In connection with the Service Tax Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme (VCES), the CBEC has issued a Circular No.174/9/2013 – ST dated 25.11.2013 clarifying several issues that were raised in interactive sessions with the trade which have not been specifically clarified hitherto or clarified adequately

Applicability: Section 144C has been inserted with effect from 1st April, 2009. Accordingly, the Assessing Officer is required to forward a draft assessment order to the eligible assessee, if he proposes to make, on or after the 1st day of October, 2009, any variation in the income or loss returned which is prejudicial to the interest of such assessee. In other words section 144C is applicable to any order which proposes to make variation in income or loss returned by an eligible assessee, on or after 1st October, 2009 irrespective of the assessment year to which it pertains. Amendments to other sections of the Income-tax Act referred to in para 45.3 of the circular 5/2010 dated 3rd June, 2010 shall also apply from 1st October, 2009

Further to the letter dated 22.10.2013 regarding the processing of 1.46 lakh defective returns submitted for AY 2013-14 where the self-assessment tax is unpaid, the Directorate of Income-tax (Systems) has issued a letter dated 13.11.2013 setting out a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling such E-filed Returns where self assessment tax is not paid

Vide Order No. 211 of 2013 dated 12.11.2013, the CBDT has stated that the President has promoted 185 officers of Indian Revenue Service from the grade of Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax to officiate on regular basis in the grade of Joint Commissioner of Income Tax in the Pay Band 3 — Rs. 15,600 — 39,100 + 7,600 (Grade Pay) with immediate effect

The CBDT has issued Instruction No. 16/ 2013 dated 31.10.2013 in which it has noted that despite a comprehensive procedure prescribed earlier for action at different stages of Revenue Audit objections, settlement track record is unsatisfactory and remedial action is delayed. It is also pointed out that there is a need to provide that Internal Audit should normally precede Revenue Audit. The CBDT has, therefore, decided to fine tune the procedure and strengthen the role of supervisory authorities so that quick and effective remedial action can be taken to prevent loss of revenue

The CBDT has issued Order No. 5/FT&TR/2013 dated 04.11.2013 specifying the jurisdiction of the Dispute Resolution Panel at Delhi and Mumbai and the cases or classes of cases that they are assigned. The CBDT has also issued Order No. 6/FT&TR/2013 dated 04.11.2013 specifying the reserve members of the DRP at Delhi and Mumbai

Since Cyprus has not been providing the information requested by the Indian tax authorities under the exchange of information provisions of the agreement, it has been decided to notify Cyprus as a notified jurisdictional area under section 94A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 through Notification No. 86/2013 dated 1st November, 2013 published in Official Gazette through SO 4625 GI/13

Yogesh Thar and Anjali Agarwal, the authors of “Domestic Transfer Pricing – Law, Practice and Procedure”, have a wealth of experience backing them. In their busy practice at Bansi. S. Mehta & Co they have handled matters of huge conglomerates and must have encountered virtually every conceivable problem. In addition, both have a flair for writing and giving lectures. They know how to focus on the topic and grab the readers’ interest