Brain Storming Seminar in Hyderabad and Vizag
THE Seminars conducted by Tax Law Research Group in association with TIOL on Service tax, Customs, Central Excise and Income Tax at Hyderabad on August 7, 2009 was graced by Mr. V. Sridhar, Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs who was the chief guest, Mr. SS Khan, Member, Central Board of Direct Taxes. Mr. Gautam Battacharya, JS (TRU) later addressed service tax related queries.
Earlier, while delivering the Keynote address, the Chairman stated that the economic downturn had a significant impact on tax collections and in spite of this Government announced stimulus packages for the industry by way of reduction in duty rates. He urged the trade to be more tax compliant and pay their taxes.
Mr. R Kalla from Nagpur mailed to us,
Hyderabad seminar will certainly go into golden page of the history of Taxation in India. ‘Such great luminaries' sharing the same dais is not less than a magic. Everybody must have received the satisfaction during interaction. I can understand the efforts which must have gone behind this seminar.
Mr. S. Thirumalai, Consultant and a former President of FAPCCI , wrote in,
The seminar at Hyderabad on Aug 7 was well positioned. It was good to hear the Chairman, CBEC on the road map for GST which is really the next big change in indirect taxes that we are all looking forward to. Unlike the previous VAT exercise this would involve all most all the revenue collectors at the State and Central levels in ushering in this second stage reform. Lot of unlearning, relearning and re relearning is called for at all levels in the Government, the Departmental representatives and equally indeed with the assesses and their representatives.
While so much is being mentioned about the objective to reduce the "docket explosion" and consequent pendency in Courts from the present average of 11 years to 3 years some steps are also called for at the Adjudication and CESTAT levels. Recently I understand that the Hon'ble APHC tax bench will hear only regular matters for two exclusive days in the week. The current President of CESTAT has introduced this in New Delhi as I understand on a test basis. This should be extended across the country to find out how the local bar and assessees respond to this.
More importantly there has to be some room for innovation and management in avoiding waste of time in Adjudication/CESTAT. I am sure if there is a forum at each Commissionerate level and in the CESTAT to mainly focus on delays of various sorts and sizes as of now useful suggestions taking into account local conditions will emerge and there will be scope for improvement.