALS TO COMMISSIONERS (APPEALS)
Appealable orders (Illustrative):
Scrutiny assessment order
Best Judgment assessment order
Reassessment order
Rectification order enhancing assessee’s liability
Appeal against intimation passed under section 200A
Tonnage tax order
Appeal to CIT(A) within 30 days of
Date of payment of tax, where appeal is in respect of TDS under section 195
Date of service of notice of demand relating to assessment or penalty
Date on which intimation of order sought to be appealed against is served
APPEALS TO COMMISSIONERS (APPEALS)
Time extended if sufficient cause proven
Appeal to be filed in prescribed form and manner
CIT(A) fixes a day and place for hearing the appeal, and notice of the
same is given to the appellant and the assessing officer whose order
is being appealed against
During the course of the hearing, CIT(A) may entertain additional
ground/evidence raised by the appellant in seeking modification of
the assessment order passed by the assessing officer
CIT(A)’s order disposing of the appeal is in writing and states
decision and reasons supporting the same
CIT(A) has powers to confirm, reduce, enhance or annul the
assessment
Where possible, CIT(A) to dispose within 1 year from the end of the financial year in which appeal was filed
APPEALS TO TRIBUNAL
Should be filed within 60 days of the date on which the order sought to be appealed against is communicated
Memorandum of cross-objections – within 30 days of receipt of notice that an appeal has been preferred to the ITAT
Time extended if sufficient cause proven
To be filed in prescribed form and manner
Additional ground/ evidence can be raised for the first time before the ITAT. In such a case opportunity of being heard should be given to the assessing officer
After hearing both parties, the ITAT passes an order as it thinks fit and communicates the same to the assessee and the Commissioner
Where possible, ITAT to dispose within 4 years from the end of the financial year in which appeal was filed
In case order of stay is made, appeal to be disposed within 180 days of stay order; else, stay stands vacate
APPEALS TO TRIBUNAL
Mistakes apparent from record – Order of ITAT can
be amended within 4 years from date of ITAT order
[Section 254(2)] if it is brought to the notice by the
assessee or the assessing officer
Final fact finding authority
Binding nature
APPEALS TO HIGH COURT
Right exercisable u/s 260A
Preferred against ITAT’s order
Only for a case involving a “substantial question of
law”
Should be filled within 120 days of receipt of ITAT’s
order
Can also be filed by the Tax department
Rules framed for court proceedings and conduct
has to be observed
APPEALS TO SUPREME COURT
Right exercisable u/s 261.
Preferred against High Court’s order
Only for a case involving a “substantial question
of law”
Should be filled within 60 days of receipt of
High Court’s order
Can also be filed by the Tax department
Rules framed for court proceedings and
conduct has to be observed