Sec 44AA of the Act requires certain persons to maintain books of account. The provisions of this section read with Rule 6F of the Income Tax Rules, 1962 relate to maintenance of books by the assessee as well as prescribe the list of books to be maintained. The provisions of Sec 44AA are as under:
44AA. (1) Every person carrying on legal, medical, engineering or architectural profession or the profession of accountancy or technical consultancy or interior decoration or any other profession as is notified by the Board in the Official Gazette shall keep and maintain such books of account and other documents as may enable the Assessing Officer to compute his total income in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
(2) Every person carrying on business or profession [not being a profession referred to in sub-section (1)]shall,—
(i) if his income from business or profession exceeds one lakh twenty thousand rupees or his total sales, turnover or gross receipts, as the case may be, in business or profession exceed or exceeds ten lakh rupees in any one of the three years immediately preceding the previous year; or
(ii) where the business or profession is newly set up in any previous year, if his income from business or profession is likely to exceed one lakh twenty thousand rupees or his total sales, turnover or gross receipts, as the case may be, in business or profession are or is likely to exceed ten lakh rupees, during such previous year; or
(iii) where the profits and gains from the business are deemed to be the profits and gains of the assessee under section 44AE or section 44BB or section 44BBB, as the case may be, and the assessee has claimed his income to be lower than the profits or gains so deemed to be the profits and gains of his business, as the case may be, during such previous year; or
(iv) where the provisions of sub-section (4) of section 44AD are applicable in his case and his income exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax in any previous year,
keep and maintain such books of account and other documents as may enable the Assessing Officer to compute his total income in accordance with the provisions of this Act:
[Provided that in the case of a person being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, the provisions of clause (i) and clause (ii) shall have the effect, as if for the words "one lakh twenty thousand rupees", the words "two lakh fifty thousand rupees" had been substituted :
Provided further that in the case of a person being an individual or a Hindu undivided family, the provisions of clause (i) and clause (ii) shall have the effect, as if for the words "ten lakh rupees", the words "twenty-five lakh rupees" had been substituted.]
(3) The Board may, having regard to the nature of the business or profession carried on by any class of persons, prescribe, by rules, the books of account and other documents (including inventories, wherever necessary) to be kept and maintained under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the particulars to be contained therein and the form and the manner in which and the place at which they shall be kept and maintained.
(4) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (3), the Board may prescribe, by rules, the period for which the books of account and other documents to be kept and maintained under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall be retained.
Persons carrying on legal, medical, engineering or architectural profession or the profession of accountancy or technical consultancy or interior decoration or authorized representative or film artist are required to maintain books of account if their gross receipts exceed Rs. 1,50,000 in all the three years preceding the previous year. The provisions of sec 44AA of the Act can be explained with the help of the following presentation:
Notes to the above presentation
Limit of Rs.1,20,000/- for Total Income & Rs.10,00,000/- for total sale receipts enhanced to Rs.2,50,000/- & Rs.25,00,000/- respectively in respect of Individuals/ HUF
(1*) specified person: legal, medical, engineering, architectural, accountancy, technical consultancy, interior decoration or any other notified profession
(2*) In all of the three years immediately preceding the P.Y. or where the business/profession has been newly set up in the P.Y., then such P.Y.
(3*) In any one of the three years immediately preceding the previous year, or, where the business/profession has been newly set up in the previous year, then suchP.Y.
(4*) Any books: means the books so as to enable the AO to compute his total income in accordance with the provisions of this Act.
The assessee shall also keep and maintain such books of account & other documents as may enable the AO to compute his total income in accordance with the provisions of this Act where:
1. Profits and gains from business are deemed to be profits and gains of assessee u/s 44AE, 44BB, 44BBB, and the assessee has claimed his income to be lower than the profits or gains so deemed, or
2. Profits and gains from the business are deemed to be the profits and gains of assessee u/s 44AD and he has claimed such income to be lower than the profits and gains so deemed and his income exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax.
However, in respect point 2 above, w.e.f. AY 2017-18, the assessee shall keep/maintain such books of account & other documents, if the provisions of Sec. 44AD(4) are applicable {i.e. withdrawal of benefit u/s 44AD for next 5 A.Y.(s)} and his income exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to income-tax. [As amended by Finance Act, 2016]
The penalty under Section 271A:
Rs.25,000 if the assessee does not conform to the conditions of the said section.
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