Section 92CA of Income Tax Act for AY 2023-24

Section 92CA of Income Tax Act 1961 as amended by the Finance Act 2022 and Income-tax Rules, 1962. Reference to Transfer Pricing Officer.

Amended and updated notes on section 92CA of Income Tax Act 1961 as amended by the Finance Act 2022 and Income-tax Rules, 1962. Detail discussion on provisions and rules related to reference to Transfer Pricing Officer.

Chapter X (Sections 92 to 94B) of the Income Tax Act 1961 deals with the provisions related to special provisions relating to avoidance of tax. Section 92CA of IT Act 1961-2022 provides for reference to Transfer Pricing Officer.

Recently, we have discussed in detail section 92C (Computation of arm’s length price) of IT Act 1961.

Today, we learn the provisions of section 92CA of Income-tax Act 1961 as amended by the Finance Act 2022. The amended provision of section 92CA is effective for financial year 2022-23 relevant to the assessment year 2023-24.

In this article, you will learn detail of the provisions of section 92CA of the Income Tax Act, 1961 Bare Act read with the Income-tax Rules, 1962, regulations, notifications, circulars, orders and Press Release by CBDT, Income Tax Department and the Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India.

Section-92CA: Reference to Transfer Pricing Officer

Section 92CA (1):

Where any person, being the assessee, has entered into an international transaction or specified domestic transaction in any previous year, and the Assessing Officer considers it necessary or expedient so to do, he may, with the previous approval of the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner, refer the computation of the arm’s length price in relation to the said international transaction or specified domestic transaction under section 92C to the Transfer Pricing Officer.

Section 92CA (2):

Where a reference is made under sub-section (1), the Transfer Pricing Officer shall serve a notice on the assessee requiring him to produce or cause to be produced on a date to be specified therein, any evidence on which the assessee may rely in support of the computation made by him of the arm’s length price in relation to the international transaction or specified domestic transaction referred to in sub-section (1).

Section 92CA (2A):

Where any other international transaction [other than an international transaction referred under sub-section (1)], comes to the notice of the Transfer Pricing Officer during the course of the proceedings before him, the provisions of this Chapter shall apply as if such other international transaction is an international transaction referred to him under sub-section (1).

Section 92CA (2B):

Where in respect of an international transaction, the assessee has not furnished the report under section 92E and such transaction comes to the notice of the Transfer Pricing Officer during the course of the proceeding before him, the provisions of this Chapter shall apply as if such transaction is an international transaction referred to him under sub-section (1).

Section 92CA (2C):

Nothing contained in sub-section (2B) shall empower the Assessing Officer either to assess or reassess under section 147 or pass an order enhancing the assessment or reducing a refund already made or otherwise increasing the liability of the assessee under section 154, for any assessment year, proceedings for which have been completed before the 1st day of July, 2012.

Section 92CA (3):

On the date specified in the notice under sub-section (2), or as soon thereafter as may be, after hearing such evidence as the assessee may produce, including any information or documents referred to in sub-section (3) of section 92D and after considering such evidence as the Transfer Pricing Officer may require on any specified points and after taking into account all relevant materials which he has gathered, the Transfer Pricing Officer shall, by order in writing, determine the arm’s length price in relation to the international transaction or specified domestic transaction in accordance with sub-section (3) of section 92C and send a copy of his order to the Assessing Officer and to the assessee.

Section 92CA (3A):

Where a reference was made under sub-section (1) before the 1st day of June, 2007 but the order under sub-section (3) has not been made by the Transfer Pricing Officer before the said date, or a reference under sub-section (1) is made on or after the 1st day of June, 2007, an order under sub-section (3) may be made at any time before sixty days prior to the date on which the period of limitation referred to in section 153, or as the case may be, in section 153B for making the order of assessment or reassessment or recomputation or fresh assessment, as the case may be, expires:

Provided that in the circumstances referred to in clause (ii) or clause (x) of Explanation 1 to section 153, if the period of limitation available to the Transfer Pricing Officer for making an order is less than sixty days, such remaining period shall be extended to sixty days and the aforesaid period of limitation shall be deemed to have been extended accordingly.

Section 92CA (4):

On receipt of the order under sub-section (3), the Assessing Officer shall proceed to compute the total income of the assessee under sub-section (4) of section 92C in conformity with the arm’s length price as so determined by the Transfer Pricing Officer.

Section 92CA (5):

With a view to rectifying any mistake apparent from the record, the Transfer Pricing Officer may amend any order passed by him under sub-section (3), and the provisions of section 154 shall, so far as may be, apply accordingly.

Section 92CA (6):

Where any amendment is made by the Transfer Pricing Officer under sub-section (5), he shall send a copy of his order to the Assessing Officer who shall thereafter proceed to amend the order of assessment in conformity with such order of the Transfer Pricing Officer.

Section 92CA (7):

The Transfer Pricing Officer may, for the purposes of determining the arm’s length price under this section, exercise all or any of the powers specified in clauses (a) to (d) of sub-section (1) of section 131 or sub-section (6) of section 133 or section 133A.

Section 92CA (8):

The Central Government may make a scheme, by notification in the Official Gazette, for the purposes of determination of the arm’s length price under sub-section (3), so as to impart greater efficiency, transparency and accountability by—

  • (a) eliminating the interface between the Transfer Pricing Officer and the assessee or any other person to the extent technologically feasible;
  • (b) optimising utilisation of the resources through economies of scale and functional specialisation;
  • (c) introducing a team-based determination of arm’s length price with dynamic jurisdiction.

[Sub-section (8) was inserted w.e.f. 01.11.2020 by the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020]

Section 92CA (9):

The Central Government may, for the purpose of giving effect to the scheme made under sub-section (8), by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that any of the provisions of this Act shall not apply or shall apply with such exceptions, modifications and adaptations as may be specified in the notification:

Provided that no direction shall be issued after the 31st day of March, 2024.

[Sub-section (9) amended (substituted) w.e.f. 1-April-2022 by the Finance Act 2022]

Section 92CA (10):

Every notification issued under sub-section (8) and sub-section (9) shall, as soon as may be after the notification is issued, be laid before each House of Parliament.

[Sub-section (10) was inserted w.e.f. 01.11.2020 by the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020]

Explanation: For the purposes of this section, “Transfer Pricing Officer” means a Joint Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner authorised by the Board to perform all or any of the functions of an Assessing Officer specified in sections 92C and 92D in respect of any person or class of persons.


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