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Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Enlistment of agencies authorized to issue Certificate of Origin – Non-Preferential

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PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 37 (RE 2012)/2009-2014
NEW DELHI, DATED THE 17th DECEMBER, 2012
Subject: – Enlistment of agencies authorized to issue Certificate of Origin – Non-Preferential.
In exercise of powers conferred under paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2009-2014, the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby authorizes the following two agencies to issue Certificate of Origin – Non Preferential:
(i) Centre for Development of Stones (CDOS),
SP-8, Sitapura Industrial Area,
Phase (IV), Jaipur (Rajasthan)- 302022
Tel: + 91-141-5122609 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting + 91-141-5122609 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting , 5185054
Fax: + 91-141-5122610
E-mail: info@cdos-india.com
Website: www.cdos-india.com
(ii) All India Chamber of Commerce & Industries,
84/2, South Raja Street,
Tuticorin-628001
Tel: 0461-2324495 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 0461-2324495 FREE end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Fax: 0461-2323395
E-mail: aicci82@gmail.com
2. Accordingly, names of the above agencies are added at Serial No. 5 (Rajasthan) and Serial No. 15 (Tamil Nadu) of Appendix 4C (List of Agencies Authorized to issue Certificate of Origin – Non-Preferential) of Handbook of Procedures Vol.I (Appendices & Aayat Niryat Forms), 2009-2014.
3. Effect of this Public Notice:
Two new agencies have been authorized for issuing Certificate of Origin-Non Preferential.

CENVAT Credit & Refund can be availed even without registration

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CESTAT, CHENNAI BENCH
Commissioner of Service Tax, Chennai
v.
Varizon Data Services (I) (P.) Ltd.
STAY ORDER NO. 369 OF 2012
FINAL ORDER NO. 517 OF 2012
ST/S/419/2011 & ST/654/2011
MAY 9, 2012
 
Insofar as requirement of registration with the department as a condition precedent for claiming Cenvat credit is concerned, learned counsel appearing for both parties were unable to point out any provision in the Cenvat Credit Rules which impose such restriction. In the absence of a statutory provision which prescribed that registration is mandatory and that if such a registration is not made the assessee is not entitled to the benefit of refund, the three authorities committed a serious error in rejecting the claim for refund on the ground which is not existence in law. Therefore, said finding recorded by the Tribunal as well as by the lower authorities cannot be sustained. Accordingly, it is set aside. 

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Non-CTS 2010 Standard cheques withdrawal time limit extended to to March 31, 2013

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RBI/2012-13/335
DPSS.CO.CHD.No.955/04.07.05/2012-13
December 14, 2012
Standardisation and Enhancement of Security Features in Cheque Forms-Migrating to CTS 2010 standards
A reference is invited to our circular DPSS.CO.CHD.No. 399/04.07.05/2012-13 dated September 3, 2012 advising all banks to arrange to issue only multi-city/payable at par CTS-2010 standard cheques not later than September 30, 2012 and to withdraw the non-CTS-2010 Standard cheques in circulation before December 31, 2012 by creating customer awareness. Further, banks holding post-dated EMI cheques (received either on their own behalf or on behalf of their NBFC clients) were advised to ensure the replacement of non-CTS-2010 Standard cheques with CTS-2010 standard cheques before December 31, 2012.
2. While most of the banks have confirmed that they are issuing only multi-city/payable at par CTS-2010 standard cheques at present, representations have been received from various stakeholders requesting for extension of the time beyond December 31, 2012 for withdrawal / replacement of non-CTS-2010 Standard cheques / post-dated EMI cheques with CTS-2010 standard cheques.
3. Taking into consideration these representations, it has been decided to extend the time up to March 31, 2013 for banks to ensure withdrawal of non-CTS 2010 Standard cheques and replace them with CTS-2010 Standard cheques. However, it may be noted that the residual non-CTS-2010 Standard cheques that get presented in the clearing system beyond this extended period will continue to be accepted for the clearing but will be cleared at less frequent intervals. The modalities, charges applicable if any, etc. are being discussed with stakeholders and a separate communication will follow in this regard.
4. The above instructions are issued under section 18 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
5. Please acknowledge receipt and ensure withdrawal of non-CTS-2010 Standard cheques within the extended target date indicated above.

