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Income-tax Act, 1961 | Chapter XXA

Section 269A of the Income-tax Act, 1961: Definitions

Section 269A defines expressions used in Chapter XXA, the historical framework concerning acquisition of certain immovable properties to counteract tax evasion. It addresses how consideration, market value, property rights and transfers were understood for that chapter.

Important legal context: Chapter XXA is a historical regime. Its operation was restricted for later property transfers following the introduction of Chapter XXC. The definitions below should not be treated as the general rules for every property sale today. For current transactions, consult the applicable provisions of the Income-tax Act, 2025, and other relevant property laws.

Meaning of key expressions under Section 269A

Apparent consideration - clause (a)

The stated or computed consideration for a transfer, determined differently for a sale, exchange, lease or transfer of specified property rights. The provision also contains rules for valuing non-cash consideration and certain future payments, including an eight per cent annual discounting rule in the circumstances specified.

Competent authority - clause (b)

A Joint Commissioner authorised by the Central Government under Section 269B to perform the competent authority's functions for Chapter XXA.

Court - clause (c)

Ordinarily, the principal civil court of original jurisdiction, subject to the Central Government's power to appoint a special judicial officer for specified local limits.

Fair market value - clause (d)

The open-market value applicable to the relevant transfer. The valuation benchmark depends on whether the transaction is a sale, exchange, lease or transfer of rights.

Immovable property - clause (e)

Includes land, buildings or parts of buildings and, in the circumstances specified, related machinery, plant, furniture, fittings and rights. Certain rights of the kind referred to in Section 269AB are also included.

Instrument of transfer - clause (f)

Includes a registered instrument under the Registration Act, 1908, or a statement registered with the competent authority under Section 269AB, as applicable.

Person interested - clause (g)

Includes a person claiming or entitled to claim an interest in compensation payable on acquisition under Chapter XXA.

Transfer - clause (h)

Includes specified sales, exchanges and long-term leases, possession in part performance of a contract under Section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, and arrangements that effectively transfer or enable enjoyment of covered property rights.

Section 269A: statutory wording and amendment notes

The following reproduces the substantive wording and historical amendment notes from the original page. Footnote numerals and omitted-text markers belong to the historical source presentation.

1In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) 2 "apparent consideration",-

(1) in relation to any immovable property transferred, being immovable property of the nature referred to in sub-clause (i) of clause (e), means,-

(i) if the transfer is by way of sale, the consideration for such transfer as specified in the instrument of transfer;

(ii) if the transfer is by way of exchange,-

(A) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of a thing or things only, the price that such thing or things would ordinarily fetch on sale in the open market on the date of execution of the instrument of transfer;

(B) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of a thing or things and a sum of money, the aggregate of the price that such thing or things would ordinarily fetch on sale in the open market on the date of execution of the instrument of transfer and such sum;

3 (iii) if the transfer is by way of lease,-

(A) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of premium only, the amount of premium as specified in the instrument of transfer;

(B) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of rent only, the aggregate of the moneys (if any) payable by way of rent and the amounts for the service or things forming part of or constituting the rent, as specified in the instrument of transfer;

(C) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of premium and rent, the aggregate of the amount of the premium, the moneys (if any) payable by way of rent and the amounts for the service or things forming part of or constituting the rent, as specified in the instrument of transfer, and where the whole or any part of the consideration for such transfer is payable on any date or dates falling after the date of such transfer, the value of the consideration payable after such date shall be deemed to be the discounted value of such consideration, as on the date of such transfer, determined by adopting the rate of interest at eight per cent per annum;

(2) in relation to any immovable property transferred, being immovable property of the nature referred to in sub-clause (ii) of clause (e), means,-

(i) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of a sum of money only, such sum;

(ii) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of a thing or things only, the price that such thing or things would ordinarily fetch on sale in the open market on the date of the transfer;

(iii) in a case where the consideration for the transfer consists of a thing or things and a sum of money, the aggregate of the price that such thing or things would ordinarily fetch on sale in the open market on the date of the transfer and such sum, and where the whole or any part of the consideration for such transfer is payable on any date or dates falling after the date of such transfer, the value of the consideration payable after such date shall be deemed to be the discounted value of such consideration, as on the date of such transfer, determined by adopting the rate of interest at eight per cent per annum.;

(b) "competent authority" means 4 a 5 Joint Commissioner authorised by the Central Government under section 269B to perform the functions of a competent authority under this Chapter;

