I-T - Ease of Doing Business and Reducing Litigation - Govt Appoints Committee

By Vijay Kumar

THE Government has appointed yet another Committee with lofty goals. This Committee headed by Justice RV Easwar, former President of ITAT is to:

i) to study and identify the provisions/phrases in the Act which are leading to litigation due to different interpretations;

ii) to study and identify the provisions which are impacting the ease of doing business;

iii) to study and identify the areas and provisions of the Act for simplification in the light of the existing jurisprudence;

iv) to suggest alternatives and modifications to the existing provisions and areas so identified to bring about predictability and certainty in tax laws without substantial impact on the tax base and revenue collection.

Justice Easwarbrings with him unparalleled experience as a lawyer, Member and President of ITAT, judge of a High Court and a qualified chartered accountant. For about ten years in ITAT, he must have heard every litigated provision in the Income Tax Act and is undoubtedly the most eminently qualified person to head this committee.

But what do they do with the reports of the Committees? Usually they gather dust in the insignificant corridors of Delhi's powerful buildings.

This Committee is supposed to submit its first batch of recommendations by 31st January 2016. Maybe the FM has enough time to include some of them in the Finance Bill 2016.

In the ease of paying taxes, we have remained almost where we were.