Declaration not admissible in evidence against declarant
189. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, nothing contained in any declaration made under section 180 shall be admissible in evidence against the declarant for the purpose of any proceeding relating to imposition of penalty, other than the penalty leviable under section 182, or for the purposes of prosecution under the Income-tax Act or the Wealth-tax Act, 1957 (27 of 1957).
Notes on Clauses:
Clauses 178 to 196 of the Bill seeks to insert a new Chapter IX relating to Income Declaration Scheme, 2016. The said Scheme, inter alia, provides for declaration of undisclosed income by any person. The scheme shall be in operation from the 1st day of June, 2016 till a date to be notified by the Central Government in the Official Gazette. The proposed Chapter, inter alia, provides for levying a tax of thirty per cent. on the undisclosed income declared in the scheme, a surcharge at the rate of twenty-five per cent. of such tax as Krishi Kalyan Cess; and penalty at the rate of twenty-five per cent. of tax; procedure and manner of filing the declaration under the said Scheme; undisclosed income declared under the said Scheme not be included in the total income or affect finality of completed assessments; income declared under the said Scheme shall not be refundable; exemption from wealth-tax in respect of assets specified in declaration; power to remove difficulty by the Central Government; and power of Central Board of Direct Taxes with the approval of the Central Government to make rules for the purposes of the said Scheme.
