&w=3840&q=100)
FM flags tax appeals backlog, tells CBDT to fast-track resolution
Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday directed the Income Tax department to accelerate the disposal of over 5,70,000 pending tax appeals and enhance taxpayer service delivery.
Chairing a conclave of Principal Chief Commissioners of Income Tax (PrCCsIT), the FM emphasised the need to reduce litigation and improve trust in the tax administration system, according to an official statement.
The Finance Minister called for time-bound disposal of disputed tax demands pending before faceless appellate authorities and instructed that all departmental appeals falling below the revised monetary thresholds be withdrawn within three months.
According to the Union Budget 2024-25 announcements, the monetary limits for departmental appeals were increased from ₹50 lakh to ₹60 lakh for the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), from ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore for High Courts, and from ₹2 crore to ₹5 crore for the Supreme Court.
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) officials informed that following this change, 4,605 cases were withdrawn in 2024, and another 3,120 were not filed due to the enhanced thresholds. In FY 2025-26, the department aims to dispose of more than 2,25,000 appeals, involving tax demands exceeding ₹10 trillion.
On the taxpayer services front, the Finance Minister reviewed the status of grievance redressal and refund issuance. According to the release, 1,31,844 grievances out of 1,60,229 received through CPGRAMS and e-Nivaran platforms were resolved as of June 17, reflecting a disposal rate of 82.28 per cent.
Refunds worth ₹23,376 crore were issued based on Orders Giving Effect, and ₹10,496 crore through rectification in FY 2025-26 so far. This marks a 58.04 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, said the release.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
‘Some BJP MPs also back over Waqf stand': top Muslim body chief on eve of Patna rally
After holding scores of protest meetings against the amended Waqf law across Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, Imarat-e-Shariah, one of the country's leading Muslim organisations, is set to hold a mega rally in Patna's Gandhi Maidan on Sunday to keep the heat on the BJP-led Centre over the row. Imarat-e-Sharia, headquartered in Patna, has rejected the Waqf amendment legislation, calling for its withdrawal. The legislation was passed by Parliament in April. In May, after hearing multiple petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, the Supreme Court reserved its decision on the prayer for interim directions. Speaking to The Indian Express, Imarat-e-Shariah head Faisal Rahmani said: 'Though we have been protesting against the draconian Waqf Amendment Bill right from the start, we want to keep the pressure on the Centre. We have been creating awareness among public about how the Centre's Waqf amendments are against several provisions of the Constitution and Supreme Court rulings. It is nothing but a bid to take away our places of worship and heritage buildings. This law undermines the spirit of brotherhood in the country.' Rahmani said: 'We accept the 1995 Waqf law. Going by the amendments to it, how can one disallow Hindus to donate their land for a good cause? Our records show that there are thousands of educational, medical and social organisations and institutions being run on Waqf land, some of which even have more Hindu beneficiaries in comparison to Muslims. Take for example Maulana Mazharul Haque University in Patna, which has 88% Hindu students in its courses.' He said, 'The Centre summarily rejected our more than 300 representations against the Waqf Bill – we are also rejecting their amended Waqf law.' Calling the Waqf law 'irrational', the Imarat-e-Shariah chief also said: 'What will happen when someone asks for proof of Ashokan pillars or a whole lot of our historical monuments cutting across religions? This law aims at creating enmity among citizens… Public is a great force. It had made the NDA-led central government withdraw three farm laws. Patna rally is just the beginning, we will keep the pressure on the Centre.' Asked about timing of the Imarat-e-Shariah's protests ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, Rahmani said they have been seeking support from all parties. 'We are getting calls of solidarity from various political parties. In fact, some BJP MPs have also been supporting our Waqf stand,' he claimed. In March, during Ramzan, Imarat-e-Shariah had given a call to boycott the 'sarkari' Iftar hosted by Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar in Patna. The JD(U) had termed the Imarat-e-Shariah's boycott announcement 'uncalled for'. This was perhaps the first time that a leading Muslim body had made such a move. The Muslim community accounts for over 17% of Bihar's population and is concentrated in Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, Katihar and Purnia. Several other districts in the state, including Darbhanga, Madhubani, Patna and Nalanda, also have sizeable Muslim population.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
