Amendment of section 54.
6. In section 54 of the Income-tax Act, in sub-section (1), after clause (ii), the following provisos shall be inserted with effect from the 1st day of April, 2020, namely:––
‘Provided that where the amount of the capital gain does not exceed two crore rupees, the assessee, may at his option, purchase or construct two residential houses in India, and where such an option has been exercised,––
(a) the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words “one residential house in India”, the words “two residential houses in India” had been substituted;
(b) any reference in this sub-section and sub-section (2) to “new asset” shall be construed as a reference to the two residential houses in India:
Provided further that where during any assessment year, the assessee has exercised the option referred to in the first proviso, he shall not be subsequently entitled to exercise the option for the same or any other assessment year.’.