Bank should not levy penalty on conversion of one Term deposit in other

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RBI /2012-13/334
RPCD.RRB.BC.No.52/03.05.33/2012-13
December 14, 2012
All Regional Rural Banks
Dear Sir/Madam
Conversion of Term Deposits, Daily Deposits or Recurring Deposits for Reinvestment in Term Deposits by Regional Rural Banks
As per extant instructions on Interest Rates on Deposits, RRBs on request from the depositor, should allow closure of a term deposit, a deposit in the form of daily deposit or recurring deposit, to enable the depositor to immediately reinvest the amount lying in the aforesaid deposits with the same bank in another term deposit. RRBs are required to pay interest in respect of such term deposit without reducing the interest by way of penalty provided that deposit remains with the bank after reinvestment for a period longer than the remaining period of the original contract.
2. On a review of the extant regulatory norms, and in order to facilitate better Asset Liability Management (ALM), it has been decided to permit banks to formulate their own policies towards conversion of deposits with immediate effect.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

XBRL filing due date extended to 15th January 2013

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General Circular No: 39/2012 , Dated 12.12.2012
Sub: Filing of Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) mode for the financial year commencing on or after 01.04.2011.
Sir,
In continuation of the Ministry’s General Circular Nos: 16/2012 dated 06.07.2012 and 34/2012 dated 25.10.2012 on the subject cited above, it is stated that the time limit to file the financial statements in the XBRL mode without any additional fee/penalty has been extended up to 15th January 2013 or within 30 days from the date of AGM of the company, whichever is later.
2. All other terms and conditions of the General Circular No: 16/2012 dated 06.07.2012 will remain the same.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Liaison Office (LO) / Branch Office (BO) in India by Foreign Entities – Reporting to Income Tax Authorities

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RBI/2012-13/311
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 55
November 26, 2012
To
All Authorised Dealers Category – I Banks
Madam / Sir,
Liaison Office (LO) / Branch Office (BO) in India by Foreign Entities – Reporting to Income Tax Authorities.
Attention of Authorised Dealer Category – I banks is invited to A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 24 dated 30.12.2009 in terms of which LOs/BOs are required to furnish copy of the Annual Activity Certificate (AAC) to Director General of Income Tax (International Taxation), Drum Shaped Building, I.P. Estate, New Delhi 110002.
2. It is clarified that copies of the AACs submitted to the DGIT (International Taxation) should be accompanied by audited financial statements including receipt and payment account.
3. Further, at the time of renewal of permission of LOs by AD banks, they may note to endorse a copy of each such renewal to the office of the DGIT (international Taxation).
4. AD Category – I banks may bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their constituents/customers concerned and ensure compliance.
5. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.

Soon Companies to spend at least 2% of average net profits (of last 3 years) on CSR

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Incorporation of the Corporate Social Responsibility Provision in the New Companies Bill
Clause 135 of the Companies Bill, 2011 inter alia, provides for the specified companies to spend at least 2% of the average net profits (of last 3 years) in pursuance of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) policy and in case of failure, to specify the reasons for not spending such amount in the Board’s Report. Giving this information in written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today, Shri Sachin Pilot, Minister of Corporate Affairs, said that in case the disclosure about such reasons in the Board’s report is not made, the specified class of companies shall be liable for action under the provisions of the Companies Bill, 2011 which require disclosures to be made in the Board’s report. CSR policy is to be undertaken by the companies as specified in schedule VII of the Companies Bill, 2011.

Can Assessing Officer enforce the payment of Advance Income Tax?

