Gifts taxable in hands of every person
[Section 56 of Income tax Act – Applicable from 01.04.2017 ]
Widening scope of Income from other sources
Under the existing provisions of section 56(2)(vii), any sum of money or any property which is received without consideration or for inadequate consideration (in excess of the specified limit of Rs. 50,000) by an individual or Hindu undivided family is chargeable to income-tax in the hands of the resident under the head “Income from other sources” subject to certain exceptions.
Further, receipt of certain shares by a firm or a company in which the public are not substantially interested is also chargeable to income-tax in case such receipt is in excess of Rs. 50,000 and is received without consideration or for inadequate consideration.
The existing definition of property for the purpose of this section includes immovable property, jewellery, shares, paintings, etc. These anti-abuse provisions are currently applicable only in case of individual or HUF and firm or company in certain cases. Therefore, receipt of sum of money or property without consideration or for inadequate consideration does not attract these anti-abuse provisions in cases of other assessees.
In order to prevent the practice of receiving the sum of money or the property without consideration or for inadequate consideration, Finance Bill 2017 proposed to insert a new clause (x) in sub-section (2) of section 56 so as to provide that receipt of the sum of money or the property by any person without consideration or for inadequate consideration in excess of Rs. 50,000 shall be chargeable to tax in the hands of the recipient under the head “Income from other sources”. Finance Bill 2017 also proposed to widen the scope of existing exceptions by including the receipt by certain trusts or institutions and receipt by way of certain transfers not regarded as transfer under section 47.
Consequential amendment is also proposed in section 49 for determination of cost of acquisition.
These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2017 and the said receipt of sum of money or property on or after 1st April, 2017 shall be chargeable to tax in accordance with the provisions of proposed clause (x) of sub-section (2) of section 56.
[Clauses 25 & 29]
Relevant Clause 29 of Finance Bill 2017
Amendment of section 56.
29. In section 56 of the Income-tax Act, in sub-section (2),—
(I) in clause (vii), after the figures, letters and words “1st day of October, 2009”, the words, figures and letters “but before the 1st day of April, 2017” shall be inserted;
(II) in clause (viia), after the figures, letters and words “1st day of June, 2010”, the words, figures and letters “but before the 1st day of April, 2017” shall be inserted;
(III) after clause (ix), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:—
‘(x) where any person receives, in any previous year, from any person or persons on or after the 1st day of April, 2017,—
(a) any sum of money, without consideration, the aggregate value of which exceeds fifty thousand rupees, the whole of the aggregate value of such sum;
(b) any immovable property,—
(A) without consideration, the stamp duty value of which exceeds fifty thousand rupees, the stamp duty value of such property;
(B) for a consideration which is less than the stamp duty value of the property by an amount exceeding fifty thousand rupees, the stamp duty value of such property as exceeds such consideration:
Provided that where the date of agreement fixing the amount of consideration for the transfer of immovable property and the date of registration are not the same, the stamp duty value on the date of agreement may be taken for the purposes of this sub-clause:
Provided further that the provisions of the first proviso shall apply only in a case where the amount of consideration referred to therein, or a part thereof, has been paid by way of an account payee cheque or an account payee bank draft or by use of electronic clearing system through a bank account, on or before the date of agreement for transfer of such immovable property:
Provided also that where the stamp duty value of immovable property is disputed by the assessee on grounds mentioned in sub-section (2) of section 50C, the Assessing Officer may refer the valuation of such property to a Valuation Officer, and the provisions of section 50C and sub-section (15) of section 155 shall, as far as may be, apply in relation to the stamp duty value of such property for the purpose of this sub-clause as they apply for valuation of capital asset under those sections;
(c) any property, other than immovable property,—
(A) without consideration, the aggregate fair market value of which exceeds fifty thousand rupees, the whole of the aggregate fair market value of such property;
(B) for a consideration which is less than the aggregate fair market value of the property by an amount exceeding fifty thousand rupees, the aggregate fair market value of such property as exceeds such consideration:
Provided that this clause shall not apply to any sum of money or any property received—
(I) from any relative; or
(II) on the occasion of the marriage of the individual; or
(III) under a will or by way of inheritance; or
(IV) in contemplation of death of the payer or donor, as the case may be; or
(V) from any local authority as defined in the Explanation to clause (20) of section 10; or
(VI) from any fund or foundation or university or other educational institution or hospital or other medical institution or any trust or institution referred to in clause (23C) of section 10; or
(VII) from or by any trust or institution registered under section 12AA; or
(VIII) by any fund or trust or institution or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution referred to in sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) or sub-clause (vi) or sub-clause (via) of clause (23C) of section 10; or
(IX) by way of transaction not regarded as transfer under clause (i) or clause (vi) or clause (via) or clause (viaa) or clause (vib) or clause (vic) or clause (vica) or clause (vicb) or clause (vid) or clause (vii) of section 47.
Explanation.— For the purposes of this clause, the expressions “assessable”, “fair market value”, “jewellery”, “property”, “relative” and “stamp duty value” shall have the same meanings respectively assigned to them in the Explanation to clause (vii).’.
Explanation on Clause 29 of Finance Bill 2017
Clause 29 of the Bill seeks to amend section 56 of the Income-tax Act relating to income from other sources.
The existing provisions of clause (vii) of sub-section (2) of the said section provide for taxability in the hands of individual or Hindu undivided family on receipt of any money or immovable property or specified movable property without or inadequate consideration, if the value of such receipt exceeds rupees fifty thousand. Further, clause (viia) of sub- section (2) of the said section 56 provides for the taxability of receipt of shares of a closely held company by a firm or a closely held company for without or inadequate consideration, if the fair market value of shares exceeds fifty thousand rupees. However, the taxability under clause (vii) and clause (viia) of sub-section (2) of the said section is subject to certain specified exceptions.
Finance Bill 2017 proposed to insert a new clause (x) in sub-section (2) of the said section so as to expand the scope of the provisions of the said section to all categories of assessees so that the assets received without or inadequate consideration may be brought to the tax. Further, the existing exception contained in the said section is proposed to be rationalised by including certain additional exceptions consequently, it is proposed to sun set clauses (vii) and (viia) of sub-section (2) of the said section.
This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2017.
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