Sitharaman withdraws Income Tax Bill in Lok Sabha; new Bill to be introduced on August 11

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday withdrew the Income Tax Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, and the government will come out with an updated version of the legislation after incorporating changes suggested by the Select Committee.

A new version of the Income Tax Bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 11.

The updated version of the I-T Bill, according to sources, will incorporate most of the recommendations of the Select Committee.

"To avoid confusion by multiple versions of the Bill and to provide a clear and updated version with all changes incorporated, the new version of the Income Tax Bill will be introduced for the consideration of the House on Monday," sources said.

The Select Committee, chaired by Baijayant Panda, had suggested a host of changes in the Income Tax Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on February 13.

Soon after its introduction in the Lower House, the Bill, which will replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961, was referred to the Select Committee for scrutiny.

The 31-member Select Committee had made some suggestions on the Bill.

They also favoured continuing tax exemption on anonymous donations made to religious-cum-charitable trusts in the new law, besides suggesting that taxpayers be allowed to claim TDS refund even after the ITR filing due date without paying any penal charges.

The government in the new Bill has exempted non-profit organisations (NPOs) from taxing anonymous donations received by purely religious trusts. However, such donations received by a religious trust that may also have other charitable functions, like running hospitals and educational institutions, will be taxed as per law, as per the Bill.