law: The Income-Tax Act, 1961
  E. - Capital gains
  45. Capital gains. -
  1[(1)] Any profits or gains arising from the transfer of a capital asset effected in previous year shall, save as otherwise provided in 2[sections 3*** 54, 4*** 5[54B, 6[54D, 7[54E, 8[54EA, 54EB,] 54F, 9[54G and 54H]]]]], be chargeable to income-tax under the head "Capital gains", and shall be deemed to be the income of the previous year in which the transfer took place.
  10[(1A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where any person receives at any time during any previous year any money or other assets under an insurance from an insurer on account of damage to, or destruction of, any capital asset, as a result of-
  (i) flood, typhoon, hurricane, cyclone, earthquake or other convulsion of nature; or
  (ii) riot or civil disturbance; or
  (iii) accidental fire or explosion; or
  (iv) action by an enemy or action taken in combating an enemy (whether with or without a declaration of war), then, any profits or gains arising from receipt of such money or other assets shall be chargeable to income-tax under the head "Capital gains" and shall be deemed to be the income of such person of the previous year in which such money or other asset was received and for the purposes of section 48, value of any money or the fair market value of other assets on the date of such receipt shall be deemed to be the full value of the consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer of such capital asset.
  Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression "insurer" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (9) of section 2 of the Insurance Act, 1938 (4 of 1938).]
  11[(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the profits or gains arising from the transfer by way of conversion by the owner of a capital asset into, or its treatment by him as stock-intrade of a business carried on by him shall be chargeable to income-tax as his income of the previous year in which such stock-in-trade is sold or otherwise transferred by him and, for the purposes of section 48, the fair market value of the asset on the date of such conversion or treatment shall be deemed to be the full value of the consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer of the capital asset.]
  12[(2A) Where any person has had at any time during previous year any beneficial interest in any securities, then, any profits or gains arising from transfer made by the depository or participant of such beneficial interest in respect of securities shall be chargeable to income-tax as the income of the beneficial owner of the previous year in which such transfer took place and shall not be regarded as income of the depository who is deemed to be the registered owner of securities by virtue of sub-section (1) of section 10 of the Depositories Act, 1996, and for the purposes of-
  (i) section 48; and
  (ii) proviso to clause (42A) of section 2, the cost of acquisition and the period of holding of any securities shall be determined on the basis of the first-in-first-out method.
  Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the expressions "beneficial owner", "depository" and "security" shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in clauses (a), (e) and (l) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Depositories Act, 1996.]
  1[(3) The profits or gains arising from the transfer of a capital asset by a person to a firm or other association of persons or body of individuals (not being a company or a co-operative society) in which he is or becomes a partner or member, by way of capital contribution or otherwise, shall be chargeable to tax as his income of the previous year in which such transfer takes place and, for the purposes of section 48, the amount recorded in the books of account of the firm, association or body as the value of the capital asset shall be deemed to be the full value of the consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer of the capital asset.
  (4) The profits or gains arising from the transfer of a capital asset by way of distribution of capital assets on the dissolution of a firm or other association of persons or body of individuals (not being a company or a co-operative society) or otherwise, shall be chargeable to tax as the income of the firm, association or body, of the previous year in which the said transfer takes place and, for the purposes of section 48, the fair market value of the asset on the date of such transfer shall be deemed to be the full value of the consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer.]
  (5) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where the capital gain arises from the transfer of a capital asset, being a transfer by way of compulsory acquisition under any law, or a transfer the consideration for which was determined or approved by the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India, and the compensation or the consideration for such transfer is enhanced or further enhanced by any court, Tribunal or other authority, the capital gain shall be dealt with in the following manner, namely:-
  (a) the capital gain computed with reference to the compensation awarded in the first instance or, as the case may be, the consideration determined or approved in the first instance by the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India shall be chargeable as 2[income under the head "Capital gains" of the previous year in which such compensation or part thereof, or such consideration or part thereof, was first received]; and
  (b) the amount by which the compensation or consideration is enhanced or further enhanced by the court, Tribunal or other authority shall be deemed to be income chargeable under the head "Capital gains" of the previous year in which such amount is received by the assessee:
  3[Provided that any amount of compensation received in pursuance of an interim order of a court, Tribunal or other authority shall be deemed to be income chargeable under the head "Capital gains" of the previous year in which the final order of such court, Tribunal or other authority is made;]
  1[(c) where in the assessment for any year, the capital gain arising from the transfer of a capital asset is computed by taking the compensation or consideration referred to in clause (a) or, as the case may be, enhanced compensation or consideration referred to in clause (b), and subsequently such compensation or consideration is reduced by any court, Tribunal or other authority, such assessed capital gain of that year shall be recomputed by taking the compensation or consideration as so reduced by such court, Tribunal or other authority to be the full value of the consideration.]
  Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section,-
  (i) in relation to the amount referred to in clause (b), the cost of acquisition and the cost of improvement shall be taken to be nil;
  (ii) the provisions of this sub-section shall apply also in a case where the transfer took place prior to the 1st day of April, 1988;
  (iii) where by reason of the death of the person who made the transfer, or for any other reason, the enhanced compensation or consideration is received by any other person, the amount referred to in clause (b) shall be deemed to be the income, chargeable to tax under the head "Capital gains", of such other person.]
  2[(5A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where the capital gain arises to an assessee, being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, from the transfer of a capital asset, being land or building or both, under a specified agreement, the capital gains shall be chargeable to income-tax as income of the previous year in which the certificate of completion for the whole or part of the project is issued by the competent authority; and for the purposes of section 48, the stamp duty value, on the date of issue of the said certificate, of his share, being land or building or both in the project, as increased by the consideration received in cash, if any, shall be deemed to be the full value of the consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer of the capital asset:
  Provided that the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply where the assessee transfers his share in the project on or before the date of issue of the said certificate of completion, and the capital gains shall be deemed to be the income of the previous year in which such transfer takes place and the provisions of this Act, other than the provisions of this sub-section, shall apply for the purpose of determination of full value of consideration received or accruing as a result of such transfer.
  Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression-
  (i) "competent authority" means the authority empowered to approve the building plan by or under any law for the time being in force;
  (ii) "specified agreement" means a registered agreement in which a person owning land or building or both, agrees to allow another person to develop a real estate project on such land or building or both, in consideration of a share, being land or building or both in such project, whether with or without payment of part of the consideration in cash;
  (iii) "stamp duty value" means the value adopted or assessed or assessable by any authority of the Government for the purpose of payment of stamp duty in respect of an immovable property being land or building or both.'.]
  3[(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the difference between the repurchase price of the units referred to in sub-section (2) of section 80CCB and the capital value of such units shall be deemed to be the capital gains arising to the assessee in the previous year in which such repurchase takes place or the plan referred to in that section is terminated and shall be taxed accordingly.
  Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, "capital value of such units" means any amount invested by the assessee in the units referred to in sub-section (2) of section 80CCB.]
  1. Sub-section (I) renumbered as sub-section (1) thereof by Act 5 of 1964, s. 12 (w.e.f. 1-4-1964).
  2. Subs. by Act 19 of 1970, s. 11, for "sections 53 and 54" (w.e.f. 1-4-1970).
  3. The figures "53," omitted by Act 18 of 1992, s. 22 (w.e.f. 1-4-1993).
  4. The figures and letter "54C" omitted by Act 66 of 1976, s. 26 (w.e.f. 1-4-1976).
  5. Subs. by Act 29 of 1977, s. 29, for "54B and 54D" (w.e.f. 1-4-1978).
  6. Subs. by Act 14 of 1982, s. 32 for "54D and 54E" (w.e.f. 1-4-1983)
  7. Subs. by Act 11 of 1987, s. 13, for "54E and 54F (w.e.f. 1-10-1987).
  8. Subs. by Act 33 of 1996, s. 19, for "54E" (w.e.f. 1-10-1996).
  9. Subs. by Act 49 of 1991, s. 17, for "and 54G" (w.e.f. 1-4-1991).
  10. Ins. by Act 27 of 1999, s. 32 (w.e.f. 1-4-2000).
  11. Ins. by Act 67 of 1984, s. 12 (w.e.f. 1-4-1985).
  12. Ins. by Act 22 of 1996, s. 30 and the Schedule (w.e.f. 20-9-1995).
  1. Ins. by Act 11 of 1987, s. 13 (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
  2. Subs. by Act 49 of 1991, s. 17, for "income under the head "Capital gains" of the previous year in which the transfer took place" (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
  3. Ins. by Act 25 of 2014, s. 17 (w.e.f. 1-4-2015).
  1. Ins. by Act 32 of 2003, s. 29 (w.e.f. 1-4-2004).
  2. Ins. by Act 7 of 2017, s. 22 (w.e.f 1-4-2018).
  3. Ins. by Act 12 of 1990, s. 15 (w.e.f. 1-4-1991).