law: The Income-Tax Act, 1961
  1[71.Set off of loss from one head against income from another.-
  (1) Where in respect of any assessment year the net result of the computation under any head of income, other than "Capital gains", is a loss and the assessee has no income under the head "Capital gains", he shall, subject to the provisions of this Chapter, be entitled to have the amount of such loss set off against his income, if any, assessable for that assessment year under any other head.
  (2) Where in respect of any assessment year, the net result of the computation under any head of income, other than "Capital gains", is a loss and the assessee has income assessable under the head "Capital gains", such loss may, subject to the provisions of this Chapter, be set off against his income, if any, assessable for that assessment year under any head of income including the head "Capital gains" (whether relating to short-term capital assets or any other capital assets).
  2[(2A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), where in respect of any assessment year, the net result of the computation under the head "Profits and gains of business or profession" is a loss and the assessee has income assessable under the head "Salaries", the assessee shall not be entitled to have such loss set off against such income.]
  (3) Where in respect of any assessment year, the net result of the computation under the head "Capital gains" is a loss and the assessee has income assessable under any other head of income, the assessee shall not be entitled to have such loss set off against income under the other head.]
  3[(3A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), where in respect of any assessment year, the net result of the computation under the head "Income from house property" is a loss and the assessee has income assessable under any other head of income, the assessee shall not be entitled to set off such loss, to the extent the amount of the loss exceeds two lakh rupees, against income under the other head.]
  4[(4) Where the net result of the computation under the head "Income from house property" is a loss, in respect of the assessment years commencing on the 1st day of April, 1995 and the 1st day of April, 1996, such loss shall be first set off under sub-sections (1) and (2) and thereafter the loss referred to in section 71A shall be set off in the relevant assessment year in accordance with the provisions of that section.]
  1. Subs. by Act 49 of 1991, s. 23, for section 71 (w.e.f. 1-4-1992).
  2. Ins. by Act 23 of 2004, s. 14 (w.e.f. 1-4-2005).
  3. Ins.by Act 7 of 2017, s. 31 (w.e.f. 1-4-2018).
  4. Subs. by Act 32 of 1994, s. 21, for sub-section (4) (w.e.f. 1-4-1995).
  5[71A.Transitional provisions for set off of loss under the head "Income from house property".-
  Where in respect of the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1993 or the 1st day of April, 1994, the net result of the computation under the head "Income from house property" is a loss, such loss in so far as it relates to interest on borrowed capital referred to in clause (vi) of sub-section (1) of section 24 and to the extent it has not been set off shall be carried forward and set off in the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1995, and the balance, if any, in the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 1996, against the income under any head.]
  5. Subs. by s. 22, ibid., for section 71A (w.e.f. 1-4-1995).
  1[71B.Carry forward and set off of loss from house property.-
  Where for any assessment year the net result of computation under the head "Income from house property" is a loss to the assessee and such loss cannot be or is not wholly set off against income from any other head of income in accordance with the provisions of section 71, so much of the loss as has not been so set-off or where he has no income under any other head, the whole loss shall, subject to the other provisions of this Chapter, be carried forward to the following assessment year and-
  (i) be set off against the income from house property assessable for that assessment year; and
  (ii) the loss, if any, which has not been set off wholly, the amount of loss not so set off, shall be carried forward to the following assessment year, not being more than eight assessment years immediately succeeding the assessment year for which the loss was first computed.]
  1. Ins. by Act 21 of 1998, s. 26 (w.e.f. 1-4-1999).