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Income-tax Act, 2025 | Section 76

Section 76 - Special provision for computation of capital gains in case of Market Linked Debenture

Market-linked debentures and specified market-linked instruments are taxed under a special capital-gains computation without the ordinary long-term character benefit.

Reviewed by CA Nikhil Gupta · Updated 9 October 2026

Section 76: operativeEffective 1 April 2026Tax Year 2026-27 onwardReviewed 8 October 2026
Current-law control

Section 76 is presented using the consolidated Income-tax Act, 2025 as amended by the Finance Act, 2026. The general commencement date is 1 April 2026. Earlier years and saved proceedings may remain governed by the Income-tax Act, 1961 and the repeal/savings framework.

2-minute professional decode

Market-linked debentures and specified market-linked instruments are taxed under a special capital-gains computation without the ordinary long-term character benefit.

Professional checkpoint: Apply the provision only after checking the defined person, tax year, evidence, thresholds and any connected Rule or Schedule.

Who should test this section?

Section 76 matters to investors, property owners, promoters, companies, firms and advisers where the transaction involves special provision for computation of capital gains in case of market linked debenture; the charge, computation and relief steps should be separated.

Evidence to retain

The section 76 file should preserve acquisition and transfer instruments, valuation or stamp records, payment evidence, holding-period material and every document that supports the treatment of special provision for computation of capital gains in case of market linked debenture.

1961 Act bridge

Legacy provisionLegacy headingMapping
50AASpecial provision for computation of capital gains in case of Market Linked Debenture.Renumbered / mapped

The bridge is a research aid. Legacy case law carries over only after the current wording and transition rules are matched.

Rules and forms linked to this section

No provision-specific Rule was independently mapped from the current Rules register for this section. That does not mean the wider Rules are irrelevant.

Worked application

Prepare a hypothetical transaction involving special provision for computation of capital gains in case of market linked debenture. Identify the person, tax year, trigger, evidence and connected provision first; then apply section 76 step-by-step and document why each statutory condition is or is not met.

Common mistake

For section 76, do not jump from sale proceeds to a capital-gain number: first identify the transfer/charging event, then consideration, cost, timing and any exemption or rollover condition relevant to special provision for computation of capital gains in case of market linked debenture.

Compliance approach

Identify the statutory trigger for section 76, lock the relevant tax year, reconcile the facts to the operative sub-section, preserve the evidence trail and separately test every linked Rule, Form, Schedule and exception before finalising the return position.

Numeric / timing checkpoints in the operative text

Related provisions

Current statutory text

76. (1) Irrespective of anything contained in section 2(101) or section 72, the gains on the transfer or redemption or maturity, of a capital asset as mentioned in sub-section (2) shall be treated as short-term capital gains and shall be computed as per sub-section (3). (2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the capital asset shall be— (a) a unit of a Specified Mutual Fund acquired on or after the 1st April, 2023 or a Market Linked Debenture; or (b) an unlisted bond or an unlisted debenture which is transferred or redeemed or matures on or after the 23rd July, 2024. (3) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the short-term capital gains shall be computed as per the following formula:— X = A – B – C, where,— X = short-term capital gains; A = full value of consideration received or accruing as a result of the transfer or redemption or maturity of the debenture or unit or bond; B = the cost of acquisition of the debenture or unit or bond; and C = the expenditure incurred wholly and exclusively in connection with such transfer or redemption or maturity. (4) In computing capital gains under sub-section (3), no deduction shall be allowed for any sum paid as securities transaction tax as per Chapter VII of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2004 (23 of 2004). (5) For the purposes of this section,— (a) “Market Linked Debenture” means a security, by whatever name called, which has an underlying principal component in the form of a debt security and where the returns are linked to market returns on other underlying securities or indices, and include any security classified or regulated as a market linked debenture by the Securities and Exchange Board of India; (b) “Specified Mutual Fund” means a Mutual Fund, by whatever name called, which invests more than 65% of its total proceeds in debt and money market instruments or a fund which invests 65% or more of its total proceeds in units of such Mutual Fund, subject to the following:— (i) the percentage of investment in debt and money market instruments or in units of a fund shall be computed with reference to the annual average of the daily closing figures; (ii) “debt and money market instruments” shall include any securities, by whatever name called, classified or regulated as debt and money market instruments by the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

Primary-source trail

Source status: full Section 76 statutory text in the local source corpus; reconciled to the current consolidated Act control on 8 October 2026.

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