The existing provisions of section 153, inter alia, provide the time limit for completion of assessment and reassessment of income by the Assessing Officer.

Explanation to section 153 provides that certain periods specified therein shall be excluded while computing the period of limitation for the purposes of the said section.

Under the existing provisions of clause (iii) of Explanation 1 to section 153, the period commencing from the date on which the Assessing Officer directs the assessee to get his accounts audited under sub-section (2A) of section 142 and ending with the last date on which the assesee is required to furnish a report of such audit, is excluded in computing the period of limitation for the purposes of assessment or reassessment.

However, the existing provision does not provide for exclusion of time in case the direction of the Assessing Officer is set aside by the court.

It is proposed to amend clause (iii) of Explanation 1 to section 153 so as to provide that the period commencing from the date on which the Assessing Officer directs the assessee to get his accounts audited under sub-section (2A) of section 142 and ending with the last date on which the assessee is required to furnish a report of such audit under that sub-section; or where such direction is challenged before a court, ending with the date on which the order setting aside such direction is received by the Commissioner, shall be excluded in computing the period of limitation for the purposes of section 153.

Similarly, the existing provisions contained in clause (viii) of Explanation I to section 153 provide for exclusion of the period commencing from the date on which a reference for exchange of information is made by an authority competent under an agreement referred to in section 90 or section 90A and ending with the date on which the information so requested is received by the Commissioner or a period of one year, whichever is less, in computing the period of limitation for the purposes of section 153.

At times more than one reference for exchange of information is made in one case and the replies from the foreign Competent Authorities are also received in parts. In such cases, there will always be a dispute for counting the period of exclusion i.e. whether it should be from the date of first reference for exchange of information made or from the date of last reference. Similar dispute may also arise with regard to the date on which the information so requested is received.

With a view to clarify the above situation, it is proposed to amend the aforesaid clause (viii) so as to provide that the period commencing from the date on which a reference or first of the references for exchange of information is made by an authority competent under an agreement referred to in section 90 or section 90A and ending with the date on which the information requested is last received by the Commissioner or a period of one year, whichever is less, shall be excluded in computing the period of limitation for the purposes of section 153.

Similar amendments are also proposed in the Explanation to section 153B of the Income-tax Act relating to time limit for completion of search assessment.

These amendments will take effect from 1^st June, 2013.