Section 206C of the Act provides for the collection of tax at source (TCS) on business of trading in alcohol, liquor, forest produce, scrap etc. Sub-section (1) of the said section, inter-alia, provides that every person, being a seller shall, at the time of debiting of the amount payable by the buyer to the account of the buyer or at the time of receipt of such amount from the said buyer in cash or by the issue of a cheque or draft or by any other mode, whichever is earlier, collect from the buyer of certain goods a sum equal to specified percentage, of such amount as income-tax.

In order to widen and deepen the tax net, it is proposed to amend section 206C to levy TCS on sale of all goods also if sale of goods is above specified limit. First let us read new sub section added to section 206C which reads as under:

(1H) Every person, being a seller, who receives any amount as consideration for sale of any goods of the value or aggregate of such value exceeding fifty lakh rupees in any previous year, other than the goods covered in sub-section (1) or sub-section (1F) or sub-section (1G) shall, at the time of receipt of such amount, collect from the buyer, a sum equal to 0.1 per cent. of the sale consideration exceeding fifty lakh rupees as income-tax:

Provided that if the buyer has not provided the Permanent Account Number or the Aadhaar number to the seller, then the provisions of clause (ii) of sub-section (1) of section 206CC shall be read as if for the words “five per cent.”, the words “one per cent.” had been substituted:

Provided further that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply, if the buyer is liable to deduct tax at source under any other provision of this Act and has deducted such amount.

Explanation.–

For the purposes of this sub-section,–

(a) “buyer” means a person who purchases any goods, but does not include,–

(A) the Central Government, a State Government, an embassy, a High Commission, legation, commission, consulate and the trade representation of a foreign State; or

(B) a local authority as defined in the Explanation to clause (20) of section 10; or

(C) any other person as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for this purpose, subject to such conditions as may be specified therein;

(b) “seller” means a person whose total sales, gross receipts or turnover from the business carried on by him exceed ten crore rupees during the financial year immediately preceding the financial year in which the sale of goods is carried out, not being a person as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for this purpose, subject to such conditions as may be specified therein.’;

(II) in sub-section (2), for the words, brackets, figures and letter “sub-section (1) or sub-section (1C)”, the words “this section” shall be substituted;

(III) in sub-section (3), for the words, brackets, figures and letter “sub-section (1) or sub-section (1C)”, the words “this section” shall be substituted;

(IV) in sub-section (6A), in the first proviso, for the words “in accordance with the provisions of this section”, the words, brackets, figures and letter “in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) and sub-section (1C)” shall be substituted;

(V) in the Explanation, in clause (c),–

(i) for the word “means”, the words, brackets, figures and letter “with respect to sub-section (1) and sub-section (1F) means” shall be substituted;

(ii) for the words, brackets, letters and figures “the monetary limits specified under clause (a) or clause (b) of section 44AB”, the words “one crore rupees in case of business or fifty lakh rupees in case of profession” shall be substituted.

In short,

1. A seller of goods is liable to collect TCS at the rate of 0.1 per cent. on consideration received from a buyer in a previous year in excess of fifty lakh rupees. In non-PAN/ Aadhaar cases the rate shall be one per cent.
2. Only those seller whose total sales, gross receipts or turnover from the business carried on by it exceed ten crore rupees during the financial year immediately preceding the financial year, shall be liable to collect such TCS.
3. Central Government may notify person, subject to conditions contained in such notification, who shall not be liable to collect such TCS.
4. No TCS is to be collected from the Central Government, a State Government and an embassy, a High Commission, legation, commission, consulate, the trade representation of a foreign State, a local authority as defined in Explanation to clause (20) of section 10 or any other person as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify for this purpose, subject to conditions as prescribed in such notification.
5. No such TCS is to be collected, if the seller is liable to collect TCS under other provision of section 206C or the buyer is liable to deduct TDS under any provision of the Act and has deducted such amount.

These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2020.