FM Sitharaman Denies Rumors of Sweeping Tax Changes

New Delhi: After BSE benchmark Sensex crashed 1,100 points following a report that the Income Tax department is planning some sweeping changes after Lok Sabha elections, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday debunked rumours calling it pure speculation.

“Wonder where this is coming from. Was not even double checked with @FinMinIndia. Pure speculation," Sitharaman wrote on social media platform X, while reacting to a tweet made by a news channel claiming that the tax department is planning to impose uniform treatment for all asset classes.

The report, however, had claimed that once the new government takes charge, the income tax department may prevent tax base erosion, revamp laws on penalties, and impose uniform treatment for all asset classes. Currently, India follows a differential tax structure for various financial assets.

For example, stock investors pay Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) on shares and equity-oriented mutual funds at the rate of 10 per cent after crossing a threshold of Rs 1 lakh, but income from fixed deposits is fully taxable. Debt mutual fund investors have to pay a short-term capital gains tax according to the marginal rate of taxation for a holding period within 36 months. On the other hand, LTCG on debt funds is at 20 per cent with an indexation benefit.