« Top Headlines » Open DEMAT Account in 24 hrs  Section 80D Tax Deductions: Your guide to Smart Healthcare investment  How do I claim tax exemption under 54F?  ITR filing: How income from stock market is taxed explained  Income Tax notice: 6 high-value cash transactions that can get you flagged by I-T dept «  Govt may bring excise duty, service tax closer... Passport to hassle-free deals... » I-T returns to help you work from home October, 27th 2006 Here is one more reason to file your income tax returns with care. If you’re working from home this could be your chance to keep your establishment going. Centre and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) are working out parameters for professionals working from residential areas on criteria like I-T returns, trade defined under service tax rules and educational qualifications. DDA will consider 1. Trades under service tax rules: IT pros, HR and finance consultants Grey area: Asessing staff strength 2. I-T returns as individual professionals: Filmmakers, graphic designers Grey area: Distinguishing individuals 3. Education: MBAs, engineers Grey area: Self-taught professionals Affidavits will have to state Job details, staff strength, use of municipal services, parking requirements Also under consideration : Use of basement as office space. Here the Supreme Court has allowed government to set norms for services This means professionals like artists, documentary filmmakers, content developers, fashion designers and teachers could be brought within the ambit of professional activity. Also under consideration is the use of basements by such service providers. Following a clarification in Supreme Court’s October 18 directive, the urban development ministry is likely to increase the existing ‘‘professional activities’’ permissible in residential areas. Under the UD ministry’s September 7 notification, only doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects are allowed to ply their trade from residential areas. As reported by TOI, there are several other professionals like HR and finance consultants, real estate agents and designers who follow the small office home office (SOHO) principle. So far the justification for restricting ‘‘professional activity’’ to doctors, lawyers, architects and chartered accountants was that these professionals are governed by statutory regulatory bodies. But, in light of SC relenting on professionals — and in absence of regulatory bodies for a host of professions — DDA, in consultation with UD ministry, has settled on judging professionals under three parameters. Trades that have been defined under service tax rules will be permitted with a professional’s I-T returns and educational qualifications. ‘‘We would like to include as many people as possible but clear cases of commercial use like cyber cafes or boutiques are unlikely to make the cut,’’ a source said. Guidelines are likely to be finalised in a fortnight. These criteria will be supplemented by an undertaking or affidavit submitted by professionals.