Section 285B requires any person carrying on the production of a cinematograph film, or engaged in any specified activity, or both, during the whole or any part of a financial year, to furnish a statement for the period of that year during which the production or activity is carried on. The statement is furnished within the prescribed period, in the prescribed form and manner, to the prescribed income-tax authority.
It must contain particulars of all payments of over fifty thousand rupees in the aggregate made by the person, or due from him, to each person engaged by him in the production or specified activity. "Specified activity" means event management, documentary production, production of programmes for telecasting on television or over the top platforms or any other similar platform, sports event management, other performing arts, or any other activity notified by the Central Government.
Operative consequences
The fifty thousand rupees threshold is applied per payee, on the aggregate of payments made or due.
Failure to furnish the statement in due time falls within s. 272A(2)(c), which provides a penalty of five hundred rupees for every day during which the failure continues.
Section 295(2)(mma) empowers the Board to make rules on the form in which the statement is delivered.
Status
Section 285B is operative for assessment year 2026-27. It is not time-limited. The Finance Act, 2026 did not amend this section.
The 1961 Act governs assessment year 2026-27 and earlier; the Income-tax Act, 2025 governs tax year 2026-27 onwards. For this subject the 2025 Act provision is s. 507.
Function in the statutory architecture
Section 285B requires any person carrying on the production of a cinematograph film, or engaged in any specified activity, or both, during the whole or any part of a financial year, to furnish a statement for the period of that year during which the production or activity is carried on. The statement is furnished within the prescribed period, in the prescribed form and manner, to the prescribed income-tax authority.
It must contain particulars of all payments of over fifty thousand rupees in the aggregate made by the person, or due from him, to each person engaged by him in the production or specified activity. "Specified activity" means event management, documentary production, production of programmes for telecasting on television or over the top platforms or any other similar platform, sports event management, other performing arts, or any other activity notified by the Central Government.
Operative consequences
Status
Section 285B is operative for assessment year 2026-27. It is not time-limited. The Finance Act, 2026 did not amend this section.
The 1961 Act governs assessment year 2026-27 and earlier; the Income-tax Act, 2025 governs tax year 2026-27 onwards. For this subject the 2025 Act provision is s. 507.