On Saturday, the Congress disclosed that it received new income tax notices amounting to ₹1,745 crore for the assessment years 2014-15 to 2016-17. This adds up to a total notice of ₹3,567 crore for the assessment years spanning from 1994-95 to 2017-18 to 2020-21.
New notices were issued on Friday evening following the Congress’s accusation that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is resorting to “tax terrorism” to weaken opposition parties financially before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which are set to commence in seven phases starting from April 19.
In a press briefing on Friday, the Congress revealed it was served notices by the Income Tax department demanding ₹1,823 crore for five years (Assessment Year 1994–95 and AYs 2017–18 to 2020–21). The party, having lost a challenge to the I-T department’s search operations in the Delhi High Court on March 22, asserted that these notices were “time-barred” and constituted “delayed action”.
Congress alleges Income Tax department’s double standards
As elections approach, Congress accuses BJP-led government of misusing institutions like Income Tax department, ED, and CBI to undermine democracy.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge questions the government’s use of Income Tax department to target the opposition. Kharge states that penalties imposed by I-T authorities include Rs 54 crore for 1993-94, Rs 182 crore for 2016-17, Rs 179 crore for 2017-18, Rs 918 crore for 2018-19, and Rs 480 crore for 2019-20.
Left parties, CPI and CPI-M, also face tax scrutiny, with CPI receiving a notice for using an old PAN card. Additionally, I-T department demands a tax recovery of Rs 15.59 crore from left parties for not disclosing a bank account in their tax returns for 2016-17.
Trinamool Congress leader Saket Gokhale claims to have received 11 I-T notices in the last 72 hours.
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