Section 285A and Section 285B of the Income-tax Act, 1961

Section 285A: Furnishing information or documents by an Indian concern

Meaning: Section 285A imposed a reporting obligation on an Indian concern where a share or interest in a foreign company or entity derived, directly or indirectly, substantial value from assets located in India and the foreign company or entity held those Indian assets through, or in, the Indian concern.

What was an indirect transfer for this purpose?

Section 9(1)(i), read with its explanations, dealt with income deemed to accrue or arise in India through specified connections with India. Explanation 5 treated a share or interest in a company or entity registered or incorporated outside India as situated in India where it derived, directly or indirectly, its value substantially from assets located in India, subject to the statutory conditions and exceptions.

Accordingly, Section 285A was a compliance provision supporting the indirect-transfer tax rule. It did not by itself create the charge of tax; it required the Indian concern connected with the underlying Indian assets to provide information needed for applying Section 9.

Section 285B: Statements by film producers and persons engaged in specified activities

Meaning: In its final form before repeal of the 1961 Act, Section 285B applied to a person carrying on production of a cinematograph film, a person engaged in a specified activity, or a person doing both during any part of a financial year.

Definition of specified activity

For Section 285B, "specified activity" included event management, documentary production, production of programmes for telecasting on television or over-the-top platforms or similar platforms, sports event management, other performing arts, and any other activity that the Central Government could specify by notification in the Official Gazette.

Prescribed forms and rules under the Income-tax Act, 1961

Current corresponding provisions under the Income-tax Act, 2025

The Income-tax Act, 2025 came into force on 1 April 2026. For Tax Year 2026-27 onwards, the corresponding reporting framework is found in Sections 506 and 507 and the Income-tax Rules, 2026.

Section 506: Indian concern and indirect transfer reporting

Section 506 continues the reporting obligation where a share or interest in a foreign company or entity derives substantial value from assets located in India and those assets are held through, or in, an Indian concern. Under Rule 235, the prescribed reporting is made in Form 163.

Section 507: cinematograph films and specified activities

Section 507 requires a person producing a cinematograph film or carrying on a specified activity during a tax year to furnish the prescribed statement. The statement includes particulars of aggregate payments over Rs. 50,000 made or due to each person engaged in the production or specified activity. Under Rule 236, the prescribed statement is Form 164.

Official resources

• Income Tax Department: Income-tax Act, 2025, Rules and comparison utilities
• Income Tax Department: Form 163 FAQs for Section 506
• Income Tax e-Filing: Form 163 user manual
• Income Tax Department: Form 164 FAQs for Section 507
• Income Tax e-Filing: statutory forms

Practical compliance points

• Identify the relevant period first. The 1961 Act remains relevant to matters preserved under the repeal and savings framework, while the 2025 Act governs Tax Year 2026-27 onwards.
• For indirect transfers, examine the substantive deemed-accrual provision together with the reporting section, applicable Rules and prescribed form.
• For film production and specified activities, aggregate payments payee-wise and check whether the statutory threshold is crossed.
• Use the form and rule applicable to the relevant Act and period rather than relying on an older form solely because the underlying activity began earlier.