CBDT notifies new form 26AS (Annual Information Statement)

 CBDT notifies new form 26AS (Annual Information Statement) CBDT vide Notification dated May 28, 2020 amended Form 26AS in Sec 285BB w.e.f. 01.06.2020. Key takeaways are:
  • New form 26AS will also provide information in respect of “Specified financial transactions” which include transactions of purchase/ sale of goods, property, services, works contract, investment, expenditure, taking or accepting any loan or deposits of such value as may be prescribed but not less than of Rs 50,000.
  • Information about income tax demand, refund, proceedings pending, and proceedings completed which may include assessment, reassessment under section 148,153A, 153C, revision, the appeal will also be shared in this form 26AS.
  • Information on this form 26AS will not be a one-time affair at year-end. This will be a live 26AS, as this will be updated regularly within 3 months from the end of the month in which such information is received.
  • Form 26AS will now be a complete profile of the taxpayer for that particular year as against earlier form 26AS which just provided the information about taxes paid by way of TDS/TCS or self-assessing.
  • This form will also have mobile no, email I’d, and Aadhar no. of the taxpayer.
  • Further, an enabling provision has been notified empowering the CBDT to authorize DG Systems or any other officer to upload in this form, information received from any other officer, the authority under any law. Thus any adverse action initiated or taken or found or order passed under any other law such as custom, GST, Benami Law, etc. including information about Turnover, import, export, etc. will also be put in this form 26AS so that not only the concerned taxpayer but also all the Income Tax authorities will know and have access to such information.
  • This form 26AS will also provide information received by the Tax Department from any other country under the treaty /exchange of information about income or assets of the taxpayer located outside India.
  • The implication of this new form 26AS will be that banks, financial institutions or any other authority or customer, buyer, etc. while carrying out due diligence of the person/ corporate concerned will now ask for form 26AS so as to be sure that there are not any major issues about such person/corporates.
  • This will now make difficult for any taxpayer to hide information from any bank / financial institution/ authority about any proceedings against under any law or tax demand, tax disputes, etc.
The complete text of the notification may be viewed at below link: https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/communications/notification/notification_30_2020.pdf This article is contributed by: Prashan Begwani Associate Director, Audit and Assurance  

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