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Section 234B and Section 234C provides for the interest payment, in case non-payment/short payment of advance income tax. But can the Assessing Officer enforce the payment of Advance Income Tax? The answer is given below. [Income Tax "Pravdhan"]
Section 210(3) says “In the case of a person who has been already assessed by way of regular assessment in respect of the total income of any previous year , the Assessing Officer, if he is of opinion that such person is liable to pay advance tax, may, at any time during the financial year but not later than the last day of February, by order in writing, require such person to pay advance tax calculated in the manner laid down in section 209, and issue to such person a notice of demand under section 156 specifying the installment or installments in which such tax is to be paid.”
Section 210(5) says “A person who is served with an order of the Assessing Officer under sub-section (3) or an amended order under sub-section (4) may, if in his estimation the advance tax payable on his current income would be less than the amount of the advance tax specified in such order or amended order, send an intimation in the prescribed form [Form No. 28A] to the Assessing Officer to that effect and pay such advance tax as accords with his estimate, calculated in the manner laid down in section 209, at the appropriate percentage thereof specified in section 211, on or before the due date or each of the due dates specified in section 211 falling after the date of such intimation.”
Estimate made by assessee [Form No. 28A] can not be rejected by department as was held in case of Punjab Tractors Ltd. v. CIT [2004] 137 Taxman 211 (Punj. & Har.).

No s. 40(a)(ia) Disallowance For Short-Deduction TDS Default

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HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
Special Jurisdiction [Income Tax ]
ITAT No. 183 of 2012 GA No. 2069 of 2012
COMMISSIONER OF INCOME TAX, KOLKATA-XI
Versus
M/S. S.K. TEKRIWAL
Date : 3rd December, 2012
 
Section 40(a)(ia) of the Act refers only to the duty to deduct tax and pay to government account. If there is any shortfall due to any difference of opinion as to the taxability of any item or the nature of payments falling under various TDS provisions, the assessee can be declared to be an assessee in default u/s. 201 of the Act and no disallowance can be made by invoking the provisions of section 40(a)(ia) of the Act.

Monday, December 3, 2012

GAAR to be effective from Assessment year 2014-15

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General Anti-Avoidance Rules The GAAR (General Anti-Avoidance Rule) provisions have not been put on hold. The Finance Act, 2012 had provided that these provisions shall be effective from the 1st day of April, 2014 and apply to Assessment year 2014-15 onwards.
One of the recommendations of the Parthasarathi Shome Committee is that GAAR should be deferred for 3 years. The Committee has cited the following reasons for suggesting this deferral:
‘The implementation of GAAR may be deferred by three years on administrative grounds. GAAR is an extremely advanced instrument of tax administration – one of deterrence, rather than for revenue generation – for which intensive training of tax officers, who would specialize in the finer aspects of international taxation, is needed’.
This was stated by the Minister of Finance, Shri S.S.Planimanickam in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Foreign Companies/Firms having issues in registration on Income Tax Website – FAQ

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Q: The Principal Contact is a Foreigner/Non-resident and does not have a PAN and hence, not able to register in the new e-Filing Application. What should be done?
A: As per CBDT guidelines, Foreigners without PAN is allowed to be an authorized signatory and can file on behalf of the Company/Firm without a PAN encrypted DSC. The assessee Company is required to send an email to efilinghelpdesk@incometaxindia.gov.in mentioning details such as Name of the Company, PAN of the Company, Date of Incorporation, Name of the Principal Contact and DOB of the Principal Contact.
Q: While updating the Principal Contact details in the Profile, PAN field is not available. What to do?
A: The possible reason can be that the previous Principal Contact was a Foreigner without a PAN and might have been added as an exception case in the e-Filing application. To remove this exception, send an email to efilinghelpdesk@incometaxindia.gov.in mentioning details such as Name of the Company, PAN of the Company, Date of Incorporation, Name of the Principal Contact, PAN of the Principal Contact and DOB of the Principal Contact. The exempted details in the e-Filing application will be deleted and the Principal Contact will be able to register the PAN of the new Principal Contact.
Q:The Principal Contact of my Company/Firm is a foreigner and does not have a PAN. The Principal Contact has been updated without PAN in the Company/Firm profile of the e-Filing portal. The Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) of the Principal Contact is with a dummy PAN. When I try to upload/register the DSC, PAN mismatch error comes up. What to do?
A: Digital Signature Certificate with dummy PAN will not be accepted by the e-Filing application. In case the Principal Contact has been updated without PAN, Digital Signature Certificate without PAN encryption should be used. In case the Principal Contact is updated in the profile with a PAN, Digital Signature Certificate with the same PAN should be used.
Q: In case of our Company/Firm, the Principal Contact is a foreigner/non-resident without a PAN, how should the XML of the ITR be generated, because of verification in the return requires for a PAN field to be filled up?
A: For filling up the verification field, you may use dummy PAN (FFFPF9999F). It is again clarified, that the dummy PAN can be used only for the verification field and DSC with dummy PAN will not be accepted.
In case of a Foreign Company, if the authorized signatory is a non-resident foreigner, an e-mail may be sent to efilinghelpdesk@incometaxindia.gov.in with a subject “Non-resident Foreign Director (NRFD) update”.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

