Amended and updated notes on section 245C of Income Tax Act 1961 as amended by the Finance Act 2022 and Income-tax Rules, 1962. Detail discussion on provisions and rules related to Application for settlement of cases.
Chapter XIXA (Sections 245A to 245L) of the Income Tax Act 1961 deals with the provisions related to settlement of cases. Section 245C of IT Act 1961 provides for Application for settlement of cases.
Recently, we have discussed in detail section 245BD (Decision to be by majority) of IT Act 1961. Today, we learn the provisions of section 245C of Income-tax Act 1961. The amended provision of section 245C is effective for financial year 2022-23 relevant to the assessment year 2023-24.
In this article, you will learn detail of the provisions of section 245C of the Income Tax Act, 1961 Bare Act read with the Income-tax Rules, 1962 as provided by Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India.
Section-245C: Application for settlement of cases
Section 245C(1) of Income Tax Act
An assessee may, at any stage of a case relating to him, make an application in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed, and containing a full and true disclosure of his income which has not been disclosed before the Assessing Officer, the manner in which such income has been derived, the additional amount of income-tax payable on such income and such other particulars as may be prescribed, to the Settlement Commission to have the case settled and any such application shall be disposed of in the manner hereinafter provided :
Provided that no such application shall be made unless,—
(i) in a case where proceedings for assessment or reassessment for any of the assessment years referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 153A or clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 153B in case of a person referred to in section 153A or section 153C have been initiated, the additional amount of income-tax payable on the income disclosed in the application exceeds fifty lakh rupees,
(ia) in a case where—
- (A) the applicant is related to the person referred to in clause (i) who has filed an application (hereafter in this sub-section referred to as “specified person”); and
- (B) the proceedings for assessment or re-assessment for any of the assessment years referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 153A or clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 153B in case of the applicant, being a person referred to in section 153A or section 153C, have been initiated,
the additional amount of income-tax payable on the income disclosed in the application exceeds ten lakh rupees,
(ii) in any other case, the additional amount of income-tax payable on the income disclosed in the application exceeds ten lakh rupees,
and such tax and the interest thereon, which would have been paid under the provisions of this Act had the income disclosed in the application been declared in the return of income before the Assessing Officer on the date of application, has been paid on or before the date of making the application and the proof of such payment is attached with the application.
Explanation: For the purposes of clause (ia),—
(a) the applicant, in relation to the specified person referred to in clause (ia), means,—
- (i) where the specified person is an individual, any relative of the specified person;
- (ii) where the specified person is a company, firm, association of persons or Hindu undivided family, any director of the company, partner of the firm, or member of the association or family, or any relative of such director, partner or member;
- (iii) any individual who has a substantial interest in the business or profession of the specified person, or any relative of such individual;
- (iv) a company, firm, association of persons or Hindu undivided family having a substantial interest in the business or profession of the specified person or any director, partner or member of such company, firm, association or family, or any relative of such director, partner or member;
- (v) a company, firm, association of persons or Hindu undivided family of which a director, partner or member, as the case may be, has a substantial interest in the business or profession of the specified person; or any director, partner or member of such company, firm, association or family or any relative of such director, partner or member;
- (vi) any person who carries on a business or profession,—
- (A) where the specified person being an individual, or any relative of such specified person, has a substantial interest in the business or profession of that person; or
- (B) where the specified person being a company, firm, association of persons or Hindu undivided family, or any director of such company, partner of such firm or member of the association or family, or any relative of such director, partner or member, has a substantial interest in the business or profession of that person;
(b) a person shall be deemed to have a substantial interest in a business or profession, if—
- (A) in a case where the business or profession is carried on by a company, such person is, on the date of search, the beneficial owner of shares (not being shares entitled to a fixed rate of dividend, whether with or without a right to participate in profits) carrying not less than twenty per cent of the voting power; and
- (B) in any other case, such person is, on the date of search, beneficially entitled to not less than twenty per cent of the profits of such business or profession.
Section 245C(1A) of Income Tax Act
For the purposes of sub-section (1) of this section, the additional amount of income-tax payable in respect of the income disclosed in an application made under sub-section (1) of this section shall be the amount calculated in accordance with the provisions of sub-sections (1B) to (1D).
Section 245C(1B) of Income Tax Act
Where the income disclosed in the application relates to only one previous year,—
- (i) if the applicant has not furnished a return in respect of the total income of that year, then, tax shall be calculated on the income disclosed in the application as if such income were the total income;
- (ii) if the applicant has furnished a return in respect of the total income of that year, tax shall be calculated on the aggregate of the total income returned and the income disclosed in the application as if such aggregate were the total income.
Section 245C(1C) of Income Tax Act
The additional amount of income-tax payable in respect of the income disclosed in the application relating to the previous year referred to in sub-section (1B) shall be,—
- (a) in a case referred to in clause (i) of that sub-section, the amount of tax calculated under that clause;
- (b) in a case referred to in clause (ii) of that sub-section, the amount of tax calculated under that clause as reduced by the amount of tax calculated on the total income returned for that year;
- (c) [Omitted].
Section 245C(1D) of Income Tax Act
Where the income disclosed in the application relates to more than one previous year, the additional amount of income-tax payable in respect of the income disclosed for each of the years shall first be calculated in accordance with the provisions of sub-sections (1B) and (1C) and the aggregate of the amount so arrived at in respect of each of the years for which the application has been made under sub-section (1) shall be the additional amount of income-tax payable in respect of the income disclosed in the application.
Section 245C(2) of Income Tax Act
Every application made under sub-section (1) shall be accompanied by such fees as may be prescribed.
Section 245C(3) of Income Tax Act
An application made under sub-section (1) shall not be allowed to be withdrawn by the applicant.
Section 245C(4) of Income Tax Act
An assessee shall, on the date on which he makes an application under sub-section (1) to the Settlement Commission, also intimate the Assessing Officer in the prescribed manner of having made such application to the said Commission.
Section 245C(5) of Income Tax Act
No application shall be made under this section on or after the 1st day of February, 2021.
[Sub-section(5) of section 245C inserted w.e.f. 1-February-2021 by the Finance Act 2021]