Section15
The Finance Act, 1988

Insertion of new section 44AC

In force Act 26 of 1988 As on 16 Oct 2026

Act 26 of 1988 Ministry Finance

Section 15 of the Finance Act, 1988 deals with insertion of new section 44AC. Insertion of new section 44AC 15. After section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, the following section shall be inserted with effect from the 1st day of April, 1989, namely: — Special provision for computing profits and gains from the business of trading in certain goods '44AC.

Insertion of new section 44AC

15. After section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, the following section shall be inserted with effect from the 1st day of April, 1989, namely: —

Special provision for computing profits and gains from the business of trading in certain goods

'44AC. (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in sections 28 to 43C, in the case of an assessee, being a person other than a public sector company hereinafter in this section referred to as the buyer) obtaining in any sale by way of auction, tender or any other mode, conducted by any other person or his agent (hereafter in this section referred to as the seller),—

(a) any goods in the nature of alcoholic liquor for human consumption (other than Indian-made foreign liquor), a sum equal to forty per cent of the amount paid or payable by the buyer as the purchase price in respect of such goods shall be deemed to be the profits and gains of the buyer from the business of trading in such goods chargeable to tax under the head "Profits and gains' of business or profession";

(b) the right to receive any goods of the nature specified in column (2) of the Table below, or such goods, as the case may be, a sum equal to the percentage, specified in the corresponding entry in column (3) of the said Table, of the amount paid or payable by the buyer in respect of the sale of such right or as the purchase price in respect of such goods shall be deemed to be the profits and gains of the buyer from the business of trading in such goods chargeable to tax under the head "Profits and gains of business or profession".

TABLE

SI. No.Nature of goodsPercentage
(1)(2)(3)
(i)Timber obtained under a forest leaseThirty-five per cent.
(ii)Timber obtained by any mode other than under a forest lease.Fifteen per cent.
(iii)Any other forest, produce pot being timberThirty-five per cent.

(2) For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the provisions of sub-section (1) shall not apply to a buyer (other than a buyer who obtains any goods from any seller which is a public sector company) in the further sale of any goods obtained under or in pursuance of the sale under sub-section (1).

(3) In a case where the business carried on by the assessee does not consist exclusively of trading in goods to which this section applies and where separate accounts arc not maintained or are not available, the amount of expenses attributable to such other business shall be an amount which bears to the total expenses of the business carried on by the assessee the same proportion as the turnover of such other business bears to the total turnover of the business carried on by the assessee.

Explanation—For the purposes of this section, "seller" means the Central Government, a State Government or any local authority or corporation or authority established by or under a Central, State or Provincial Act, or any company or firm.',

[Finance Act, 1988]

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Section 15, The Finance Act, 1988 (Act 26 of 1988).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

Questions about Section 15

What does Section 15 of the Finance Act deal with?

Section 15 of the Finance Act is headed "Insertion of new section 44AC". Insertion of new section 44AC 15. After section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, the following section shall be inserted with effect from the 1st day of April, 1989, namely: — Special provision for computing profits and gains from the business of trading in certain goods '44AC.

How do I find court cases under Section 15 of the Finance Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Finance Act 1988 15, section 15 Finance Act 1988, section 15 of the Finance Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 15 of the Finance Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 28 (Omission of section 86A), Income-tax Act 44AB (Audit of accounts of certain persons carrying on business or profession), so none of them can safely be read on its own.

When was the Finance Act enacted?

Finance Act was enacted in 1988 as Act 26 of 1988. India Code records no commencement date for it. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Harvested from the Income Tax Department's own portal at incometaxindia.gov.in, which publishes the Finance Acts section by section. India Code carries none of them: its Central community holds the Acts that stand as general law, and a Finance Act is an amending and rate-fixing instrument. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.