Arun Jaitley had in his Budget for 2015-16 exempted FIIs from the levy from April 1
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
New Delhi: In a big relief to Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), a government-appointed committee has recommended that there was no case for imposing the controversial minimum alternate tax (MAT) on FIIs retrospectively, a suggestion that the government is said to be “favourably” considering.
The A.P. Shah committee, which was appointed by the government to look into the question of levy of MAT on capital gains made by FIIs, submitted its report to the finance minister Arun Jaitley on July 24.
The panel, a top source said, has recommended that there was no basis for levy of MAT on FIIs for period prior to April 1, 2015. The committee saw no legal basis for levy of 20 per cent MAT on past capital gains.
While the issue had riled foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), finance minister Arun Jaitley had in his Budget for 2015-16 exempted FIIs from the levy from April 1. Also, the government had previously stated that FIIs can use tax treaties to reject demands on past capital gains. FIIs domiciled in countries that have signed the double taxation avoidance treaties with India are exempted from these levies.
Foreign investors have invested about $20 billion in Indian stocks in the past year and $28 billion in bonds. “The A.P. Shah committee has recommended giving MAT relief to FIIs for a period prior to April 1,2015 and the government is favourably considering it,” the source said.
The source said, “there are some legal issues which had to be examined” after the submission of the report. The Shah panel had met finance minister separately also after that,” he said.
In its 66-page report, the Shah panel recommended relief for FIIs from paying MAT. The content of the report was so far kept secret in view of the Castleton case that is pending in the Supreme Court and the government wanted to firm up its views on the applicability of MAT on FIIs.
The tax department has sent notices to 68 foreign institutional investors demanding Rs 602.83 crore as MAT dues of precious years. This had raked up a big controversy with FIIs moving the higher court challenging the tax demand.
( Source : PTI )
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