EPFO launches e-Passbook service

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Over 50 million PF subscribers can now access their accounts online as retirement fund body EPFO launched its e-Passbook service today. Active subscribers whose electronic challan-cum-return is already uploaded, can download their e-Passbook every month under the service launched by the EPFO’s Central Provident Fund Commissioner R C Mishra today.
The facility shall be available on www.Epfindia.Gov.In.
In the case of members who are not active (left service) and have not settled their account or have not become inoperative, the facility to download the passbook on request basis shall be available, EPFO said.
Any member of Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) can register on the member portal by using his or her photo identification number, such as PAN, Aadhaar, National Population Registry, driving licence, passport, voter ID, ration card and use the mobile number as password.
Members can add multiple ID (identification) numbers after registration and can use any one for logging into their account. Once registered, a member can download the passbook by entering his or her account number. If available, the passbook will appear for download.
The e-Passbook shall contain the transaction-wise details of the member’s account (all credits and debits) since the month for which the details for the establishment have been processed in new application software at the field offices.
The facility, however, will not be available for members under exempted establishments under the EPF Scheme 1952 (as the fund details are maintained by the Trust) and inoperative members (i.e. in accounts where no contribution has been received in the preceding 36 months).
Under the e-Passbook service, only one registration will be allowed against one mobile number, and a member can download the passbook for only one account number under one establishment.
A senior EPFO official told that the exempted PF trust regulated by the body would also be asked to provide this service to their members.

New Valuation methods of unquoted shares u/s. 56

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For section 56, value of unquoted shares can optionally be taken as value determined by either DFCF or as per revised method

Income-tax (Fifteenth Amendment) Rules, 2012 – Amendment in Rules 11U and 11UA

Notification No. 52/2012 [F.No. 142/19/2012-SO (TPL)]/SO 2805(E), dated 29-11-2012

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 295 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Board of Direct Taxes hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Income-tax Rules, 1962, namely:-

1. (1) These rules may be called the Income-tax (15th Amendment) Rules, 2012.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In the Income-tax Rules, 1962, (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in rule 11U,—

(A) for clauses (a) and (b), the following clauses shall respectively be substituted, namely:-

‘(a) “accountant” ,-

(i) for the purposes of sub-rule (2) of rule 11UA, means a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India within the meaning of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 (38 of 1949) who is not appointed by the company as an auditor under Section 44AB of the Act or under Section 224 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956); and

(ii) in any other case, shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288 of the Act;

(b)“balance-sheet”, in relation to any company, means,-

(i) for the purposes of sub-rule (2) of rule 11 UA, the balance-sheet of such company (including the notes annexed thereto and forming part of the accounts) as drawn up on the valuation date which has been audited by the auditor of the company appointed under section 224 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) and where the balance-sheet on the valuation date is not drawn up, the balance-sheet (including the notes annexed thereto and forming part of the accounts) drawn up as on a date immediately preceding the valuation date which has been approved and adopted in the annual general meeting of the shareholders of the company; and

(ii) in any other case, the balance-sheet of such company (including the notes annexed thereto and forming part of the accounts) as drawn up on the valuation date which has been audited by the auditor appointed under section 224 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956);’;

(B) for clause (j), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-

‘(j) “valuation date” means the date on which the property or consideration, as the case may be, is received by the assessee.’.

