Bennisha

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Published on: Sep 17, 2026

Comprehensive Karasamadhana Scheme

The Karnataka State Government has approved the Comprehensive Karasamadhana Scheme to alleviate the burden of arrears due from various taxes administered by the Commercial Taxes Department. This initiative provides significant relief to businesses through the waiver of penalties and interest under specific state tax legislations.

Acts Covered under the Scheme

The scheme encompasses arrears related to the following enactments:

  • The Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957
  • The Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003
  • The Central Sales Tax Act, 1956
  • The Karnataka Tax on Professionals, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1976
  • The Karnataka Tax on Luxuries Act, 1979
  • The Karnataka Agricultural Income Tax Act, 1957
  • The Karnataka Entertainment Tax Act, 1958

Benefits of the Scheme

Targeted primarily at companies with existing arrears under Karnataka State taxes, the scheme offers a comprehensive waiver of penalty and interest obligations when certain conditions are met. Detailed procedures and forms necessary to leverage this scheme are available as part of the government order.

Key Features

The Comprehensive Karasamadhana Scheme includes the following features:

  • A complete waiver of 100% of penalty and interest arrears under the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 and Central Sales Tax Act, 1956 for assessment years up to 31st March 2005, completed by 30th June 2019.
  • A similar waiver under the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003 and CST Act for assessments concluded by June 30, 2019.
  • Relief from penalties such as those charged under Sections 75(1)(a) and 72(1)(b) for late returns, provided admitted taxes are fully paid.
  • Waivers apply to audited statement penalties under FORM VAT 240, contingent upon full tax payment according to declared liabilities.
  • For more insights on enhancing compliance with tax regulations, explore common tax-saving mistakes while filing ITR.

Conditions for Availment

To qualify for the waiver of penalties and interest, payers must meet specific conditions:

  • Full payment of tax arrears by 30th September 2019 will secure a waiver of associated penalties and interest, except penalties under Section 10A of the CST Act.
  • Instances exist where penalties alone are waived, provided they relate to assessments completed by June 30, 2019, and no tax arrears remain.
  • Before receiving waiver benefits, dealers with pending appeals must withdraw them and submit a declaration in Annexure -II. For related registration information, see shop establishment act registration in Hubli-Dharwad.
  • Any penalty or interest payments made during appeal filing can be adjusted towards remaining tax dues. However, excess amounts do not qualify for refunds.
  • If no appeals are filed, refund claims on any penalties paid are not entertained.
  • To explore effective consultations for dealing with tax issues, consider online CA consultation services in Telangana.
  • The state is exempt from waiving penalties or interest if it pertains to appeals or applications filed by the State or rectification certificates issued post-30th June 2019.
  • For detailed professional support, such as document preparation and filing, visit chartered accountant services in Jabalpur.
  • It's important to not file appeals or applications for rectification after applying for this scheme, to avoid disqualification.

To further understand associated tax benefits, check out Section 80IA deduction benefits.

For more diverse business needs, such as virtual office setups, consider visiting virtual office services in Mangalore.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Karasamadhana Scheme.

The Comprehensive Karasamadhana Scheme is a scheme approved by the Karnataka State Government to help reduce the arrears arising from various tax enactments administered by the Commercial Taxes Department. It provides for a waiver of penalty and interest payable by dealers under certain conditions.
The scheme covers the following Acts: The Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957; The Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003; The Central Sales Tax Act, 1956; The Karnataka Tax on Professionals, Trades, Callings and Employments Act, 1976; The Karnataka Tax on Luxuries Act, 1979; The Karnataka Agricultural Income Tax Act, 1957; and The Karnataka Entertainment Tax Act, 1958.
One of the key benefits of the scheme is that it grants a waiver of 100% of arrears of penalty and interest payable by a dealer under various state laws, subject to certain conditions being met. This can provide significant relief to dealers with outstanding arrears.
To avail the benefits of the scheme, dealers must make full payment of arrears of tax on or before September 30, 2019. Additionally, they must not withdraw any pending appeals or applications before availing the waiver, and they must not file new appeals or applications after availing the waiver.
No, the scheme does not cover all types of penalties and interest. For instance, any penalty charged by the Registering Authority under Section 10A of the Central Sales Tax Act is not eligible for the waiver under this scheme.
The scheme covers arrears of penalty and interest pertaining to assessments or re-assessments that would be completed on or before June 30, 2019, for various Acts mentioned in the scheme.
No, a dealer is not eligible to avail the benefits of the scheme if the state has filed an appeal before the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal, the Central Sales Tax Appellate Authority, the High Court, or the Supreme Court against the order giving rise to the arrears of tax, penalty, and interest.
If a dealer has already paid some amount of penalty or interest while filing an appeal or other application, that amount will be eligible for adjustment towards outstanding arrears of tax for the assessment year for which the waiver benefit is claimed.
No, a dealer is not eligible for a refund of any penalty or interest paid under the scheme, even if it results in an excess amount after adjustment towards outstanding arrears of tax.
To avail the benefits of the scheme, dealers must file an application in the prescribed format (Annexure-I) along with a declaration (Annexure-II) regarding the withdrawal of any pending appeals or applications. These annexures are appended to the government order related to the scheme.