Draft service Tax Audit manual Released
THE DG, Audit, Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax has released a new Draft Service Tax Audit Manual. Of course this is not for public consumption. It is meant only for Departmental Officers. It seems the Board wanted the DG to place the Draft Manual on the website with restricted access to officers only. So the DG has placed the Draft Manual on the website but it can be accessible only with a password given to Departmental Officers. The DG has requested the Departmental Officers for suggestions / comments / views.
In these days of transparency and right to information, it beats logic that the government does not want to share information. Having locked it up with a username and password, how many officers are going to open it? This is certainly not secret information and anybody can get a copy under the RTI Act. Then what is the whole purpose behind keeping it a secret? Maybe it is so sacred that only Departmental officers are entitled to see it.
Why do you want to know what I tell my officers, asks a senior officer – simply because I have a right to know and that right does not require me to tell you, why I want that information. Citizens have a right to know what the government servants are doing – you can't conceal information from your master – the citizen.
Strangely the Draft Preventive Manual from the DRI, the premier investigation agency, which also has an exemption from the RTI, is available in the public domain, while the Draft Audit Manual is a closely guarded secret.
Incidentally the letter addressed by the DG, Audit informing about the Audit manual is available in the website open to the public.
DG Audit F. No. 381/24/2009 Dated: February 04, 2010