Amendment of section 37.
12. In section 37 of the Income-tax Act, in sub-section (1), after Explanation 2, the following Explanation shall be inserted, namely:––
‘Explanation 3.––For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that the expression “expenditure incurred by an assessee for any purpose which is an offence or which is prohibited by law” under Explanation 1, shall include and shall be deemed to have always included the expenditure incurred by an assessee,––
(i) for any purpose which is an offence under, or which is prohibited by, any law for the time being in force, in India or outside India; or
(ii) to provide any benefit or perquisite, in whatever form, to a person, whether or not carrying on a business or exercising a profession, and acceptance of such benefit or perquisite by such person is in violation of any law or rule or regulation or guideline, as the case may be, for the time being in force, governing the conduct of such person; or
(iii) to compound an offence under any law for the time being in force, in India or outside India.’.
Notes on Clauses:
Clause 12 seeks to amend section 37 of the Income-tax Act relating to General allowability of expenditure.
The said section provides for general allowability of expenditure laid out or expended wholly and exclusively for the purpose of business or profession.
Explanation 1 of sub-section (1) of the said section provides that if any expenditure is incurred by an assessee for any purpose which is an offence or which is prohibited by law shall not be deemed to have been incurred for the purpose of business or profession and no deduction or allowance shall be made in respect of such expenditure.
It is proposed to insert a new Explanation 3 to the said sub-section to further clarify that the expression “expenditure incurred by an assessee for any purpose which is an offence or which is prohibited by law” under Explanation 1, shall include and shall be deemed to have always included the expenditure incurred by an assessee,-
(i) for any purpose which is an offence under, or which is prohibited by, any law for the time being in force, in India or outside India; or
(ii) to provide any benefit or perquisite, in whatever form, to a person, whether or not carrying on a business or exercising a profession, and acceptance of such benefit or perquisite by such person is in violation of any law or rule or regulation or guideline, as the case may be, for the time being in force, governing the conduct of such person; or
(iii) to compound an offence under any law for the time being in force, in India or outside India.
This amendment will take effect from 1st April, 2022.
