If you're heading out to buy gold which is at a 6-month low, here's what you need to read: The finance ministry has said that there will be no seizure of gold jewellery to the extent of 500 gms per married lady and 250 gms per unmarried lady and 100 gms per male.


Also, jewellery/gold legally inherited and acquired out of explained sources, is also not chargeable to tax, the finance ministry says. Jewellery/gold purchased out of disclosed income or exempted income or reasonable household savings not chargeable to tax.


The government clarifies that the apprehension sought to be created that the jewellery with the household which is acquired-out of disclosed sources or exempted income shall become taxable under the proposed Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016, is totally unfounded and baseless.

In the wake of Taxation Laws (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016 which has been passed by the Lok Sabha and is under consideration with Rajya Sabha, some rumours have been making rounds that all gold jewellery including ancestral jewellery shall be taxed @75% plus cess with a further penalty liability of 10% of tax payable.

It is hereby clarified that the above Bill has not introduced any new provision regarding chargeability of tax on jewellery. The Bill only seeks to enhance the applicable tax rate under section 115BBE of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the Act) from existing 30% to 60% plus surcharge of 25% and cess thereon. This section only provides rate of tax to be charged in case of unexplained investment in assets.


It is clarified that the jewellery/gold purchased out of disclosed income or out of exempted income like agricultural income or out of reasonable household savings or legally inherited which has been acquired out of explained sources is neither chargeable to tax under the existing provisions nor under the proposed amended provisions. In this connection, a reference to instruction No.1916 is also invited which provides that during the search operations, no seizure of gold jewellery and ornaments to the extent of 500 grams per married lady, 250 grams per unmarried lady and 100 grams per male member of the family shall be made. Further, legitimate holding of jewellery upto any extent is fully protected.