Hon’ble Shri. Mohit S. Shah, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, retired from judicial office on 9th September 2015. To mark the occasion and to felicitate the learned Judge, a function was organized by the Bombay Tax Bar. The function was graced by several sitting and retired judges of the Bombay High Court and also by distinguished members of the Bar.

The learned Chief Justice candidly revealed that he is fascinated by the nuances and intricacies of income-tax law and that he joined the LL.M course with the specific purpose of conducting a formal study of Nani Palkhivala’s treatise “The Law & Practice of Income-tax Law”. The learned judge also revealed that he was in awe of Nani Palkhivala’s mastery at making complex issues sound simple and that he never missed an opportunity to attend Nani Palkhivala’s speeches on the Budget Speech and that he would listen spellbound to the late Jurist.

Livemint has revealed interesting details about the fees charged by eminent senior advocates like Fali Nariman, Harish Salve, P. Chidambaram, A. M. Singhvi and others for a single appearance in the High Courts and the Supreme Court

Taxindiaonline.com conducted a programe to examine the problems being faced by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (“ITAT”). The programme was attended by Mr R. P. Garg, Former Senior V-P, ITAT, Mr G. C. Srivastava, Advocate and former DG (International Taxation) and Mr Ajay Wadhwa, President, ITAT Bar Association, Delhi. The discussions were moderated by TIOL’s Founder Editor, Shailendra Kumar. The experts have explained the reasons for the problems being faced by the ITAT also also given practical solutions on how to resolve the said problems

The CBDT has issued a letter dated 4th September 2015 setting out the guidelines for compounding of offences under the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the Wealth-tax Act, 1957 in cases of persons holding undisclosed foreign bank accounts and assets

The CBDT has issued Circular No. 15 of 2015 dated 3rd September 2015 stating that The Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 has introduced a tax compliance provision under Chapter VI of the Act. The Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income an d Assets) and Imposition of Tax Rules, 2015 (hereinafter referred to as ‘ the Rules’) have been notified. In this regard, circular No. 13 of 2015 dated 6th July, 2015 issued by the Board provided clarifications to 32 queries. Subsequently, further queries have been received from the public about the tax compliance provisions under Chapter VI of the Act. The Board has considered the same and issued clarifications

In view of CBDT order F.No.225/154/2015/ITA-11 tinted 2.9.2015 issued under section 119 of the Income-tax Act, extending the due date for e-filing returns of income from 31″ August, 2015 to 7th September, 2015 in respect of all taxpayers who were required to e-file their returns of income by 31″ August, 2015, the ‘due date’ for filing return of wealth by such assessees for assessment year 2015.16 also stands extended from 31″ August 201510 7th September 2015

These guidelines will regulate the grant and payment of reward to informants who provide specific and credible information of the whereabouts/assets of persons , on or after 31.03.2015, which results in the collection of taxes, penalties, interest or other amounts (hereinafter “tax”) already levied under the Income Tax Act , 1961 and the Wealth Tax Act , 1957. Grant and payment of reward for information before 31.03.2015 will continue to be regulated by ‘Guidelines for Grant of Rewards to Informants 2007’

Vide order dated 01.09.2015 passed by the Hon’ble President pursuant to the consultations with the Collegium of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal consisting of the President and two senior most Vice Presidents, the following Members of the ITAT have been transferred in the same capacity to the respective Benches

A Committee on Direct Tax Matters chaired by Justice A.P. Shah, was constituted to examine the issue of applicability of Minimum Alternate Tax (‘MAT’) on Flis/FPls for the period prior to 01.04.2015. The Committee has submitted its final report to the Government on 25.08.2015. The Committee has recommended that section 115JB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (‘Act’) may be amended to clarify the inapplicability of the provisions of section 115JB to FlIs/FPls having no permanent establishment (PE)/place of business in India. The Government has accepted the said recommendation and it has been decided to carry out appropriate amendment in the Act so as to prescribe that MAT provisions will not be applicable to Flls/FPls not having a place of business/permanent establishment In India, for the period prior to 01.04.2015.

Vide order dated 01.09.2015 passed by the Hon’ble President pursuant to the consultations with the Collegium of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal consisting of the President and two senior most Vice Presidents, the following Members of the ITAT have been transferred in the same capacity to the respective Benches, in public interest, with immediate effect