Corpus donation amongst exempt entities not to be considered application of income. Amendment to section 11 and 10(23C) from AY 2018-19

Corpus donation amongst exempt entities not to be considered application of income. Amendment to section 11 and 10(23C) from AY 2018-19

Budget 2017-18 : Restriction on exemption in case of corpus donation by exempt entities to other exempt entities

As per the existing provisions of the Act, donations made by a trust to any other trust or institution registered under section 12AA or to any fund or institution or trust or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution referred to in sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) or sub-clause (vi) or sub-clause (via) of clause (23C) of section 10, except those made out of accumulated income, is considered as application of income for the purposes of its objects.

Similarly, donations made by entities exempted under sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) or sub-clause (vi) or sub-clause (via) of clause (23C) of section 10 to any trust or institution registered under section 12AA, except those made out of accumulated income, is also considered as application of income for the purposes of its objects.

However, donation given by these exempt entities to another exempt entity, with specific direction that it shall form part of corpus, is though considered application of income in the hands of donor trust but is not considered as income of the recipient trust.

Trusts, thus, engage in giving corpus donations without actual applications.

Therefore, it is proposed to insert a new Explanation to section 11 of the Act to provide that any amount credited or paid, out of income referred to in clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11, being contributions with specific direction that they shall form part of the corpus of the trust or institution, shall not be treated as application of income.

It is also proposed to insert a proviso in clause (23C) of section 10 so as to provide similar restriction as above on the entities exempt under sub-clauses (iv), (v), (vi) or (via) of said clause in respect of any amount credited or paid out of their income.

These amendments will take effect from 1st April, 2018 and will, accordingly, apply in relation to the assessment year 2018- 19 and subsequent years.