§ 94
Chapter IV — Computation Of Total Income

Amounts not deductible

Income-tax Act, 2025

Business owners should note that certain expenses are not deductible when calculating income from other sources. These include personal expenses, interest on foreign payments where tax hasn't been paid, and certain salary payments abroad. Additionally,

  • no deductions are allowed for lottery or gambling winnings, except for horse race owners who maintain horses for racing.
These rules help determine the taxable income of a business or individual.

📜 Official text of the section +
94. (1) Irrespective of anything contained in section 93, the following amounts shall not be deductible in computing the income of any assessee chargeable under the head “Income from other sources”:— ( a) any personal expenses of the assessee; or ( b) any interest chargeable under this Act, payable outside India, on which tax has not been paid or deducted under Chapter XIX-B; or ( c) any payment chargeable under the head “Salaries”, if it is payable outside India, unless tax has been paid or deducted under Chapter XIX-B. (2) The provisions of sections 29, 35( b)(i), and 36 shall apply in computing the income chargeable under the head “Income from other sources” as they apply in computing the income chargeable under the head “Profits and gains of business or profession”. (3) For an assessee, being a foreign company, the provisions of section 59 shall apply in computing the income chargeable under the head “Income from other sources”, as they apply in computing the income chargeable under the head “Profits and gains of business or profession”. 10c. Substituted by the Finance Act, 2026, w.e.f. 1-4-2026. Prior to its substitution, sub-section (2) read as under : “(2) In respect of— ( a) dividend income of the nature referred to in section 2(40)(f), no deduction shall be allowed; ( b) any other dividend income [other than in clause ( a)], or income from units of a Mutual Fund specified under Schedule VII (Table: Sl. No. 20 or 21) or income from units of a specified company as referred to in section 2(h) of the Unit Trust of India (Transfer of Undertaking and Repeal) Act, 2002 (58 of 2002), only deduction allowed shall be interest expense which, for any tax year, shall be limited to 20% of such income (included in the total income for that year, without deduction under this section).” (4) In computing the income from winnings from lotteries, crossword puzzles, races including horse races, card games and other games of any sort, or from gambling or betting of any form or nature, no deduction for any expenditure or allowance related to such income shall be allowed under this Act. (5) Sub-section (4) shall not apply in computing the income of an assessee, being the owner of horses maintained for running in horse races, from the activity of owning and maintaining such horses. (6) For the purposes of this section, the expression “horse race” means a horse race upon which wagering or betting may be lawfully made. Profits chargeable to tax.

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