The Finance Act, 2016 incorporated significant amendments from the original Finance Bill, 2016, including the reduction of the holding period for unlisted shares to qualify as short-term capital assets from 36 months to 24 months. Other key changes involve tax implications for employer contributions to provident funds, updates on penalties for under-reporting income, and eligibility requirements for domestic companies and limited liability partnerships to benefit from tax deductions. Additional provisions for tax on dividends exceeding INR 10 lakhs and income from patents were also introduced.