FBR to impose penalty on withholding agent for not submitting taxpayers’ information

FBR to impose penalty on withholding agent for not submitting taxpayers’ information

ISLAMABAD: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will impose penalty on withholding agents for failure in submitting withholding statement or information of taxpayers for the period July – December 2019.

The last day for filing withholding statement electronically was January 31, 2020. Most of the withholding agents had filed the statements as per requirement. However, some of them are still non-compliant and will be liable to fine and penalty, FBR sources said on Monday.

As per Section 182 of Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, where any person fails to furnish a statement as required under Section 115, 165, 165A of 165B within the due date. “Such person shall pay a penalty of Rs5,000 if the person had already paid the tax collected or withheld by him within the due date for payment and the statement is filed within 90 days from the due date for filing the statement and, in all other cases, a penalty of Rs2,500 for each day of default from the due date subject to a minimum penalty of Rs10,000.”

The FBR officials said that under Section 165 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, every person collecting tax or deducting tax from a payment shall furnish to the commission a biannual statement in the prescribed form setting out:

(a) the name, Computerized National Identity Card Number, National Tax Number and address of each person from whom tax has been collected under Division II of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule or to whom payments have been made from which tax has been deducted under Division III of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule in each half-year

(b) the total amount of payments made to a person from which tax has been deducted under Division III of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule in each half-year

(c) the total amount of tax collected from a person under Division II of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule or deducted from payments made to a person under Division III of this Part or Chapter XII or the Tenth Schedule in each half-year; and

(d) such other particulars as may be prescribed:

Provided that every person as provided in sub-section (1) shall be required to file withholding statement even where no withholding tax is collected or deducted during the period.

Explanation.— For the removal of doubt, it is clarified that this sub-section overrides all conflicting provisions contained in the Protection of Economic Reforms Act, 1992 (XII of 1992), the Banking Companies Ordinance, 1962 (LVII of 1962), the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1947 (VII of 1947) and the regulations made under the State Bank of Pakistan Act, 1956 (XXXIII of 1956), if any, on the subject, in so far as divulgence of information under section 165 is concerned.

(2) Every prescribed person collecting tax under Division II of this Part or Chapter Xll or the Tenth Schedule or deducting tax under Division III of this Part of Chapter Xll or the Tenth Schedule shall furnish statements under sub-section (l) as per the following schedule, namely:-

(a) in respect of the half-year ending on the 30th June, on or before the 31st day of July; and

(b) in respect of the half-year ending on the 31st December, on or before the 31st day of January.

(2A) Any person who, having furnished statement under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), discovers any omission or wrong statement therein, may file a revised statement within sixty days of filing of statement under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), as the case may be.

(2B) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, the Commissioner as he deems lit may by notice in writing require any person, collecting or deducting tax under this Ordinance, to furnish a statement for any period specified in the notice within such period of time as may be specified in the notice.

(3) Board may prescribe a statement requiring any person to furnish information in respect of any transactions in the prescribed form and verified in the prescribed manner.

(4) A person required to furnish a statement under sub-section (1), may apply in writing, to the Commissioner for an extension of time to furnish the statement after the due date and the Commissioner if satisfied that a reasonable cause exists for non-furnishing of the statement by the due date may, by an order in writing, grant the applicant an extension of time to furnish the statement.

(5) The Board may make rules relating to electronic furnishing of statements under this section including,-

(a) mandatory electronic filing of statements; and

(b) determination of eligibility of the data of such statements and e-intermediaries, etc.

(6) Every person deducting tax from payment under section 149 shall furnish to the Commissioner an annual statement in the prescribed form and manner.