The insights of Tax Amnesty - 15.09.2021
The insights of Tax Amnesty as per Finance Act, No 18 of 2021 which was
certified on 15th September 2021.
Persons to whom it applies
To any person who has not disclosed any amount of taxable supply,
income or asset which was required to be disclosed in a Value Added
Tax Return for any taxable period ended on or prior to March 31, 2020
or in a return of income for any year of assessment ended on or prior
to March 31, 2020.
Persons to whom shall not apply
-
Any person in relation to whom investigations or legal proceedings
under the provisions of any law is pending, in relation to any
undisclosed taxable supply, income or asset;
-
Any person who has been convicted of an offence under the provisions
of any law specified in relation to any undisclosed taxable supply,
income or asset; or
-
Any amount of undisclosed taxable supply, income or asset held by
any person, in respect of which an assessment under the provisions
of any respective law has been made:
Qualifying conditions
Invest the undiclosed amount in any of the following prior to March
31,2022
- Shares issued by a resident company
-
Treasury bills or treasury bonds issued by the Central Bank on
behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka
-
Any quoted debt securities issued by a resident company in Sri
Lanka; or
- Any movable or immovable property in Sri Lanka
where he is unable to immediately invest such amount available in cash
whether in Sri Lankan rupees or in foreign currency, he shall deposit
such amount in a bank account, on or after the date of commencement of
the Act(15th September 2021) but prior to March 31, 2022.
Payment of Tax on voluntary Disclosure
A person to who intends to disclose an undisclosed amount is liable to
pay tax at a rate of 1% of the undisclosed amount,or on the cost of
the asset invested or deposited.
Administrative Procedure
-
For the effective implementation of the provisions of the Act, the
Commissioner-General may issue necessary guidelines specifying the
manner of payment and filing the declaration within one week of the
date of coming into operation of the Act.
-
Upon receipt of a declaration, the Commissioner-General shall verify
whether such declaration is in accordance with the Act.
-
Where the declaration is in accordance with the Act, the
Commissioner-General shall accept the declaration in writing and
inform of such acceptance to the declarant within thirty days of the
date of receipt of the declaration.
-
If the declaration is not in accordance with the provisions of the
Act, the Commissioner-General shall reject the declaration and
inform the declarant in writing the reasons for his rejection within
thirty days of the date of receipt of such declaration.
Secrecy
The Commissioner-General or any officer of the Department of Inland
Revenue, shall preserve and aid in preserving official secrecy in
respect of the identity of a declarant and any matter or thing
contained in a declaration made under the Act.