Two Certainties
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Income Tax Bill, 2025: In Search of a Big Idea
The Department of Revenue claims that Income Tax Bill, 2025 - tabled in the Parliament on 13 February 2025 - marks a significant step towards simplifying the language and structure of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Does it?…
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Skeletal Timeline of Income Tax Reform in India
1860-1886: Income tax was introduced in India for the first time in 1860 to overcome the financial difficulties due to First War of Independence of 1857. The period of 1860-1886 saw the Govt alternating between income…
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Why Should Tax Lawyers Care About the Annual Budget?
Tax law, especially Indian tax law discussions are far too often contained by self-sustaining logic of statutory provisions and case laws. Tax lawyers, including me, feel validated and satisfied having decoded a particular judgment or the…
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Safari Retreats: Supreme Court Adopts a ‘Strict’ Stance
The Supreme Court pronounced its judgment in the Safari Retreats case a few days ago. The judgment involved interpretation of Section 17(5), CGST Act, 2017, specifically clauses (c) and (d) read with two Explanations contained in the Section.…
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Much Ado About Demo Vehicles: Ambiguity on ITC Clarified
The CBIC recently issued a Circular clarifying availability of ITC in respect of demo vehicles. The Circular, as I briefly mentioned elsewhere, seems like an exercise in law making rather than a mere interpretation of law. But I will…
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Fee for Technical Services: Future Demands Answers
Introduction Tax practitioners tend to refer to Fee for technical services (‘FTS’) and Royalty income in tandem with an intent to highlight the shape shifting nature of both concepts under domestic and international tax law. And…
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ESOPs-Related Compensation Present an Interesting Dilemma
Introduction Employee Stock Options (ESOPs) are typically taxable under the IT Act, 1961 in the following two instances: first, at the time of exercise of option by the employee as a perquisite. The rationale is that the…
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Short Note from Tax History: Cost of Acquisition and Capital Gains Tax
This article aims to examine in detail a judgment on capital gains tax that continues to have enduring relevance. B.C. Srinivasa Shetty case was decided in 1981 by a 3-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court and its observations…
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Single Administrative Interface under GST: Identifying Two Rough Patches
GST is a dual nationwide tax implying that both the Union and States concurrently levy it on supply of goods or services. While a single indirect tax jointly administered by the Union and States is supposed…
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SAAR v/s GAAR: Inauguration of an Interpretive Dilemma
In a recent decision, the Telangana High Court dismissed petitioner’s contention that General Anti-Avoidance Rule (‘GAAR’) cannot be applied by the Income Tax Department since the impugned fact situation is apparently covered by Specific Anti-Avoidance Rule (‘SAAR’).…
