Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 19: The Income Tax Department has launched massive drive against the tax evaders to effect recovery of taxes in arrears.
It may be mentioned that the Income Tax Department had recoverable demand of Rs 634.96 crores in the beginning of the year and the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) set a target of Rs 72 crores to be recovered out of the taxes in arrears during the current F.Y. 2013-14.
The Commissioner of Income Tax. A.K. Thatai informed that polite and adequate opportunity is first given to the assessees to pay their arrear taxes within a reasonable time. Some of the tax payers comply with the notices issued by the Department and pay either fully or in part their arrear taxes.
However, those who don’t comply, notices under various sections of the Income Tax Act are issued by the concerned assessing officers. These are statutory notices for payment of taxes u/s 220(1), when the assessee is treated as deemed defaulters, penalty notice u/s 221(1)for non-payment, notice of attachment of salary u/s 226(1) and other type of attachment including attachment of property and movable and immovable assets of the assessee in default.
In recent period 2686 notices of recovery have been issued and more are likely to be issued for recovery and attachment if the assessees do not come forward and pay their taxes in arrears voluntarily. The Department has already initiated prosecution proceedings under Section 276C(1) & 276C(2) for wilful attempt to evade tax against various assessee which could lead to conviction upto a period of 7 years.
The Commissioner of Income Tax, A.K. Thatai said, “we have been maintaining a very transparent and assessee friendly tax administration in this region, so I have full trust and faith in the assessees of Jammu & Kashmir that they would pay necessary attention to payment of their arrear taxes so that we can serve them better and provide them a harassment free tax environment in future.” However, he did not rule out tax recovery surveys and harsh action on tax evaders and defaulters if his polite request is not responded to well by those tax payers against whom arrear demand is outstanding.
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