(c) "court" means a principal civil court of original jurisdiction unless the Central Government has appointed (as it is hereby authorised to do) any special judicial officer within any specified local limits to perform the functions of the court under this Chapter;

6 (d) "fair market value",-

(i) in relation to any immovable property transferred by way of sale or exchange, being immovable property of the nature referred to in sub-clause (i) of clause (e), means the price that the immovable property would ordinarily fetch on sale in the open market on the date of execution of the instrument of transfer of such property;

(ii) in relation to any immovable property transferred by way of lease, being immovable property of the nature referred to in sub-clause (i) of clause (e), means the premium that such transfer would ordinarily fetch in the open market on the date of execution of the instrument of transfer of such property, if the consideration for such transfer had been by way of premium only;

(iii) in relation to any immovable property transferred, being immovable property of the nature referred to in sub-clause (ii) of clause (e), means the consideration in the form of money that such transfer would ordinarily fetch in the open market on the date of the transfer, if such transfer had been made only for consideration in money;

(e) 7 "immovable property" means,-

(i) any land or any building or part of a building, and includes, where any land or any building or part of a building is transferred together with any machinery, plant, furniture, fittings or other things, such machinery, plant, furniture, fittings or other things also.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this 8 sub-clause, land, building, part of a building, machinery, plant, furniture, fittings and other things include any rights therein;

9 (ii) any rights of the nature referred to in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 269AB;

10 (f) "instrument of transfer" means the instrument of transfer registered under the Registration Act, 1908 (16 of 1908), or, as the case may be, the statement registered under section 269AB with the competent authority;

(g) "person interested", in relation to any immovable property, includes all persons claiming, or entitled to claim, an interest in the compensation payable on account of the acquisition of that property under this Chapter ;

11 (h) "transfer",-

(i) in relation to any immovable property referred to in sub-clause (i) of clause (e), means transfer of such property by way of sale or exchange or lease for a term of not less than twelve years, and includes allowing the possession of such property to be taken or retained in part performance of a contract of the nature referred to in section 53A of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (4 of 1882).

Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-clause, a lease which provides for the extension of the term thereof by a further term or terms shall be deemed to be a lease for a term of not less than twelve years if the aggregate of the term for which such lease has been granted and the further term or terms for which it can be so extended is not less than twelve years ;

(ii) in relation to any immovable property of the nature referred to in sub-clause (ii) of clause

(e), means the doing of anything (whether by way of transfer of shares in a co-operative society or company or by way of any agreement or arrangement or in any other manner whatsoever) which has the effect of transferring, or enabling the enjoyment of, such property.
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1. Chapter XXA, consisting of sections 269A to 269S, ins. by Act 45 of 1972, s. 4, (w.e.f. 15-11-1972).
2. Subs, by Act 22 of 1981, s. 2, for "certain words" (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
3. Ins. by s. 2, ibid, (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
4. Subs. by Act 3 of 1989, s. 48, for "an Assistant Commissioner of Income-tax" (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
5. Subs. by Act 21 of 1998, s. 3, for "Deputy Commissioner" (w.e.f. 1-10-1998).
6. Subs. by Act 22 of 1981, s. 2, for clause (d) (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
7. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "Immovable property means any land or any building" (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
8. Subs. by Act 22 of 1981, s. 2, for "this clause" (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
9. Ins. by s. 2, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
10. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for clause (f) (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).
11. Subs. by s. 2, ibid, for clause (h) (w.e.f. 1-7-1982).

How Section 269A should be read today

The definitions in this section are chapter-specific: the opening words, "In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires", limit their operation. They are not interchangeable with definitions in capital-gains, stamp-duty or tax-deduction provisions.

Chapter XXA's historical acquisition machinery was superseded for later transactions by other legislative arrangements. The Income-tax Act, 2025, commenced on 1 April 2026, with repeal and savings provisions relevant to earlier years and proceedings. For a live dispute, identify the transaction date, the statutory regime then applicable and any saved proceedings before relying on this historical section.

In particular, an eight per cent discount rate stated in this historical definition must not be assumed to apply to present-day real-estate valuations.

Official legal resources

Income Tax Department - official website

India Code - central legislation database

Income Tax e-Filing Portal

For the authoritative current wording and commencement provisions, consult the legislation and amendments published by the Government of India.