3. The rule 11UA of the said rules shall be renumbered as sub-rule (1) thereof, -

(i) in sub-rule (1) as so renumbered, in clause (c), for sub-clause (b), the following shall be substituted, namely:-

“(b) the fair market value of unquoted equity shares shall be the value, on the valuation date, of such unquoted equity shares as determined in the following manner, namely:—

the fair market value of unquoted equity shares =
(A-L)
×
(PV),
(PE)

where,

A = book value of the assets in the balance-sheet as reduced by any amount of tax paid as deduction or collection at source or as advance tax payment as reduced by the amount of tax claimed as refund under the Income-tax Act and any amount shown in the balance-sheet as asset including the unamortised amount of deferred expenditure which does not represent the value of any asset;

L = book value of liabilities shown in the balance-sheet, but not including the following amounts, namely:—

(i) the paid-up capital in respect of equity shares;

(ii) the amount set apart for payment of dividends on preference shares and equity shares where such dividends have not been declared before the date of transfer at a general body meeting of the company;

(iii) reserves and surplus, by whatever name called, even if the resulting figure is negative, other than those set apart towards depreciation;

(iv) any amount representing provision for taxation, other than amount of tax paid as deduction or collection at source or as advance tax payment as reduced by the amount of tax claimed as refund under the Income-tax Act, to the extent of the excess over the tax payable with reference to the book profits in accordance with the law applicable thereto;

(v) any amount representing provisions made for meeting liabilities, other than ascertained liabilities;

(vi) any amount representing contingent liabilities other than arrears of dividends payable in respect of cumulative preference shares;

PE = total amount of paid up equity share capital as shown in the balance-sheet;

PV = the paid up value of such equity shares;”;

(ii) after the sub-rule (1) as so renumbered, the following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:-

“(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-clause (b) of clause (c) of sub-rule (1), the fair market value of unquoted equity shares for the purposes of sub-clause (/) of clause (a) of Explanation to clause (viib) of sub-section (2) of section 56 shall be the value, on the valuation date, of such unquoted equity shares as determined in the following manner under clause (a) or clause (b), at the option of the assessee, namely:—

(a) the fair market value of unquoted equity shares =
(A-L)
×
(PV),
(PE)

where,

A = book value of the assets in the balance-sheet as reduced by any amount of tax paid as deduction or collection at source or as advance tax payment as reduced by the amount of tax claimed as refund under the Income-tax Act and any amount shown in the balance-sheet as asset including the unamortised amount of deferred expenditure which does not represent the value of any asset;

L = book value of liabilities shown in the balance-sheet, but not including the following amounts, namely:—

(i) the paid-up capital in respect of equity shares;

(ii) the amount set apart for payment of dividends on preference shares and equity shares where such dividends have not been declared before the date of transfer at a general body meeting of the company;

(iii) reserves and surplus, by whatever name called, even if the resulting figure is negative, other than those set apart towards depreciation;

(iv) any amount representing provision for taxation, other than amount of tax paid as deduction or collection at source or as advance tax payment as reduced by the amount of tax claimed as refund as refund under the Income-tax Act, to the extent of the excess over the tax payable with reference to the book profits in accordance with the law applicable thereto;

(v) any amount representing provisions made for meeting liabilities, other than ascertained liabilities;

(vi) any amount representing contingent liabilities other than arrears of dividends payable in respect of cumulative preference shares;

PE = total amount of paid up equity share capital as shown in the balance-sheet;

PV = the paid up value of such equity shares; or

(b) the fair market value of the unquoted equity shares determined by a merchant banker or an accountant as per the Discounted Free Cash Flow method.”.

 

Registration of CAs in New e-filing Website

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Registration of CAs in the New e-filing Website: I am happy to inform you that a long-awaited initiative to curb the misuse of membership numbers of our members in the tax audit reports has finally been taken. The new e-filing system launched by the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) has opened a window for chartered accountants to register and upload certain specified reports required to be furnished by chartered accountants including tax audit report. Time and again, ICAI has pursued the issue of misuse of membership numbers being followed at various levels. The same has been well appreciated by the Department, which now requires the Chartered accountants to directly upload their reports with their digital signatures in the e–filing website. The assessee is, however, required to mention the details of the chartered accountant while filing his return. ICAI would also be validating the data of practicing members for the purpose of registration and thereafter at the time of filing of report. This will ensure that no fake audits are being reported to the Department. Grievances, if any, with regard to registration in new e-filing system may also be sent to us so that the system can be improved further.