RoDTEP scheme extension is awaited

The RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) Scheme, which was introduced to promote exports by reimbursing embeded duties and taxes, has been temporarily extended to include goods covered under the Advance Authorisation, Export Oriented Units (EOU), and Special Economic Zones (SEZ) as per DGFT Notification No. 32/2024-25 dated 30th September, 2024. This exemption was valid till 31st December, 2024 only.

No further exemption is announced. Exporters are early waiting for further extension of RoDTEP scheme.

Integration of e-way bills with Freight Operation Information System (FOIS) of Indian Railways

Taxpayers transporting goods via the Indian Railways FOIS must ensure the correct entry of the number or RR No./eT-RRs in the e-way bill system. The format for entering RR No./eT-RRs has been standardized to ensure consistency and accuracy. The correct format and other important steps have been provided in the advisory. (Advisory dated December 18, 2024)

ITC eligibility on telecommunication towers

In case of Bharti Airtel Ltd, honorable Delhi High Court made a remarkable judgement that Telecommunication towers do not meet the criteria of permanency. They are not permanently attached to the earth, as they can be dismantled and relocated. These towers are not erected with the intention of permanency, and their placement on concrete bases is merely to protect them from natural elements. Therefore, they can be classified as movable property, making them eligible for ITC.

DTC SET TO REPLACE INCOME TAX ACT, 1961

After years of delays, the DTC (Direct Tax Code ) is set to be implemented in April 2025, for the financial year 2025-26. 

KEY FEATURES:-

  1. Unified Financial Year:- The concept of previous year and assessment year will be removed
  2. Residency simplification :- Only two category of residency status will exist : Resident and non-resident.
  3. Renamed Income heads
  4. Capital gains will likely be part of regular income
  5. Extended audit authority : CS and CMA may be allowed to conduct tax audit. Currently only CA are authorized to conduct tax tax.
  6. Corporate tax alignment : Domestic and foreign company tax rates will be unified. This will encourage foreign investment.

DTC will simplify India’s tax structure and transparency.

Refund of pre-deposit

No refund of tax already paid or ITC already reversed would be available, where such tax has been paid or ITC has been reversed on account of contravention of provisions of Sub-Section (4) of Section 16 of the CGST Act and where such ITC is now available as per the provisions of Sub-Section (5) or Sub-Section (6) of Section 16 of the Act. However, it is clarified that said restriction on refund will not apply to the refund of an amount paid as pre-deposit by the taxpayer, where such appeals are decided in favour of the said taxpayer. (Corrigendum dated October 25, 2024 to Circular No. 237/31/2024-GST dated October 15, 2024)

Census on Foreign Liabilities and Assets of Indian Direct Investment Entities for 2023-24

On Oct 11, 2024 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the provisional results of the 2023-24 round of the annual census on foreign liabilities and assets (FLA) covering cross-border liabilities and assets of the entities {viz., companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs), alternative investment funds (AIFs) and partnership firms} with inward/outward direct investment (DI).