Income Tax Department Tells SC: ‘No Coercive Steps Against Congress Till July 24’
In a major relief to the Congress, the Income Tax department told the Supreme Court on Monday that it will not take any coercive action against the party till July 24, over its tax demands.
The Congress had alleged that the Central government wanted to cripple the party using the Income Tax department, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Supreme Court that since elections are on, the department does not want any problem to be caused to any party.
The Court recorded the statement while hearing an application filed by Congress party challenging a 2016 Delhi high court decision, which formed the basis for the IT department to raise tax demands.
The Supreme Court will now hear the matter next on July 24.
On Sunday, the Congress received fresh notices amounting to over ₹1745 crore tax demand. They came days after the department asked the party to pay up ₹1823 crore in taxes.
In total, the Income Tax office has asked the Congress party to cough up ₹3,567 crore in taxes.
Per PTI, the fresh income tax notices were linked to the years 2014-15 ( ₹663 crore), 2015-16 (around ₹664 crore) and 2016-17 (around ₹417 crore).
The Income Tax department had withdrawn ₹135 crore from the Congress party’s accounts.
Last week, Congress treasurer Ajay Maken claimed that the BJP committed significant tax rules’ violations.
He said using the same yardsticks, the BJP was liable to pay ₹4600 crore in taxes.
“We have analysed all violations of the BJP using the same parameters they used to analyse our violations. BJP has a penalty of ₹4600 crore. The income tax department should raise demand from the BJP for the payment of this amount,” Ajay Maken had said.
He further alleged that the Congress and other like-minded opposition parties are being selectively targeted by the I-T department.
The Congress had accused the BJP of what it called tax terrorism.
“Efforts are being made to financially cripple the Congress, but we are not going to be cowed down,” Jairam Ramesh had said.