Student
3986 Points
Joined July 2018
1. We all know that debt MF if it is held for less than 3 years, any gains arising on sale of such units will be considered as short term capital gains and consequently charged to tax.
2. Sale of Equity oriented MF is one of the assets contemplated u/s 112A. If the above MF is held for more than 12 months any gain on the same will be charged to tax as LTCG.
3. Now the real confusion is whether set off and carry forward section comes first or exemption u/s 112A of Rs. 1 lakhs comes first towards the gain u/s 112A...?
4. If we look at this from a logical point of view, only after adjusting all the items under the same source under the head, different sources may be used for set-off. In the given case as per sec 112A gains to the extent of Rs. 1 lakhs will be exempted and no need for payment of tax on the same.
5. Sec 74 deals with set-off of short term capital loss with LTCG. This set off happens only after finding the net tax liability from Long term source. Only then the net amount will be set it off against balance available gain from Long term capital asset.
6. In other words, the net result of one source should be determined and only the balance gain if any should be netted off with other sources in the same head.
7. In the given case net gain from one source u/s 112A should first be computed and balance gain if any can be netted off with STCL.
8. Going by the above logic net gain comes to Nil ( Rs. 90,000 < Rs. 1,00,000) and there is no gain available for set-off of STCL of Rs. 70,000. Hence Rs. 70,000 should be carry forwarded for future years as STCL.
9. In the given case if the debt MF is long term it will be covered u/s 112 and not sec 112A. Then, in that case, LTCL of Rs. 70,000 will be carry forwarded.
Please correct me if the above interpretation has an alternative view.