A key mistake would be continuing to rely on provisions of the Income-Tax Act, 1961, where the new law now applies, and vice versa.
The new income tax returns (ITR) form based on the I-T Act, 2025, will be notified prior to 2027-28 fiscal year, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said on Monday. The CBDT committee on simplification of ITR forms is carrying out extensive consultations with tax experts, institutional bodies, and field formations of the I-T Department, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The contrast with the old Income-Tax Act is stark. The 1961 law ran into 512,000 words; the 2025 one pares that down to 259,000. Chapters have been cut from 47 to 23, while sections have reduced from 819 to 536. One of the clearest changes is terminological. The confusing twin concepts of 'assessment year' and 'previous year' have been scrapped.
The Income Tax Department has clarified the applicability of TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) on interest income for banking companies under the Income Tax Act, 2025, aligning it with the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The new Income Tax Bill, passed by Lok Sabha on Monday, has retained the provisions regarding ITR filing for TDS claims and tax exemptions for anonymous donations made to all religious-cum-charitable trusts, as in the existing tax laws. The original Income Tax Bill, which was brought in Parliament in February, had done away with this exemption and the ITR filing flexibility for claiming TDS refunds.
The Income Tax Department has released all income tax return (ITR) forms for the assessment year 2026-27, enabling individuals, businesses, and other entities to begin filing their returns for the financial year 2025-26.
'The government, if it deems fit, will incorporate the changes in the Bill, take approval from the Cabinet before moving the bill for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha.'
All services on the income-tax e-filing portal -- both pre-login and post-login -- are expected to be updated by April 1 to reflect the new legal framework.
'In practical terms, a Master Circular is not merely desirable; it is a necessary transition tool to ensure that the promise of simplification under the Income-Tax Act, 2025, is fully realised.'
Central Board of Direct Taxes on Tuesday said stakeholders can send their inputs for drafting Income-tax rules and related forms pertaining to the proposed Income Tax Bill, 2025. The Income Tax Bill, 2025 was introduced in Parliament last month and is currently under examination by the Select Committee for detailed consideration.
A growing conflict between India's insolvency law and tax rules is creating fresh uncertainty for companies undergoing resolution, with tax authorities increasingly denying the benefit of carrying forward past losses even after resolution plans have been approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
Implications for capital gains, wealth taxes, and investment strategies require careful consideration, notes Anil Rego, founder and CEO, RightHorizons.
With Income Tax Act 2025 in force, your tax choice can quietly cost you big money if you're not paying attention. Ramalingam Kalirajan explains how
Taxpayers should reconcile returns with AIS, Form 26AS and maintain all supporting records.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Income Tax Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and urged Speaker Om Birla to refer it to a select committee of the House. Opposition members opposed the Bill at the introduction stage but the House passed a motion by voice vote for its introduction.
From the financial year 2025-2026, the government has introduced a new column in the tax return form for presumptive taxpayers, requiring them to disclose their year-end investments. This requirement was not present last year.
With the Union Budget three months away, major industry chambers have submitted to the government proposals on common taxes, seeking simpler compliance and a quicker resolution of tax disputes.
The 2026-27 Budget, seeking to harmonise the government's imperative to grant certainty while ensuring a rational tax policy, had several notable announcements to usher in halcyon days, says Mukesh Butani.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the central government have introduced a package of measures, including tax exemptions for FPIs on government securities and a concessional foreign-exchange swap facility, aiming to attract up to $50 billion in foreign capital. This initiative is designed to strengthen India's balance of payments and potentially cover the projected BoP gap for FY27.
With more granular reporting and enhanced data matching, mismatches are likely to be identified more quickly.
The investigation pertains to alleged irregularities in CMRL's financial transactions and its links with Veena's now-defunct company Exalogic Solutions Private Limited.
rediffGURU Vipul Bhavsar answers readers' personal income tax queries.
'Among corporates, about 60% of income is now reported under the new tax regime.'
A case has been registered against a US-based organisation and six others after the Enforcement Directorate lodged a complaint alleging illegal utilisation of foreign funds through a network of foreign debit cards, including in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas of the country.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to provide tax exemptions to subscribers of the Unified Pension Scheme.
Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) has challenged the Kerala High Court's decision allowing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate its financial dealings with Veena T, daughter of Kerala's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. CMRL argues the ED probe lacks jurisdiction and violates natural justice principles.
The Income Tax department is working on simplified I-T forms and aims to notify new rules by December-end to give effect to the new I-T Act, which will come into force from April 1 next year, a senior tax official said on Monday.
The Kerala High Court has admitted an appeal by CMRL against a single-judge verdict allowing the ED to continue its money laundering investigation into the company's dealings with Veena T, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
However, from April 1, 2026, transactional forms such as tax deducted at source statements, remittances, Form 60, and Form 15G/15H would operate under the new simplified framework.
'The original provision will be restored. AMT is meant only for those claiming deductions, not for firms earning regular income like capital gains,' a senior government official said.
A Nigerian national was arrested in Delhi by the Uttar Pradesh STF for allegedly creating fake profiles of US and UK citizens on social media and cheating victims on the pretext of sending expensive gifts and foreign currency.
While the new income tax law replaces the Income Tax Act, 1961 and omits 13 offences, 35 actions and omissions continue to attract criminal liability under 13 provisions.
The Income Tax department will start sending SMS/emails to about 25,000 individuals, who are part of the "high-risk" cases identified for non-disclosure of foreign assets in the income tax returns (ITRs) filed for Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26, sources said.
'As a result of delays, the desired reliefs are not coming for taxpayers.'
The Enforcement Directorate has issued a fresh summons to Veena T, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, for questioning on June 17 in a money laundering case involving Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL). The probe focuses on alleged payments of Rs 2.78 crore from CMRL to Veena's IT firm, Exalogic Solutions, without services rendered, and loans from an associated company.
The Income Tax department on Monday invited public inputs for review of the six-decade old I-T Act with regard to simplification of language, litigation reduction, compliance reduction, and obsolete provisions. Pursuant to the Budget announcement by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for a comprehensive review of the Income-tax Act, 1961, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had set up an internal committee to oversee the review and make the Act concise, clear, and easy to understand, which will reduce disputes, litigation, and provide greater tax certainty to taxpayers.
Veena T, daughter of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Kochi for questioning regarding a money laundering case involving her defunct IT firm, Exalogic Solutions Private Ltd, and mining company CMRL. The probe focuses on alleged payments made without services and loans extended despite repayment failures, leading to accusations of generating "proceeds of crime."
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has sought urgent steps to clear the huge backlog of income-tax appeals, simplify tax deducted at source (TDS) compliance, and ensure tax neutrality for fast-track demergers, during its consultation with Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27.
As the new Income Tax (I-T) Act, 2025 moves towards implementation from April 1, 2026, the finance ministry is reviewing and simplifying the compliance forms used by charitable institutions. Debjyoti Das, principal chief commissioner of income tax (exemption), said the new Act has already reorganised exemption provisions into a clearer and more coherent structure, and the accompanying procedures and forms are now being examined.
