Income Tax Act, 1967.

Meaning of “basis period”.

297.—(1) In this Part, “basis period” has the meaning assigned to it by the following provisions of this section.

(2) In the case of a person to or on whom an allowance or charge falls to be made in charging the profits or gains of his trade, his basis period for any year of assessment is the period on the profits or gains of which income tax for that year falls to be finally computed under Case I of Schedule D in respect of the trade in question or, where, by virtue of any provision of this Act, the profits or gains of any other period are to be taken to be the profits or gains of the said period, that other period:

Provided that, in the case of any trade—

(a) where two basis periods overlap, the period common to both shall be deemed for the purpose of this subsection to fall in the first basis period only,

(b) where there is an interval between the end of the basis period for one year of assessment and the basis period for the next year of assessment, then, unless the second-mentioned year of assessment is the year of the permanent discontinuance of the trade, the interval shall be deemed to be part of the second basis period, and

(c) where there is an interval between the end of the basis period for the year of assessment preceding that in which the trade is permanently discontinued and the basis period for the year in which it is permanently discontinued, the interval shall be deemed to form part of the first basis period.

(3) Any reference in the proviso to subsection (2) to the overlapping of two periods shall be construed as including a reference to the coincidence of two periods or to the inclusion of one period in another, and references to the period common to both of two periods shall be construed accordingly.

(4) Where an allowance or charge falls to be made under Chapter II of this Part to or on a person carrying on or holding a profession, employment or office, the provisions of the preceding subsections of this section shall apply as if the references to a trade included references to a profession, employment or office and as if the references to Case I of Schedule D included references to Case II of Schedule D and Schedule E.

(5) In the case of any other person to or on whom an allowance or charge falls to be made under this Part, his basis period for any year of assessment is the year of assessment itself.