FM to Meet Customs Chief Commissioners Today
FINANCE Minister Mr. Chidambaram will interact with the CC/DGs of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, today. The conference is to focus on
1. Clarity in indirect tax laws [He should read some of the laws churned out by his Board]
2. A stable tax regime [which changes only once in a week or so]
3. A non- adversarial tax administration [attach the property of the assessee for a small short payment of duty - detain imported goods for years together]
4. A fair mechanism for dispute resolution [confirm all demands against the assessee and impose the maximum possible penalty even in cases which are already decided by the Supreme Court.] and
5. An independent judiciary. [What can the Chief Commissioners do about it?But in quasi judicial functions, the Departmental officers are highly independent - they don't follow Supreme Court and/or Board]
Mr. Chidambaram, you will get your revenue even without these meetings, but do tell your officers:-
1. To be a little more careful while drafting notifications and circulars
2. Not to smuggle in corrections through corrigenda and outright fraud
3. Not to treat every client/assessee as a criminal
4. Not to confirm all demands of duty in adjudication
5.Not to detain imported goods and then keep adjudication pending for years
And do promise to protect them from Audit (which is any way a bad word with the UPA Government) and vigilance for fair and honest actions.
The FM is scheduled to address the media after the conference.