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§ 448
Chapter XXI — Penalties

Penalty for failure to deduct tax at source

Income-tax Act, 2025

If a person does not deduct the required tax at source or fails to pay/ensure payment of that tax, the Assessing Officer can levy a penalty equal to the amount of tax that was not deducted or paid.

This penalty applies in addition to any other penalties that may be prescribed under the Act.

📜 Official text of the section +
448. If any person fails to— ( a) deduct the whole or any part of the tax as required under Chapter XIX-B; or ( b) pay or ensure the payment of, the whole or any part of the tax as required by or under— 10. Substituted by the Finance Act, 2026, w.e.f. 1-4-2026. Prior to its substitution, section 446 read as under : “446. Failure to get accounts audited.— If any person fails to get his accounts audited for any tax year or years or furnish the audit report as required under section 63, the Assessing Officer may impose a penalty on such person, which shall be the lesser of— ( a) 0.5% of the total sales, turnover, or gross receipts in business, or the gross receipts in profession for such tax year or years; or ( b) ` 150000.” 11. Omitted by the Finance Act, 2026, w.e.f. 1-4-2026. Prior to its omission, section 447 read as under : “447. Penalty for failure to furnish report under section 172.—If any person fails to furnish a report from an accountant as required by section 172, the Assessing Officer may impose a penalty of ` 100000 on such person.” ( i) Note 2 below the Table in section 393(3); or ( ii) Note 6 to section 393(1) (Table: Sl. No. 8), then, the Assessing Officer may impose on him, a penalty equal to the tax which such person failed to deduct or pay or ensure payment of, as aforesaid. Penalty for failure to collect tax at source.

Plain-language summary — not the official text. Refer to the bare Act and confirm with a professional for your specific case.