Income Tax Act, 2025  ·  Chapter I — Preliminary  ·  Section 2

Section 2
Definitions

IT Act 2025 Chapter I Effective 1 April 2026 Old: 2
New Provision
Section 2, IT Act 2025
Replaces (IT Act 1961)
2
Chapter
Chapter I — Preliminary
Effective From
1 April 2026
Statutory Text — Section 2

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (1) “accountant” shall have the meaning assigned to it in section 515(3)(b); (2) “Additional Commissioner” means a person appointed to be an Additional Commissioner of Income-tax under section 237(1); (3) “Additional Director” means a person appointed to be an Additional Director of Income-tax under section 237(1); (4) “advance tax” means the advance tax payable as per Chapter XIX-C; (5) “agricultural income” means— (a) any rent or revenue derived from a land which is situated in India and is used for agricultural purposes; (b) any income derived from such land by— (i) agriculture; or (ii) the performance by a cultivator or receiver of rent-in-kind of any process ordinarily employed by a cultivator or receiver of rent-in-kind to render the produce raised or received by him fit to be taken to market; or (iii) the sale by a cultivator or receiver of rent-in-kind of the produce raised or received by him, in respect of which no process has been performed other than a process of the nature described in item (ii);

(c) any income derived from any building owned and occupied by the receiver of the rent or revenue of any such land, or occupied by the cultivator or the receiver of rent-in-kind, of any such land with respect to which, or the produce of which, any process mentioned in sub-clause (b)(ii) and (iii) is carried on, where such building–– (i) is on or in the immediate vicinity of such land and that land is assessed to land revenue in India, or is subject to a local rate assessed and collected by officers of the Government as such, or where the land is not so assessed to land revenue or subject to a local rate it is not situated in any area as specified in clause (22)(iii)(A) or (B); and (ii) is required as a dwelling house, or as a store-house, or other out-building, by the receiver of the rent or revenue or the cultivator, or the receiver of rent-in-kind, by reason of his connection with the land; (d) any income derived from saplings or seedlings grown in a nursery, but shall not include–– (i) the income derived from any building or land referred to in sub-clause (c) arising from the use of such building or land for any purpose (including letting for residential purpose or for the purpose of any business or profession) other than agriculture falling under sub-clause (a) or (b); or (ii) any income arising from the transfer of any land referred to in clause (22)(iii)(A) or (B); (6) “amalgamation”, in relation to companies, means the merger of one or more companies with another company or the merger of two or more companies to form one company (the company or companies which so merge being referred to as the amalgamating company or companies and the company with which they merge or which is formed as a result of such merger being referred to as the amalgamated company) in such a manner that— (a) all the property of the amalgamating company or companies immediately before the amalgamation become the property of the amalgamated company by virtue of the amalgamation; (b) all the liabilities of the amalgamating company or companies immediately before the amalgamation become the liabilities of the amalgamated company by virtue of the amalgamation.

Shahi & Co. — Our Understanding
Section 2 is the definitions engine of the entire Act — over 100 terms are defined here, ranging from 'accountant' to 'virtual digital asset'. These definitions govern how every other section is interpreted.
Practical Note: The definition of 'tax year' (replacing 'assessment year' and 'previous year') is one of the most practically significant changes. Going forward, income earned in Tax Year 2026-27 is assessed and taxed in the same year — a conceptual simplification from the old framework.
Shahi & Co., Chartered Accountants
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Disclaimer: This is a reproduction of Section 2 of the Income Tax Act, 2025 (No. 30 of 2025) as published in the Official Gazette of India (CG-DL-E-22082025-265620) for informational and reference purposes only. Shahi & Co., Chartered Accountants makes no warranty as to completeness or accuracy. For the official authenticated text refer to egazette.gov.in or incometaxindia.gov.in. This does not constitute legal or tax advice.