MoF: Accept or reject, don't ignore
On June 19, 2025, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) convened a rare meeting of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Finance. I think it was the first meeting since the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha in June 2024. The members are MPs of both Houses representing all parties nominated to the Committee. It is a useful mechanism if the government intends to use it. The finance minister (FM) presides over the meeting. The meeting on June 19 was formal — in fact, too formal and stiff. The chief economic adviser (CEA) made a 19-slide power point presentation (PPT), members were invited to make their comments and observations, the finance secretary summarized — literally encapsulated — the comments but offered no answers or clarifications, and the FM made her closing remarks. On no issue was there a consultation. Fortunately, in the 19th slide of his PPT, the CEA requested suggestions from members on four issues: For further improving farm productivity; Agenda for deregulation to reduce compliance burdens esp. for industry; Adapting our skilling programmes to AI and tech-driven disruptions; and How to accelerate formalization of the economy. I did not wish to make off-the-cuff suggestions at the meeting. I have since thought about the four issues and here are my suggestions: One of the slides mentioned MSP, PM-Kisan, PM-Fasal Bima, KCC, e-NAM and Food Parks: these are intended to increase efficiency and consequently boost productivity. In another slide on 'empowering farmers', the data on increase in yield per acre for major crops has been given. In each major crop, the increase in yield per hectare between 2013-14 and 2023-24 has been in double-digits. In fact, we have been on the right path since the days of the green revolution beginning 1965 and not only since 2013-14. However, productivity must be measured against world standards: Crop India Global Avg Best in average (Kg per the World /best hectare) Wheat 3,559 3,548 EU/Egypt /5,045 6,500-7,700 Rice 2,882 4,700 China 6,500 /4,516 Maize 3,351 5,824 USA 10,532 /6,239 Sugarcane 84,906 75,000 Brazil 75,000 /105,000 Cotton 443/602 1,040 China 2,252 There is another metric of productivity: productivity per farmer/farm worker. 58 per cent of the Indian population (as against 22 per cent in China) depends on agriculture and agriculture-related activities. Hence, the productivity per farmer is very low in India, and the average farmer is not only poor but is also burdened by debt. The way to accelerate productivity per farmer is to create non-farm jobs and to wean millions away from agriculture into non-farm jobs. However, because of high urban unemployment and the lamentable state of the manufacturing sector, that process has been in a start-stop mode; actually, there is data that in recent years labour has moved back to the agriculture sector. Suggestion: Accelerate the growth rate and expansion of the manufacturing sector. After 2014-15, the Modi government has re-established more control. RBI, SEBI, Ministry of Company Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, the Income-tax department, UGC and every other Ministry or arm of government have made hundreds of pages of rules and regulations. The old control regime has come back as 'regulations'. Government authorities exert power and control through disputation and litigation. Doing business in India means challenging regulations and orders, and seeking redress in courts and tribunals. The GST laws have added to the burdens of business. The high and multiple rates of GST are per se bad. The rules, regulations, notifications, forms and compliances under the GST laws are worse. Together with the manner in which the laws are interpreted and applied by the Income-tax, Customs, DGFT and GST departments, it is a nightmare for any business. The CBI, ED, DRI, GST enforcement and SFIO seem to regard every businessperson as a suspect and every chartered accountant and lawyer as an accomplice. If trade and industry have to be the prime drivers of the economy, the suffocating environment in which they find themselves must be removed. Suggestion: Light a bonfire every quarter, there is enough rubbish to burn. Read the Annual Status of Education Reports (ASER). The appalling levels of reading, writing and arithmetic skills of school children virtually rule out a technologically- empowered society. The triumvirate of UGC, NTA and NAAC have robbed the Universities of the essential character of a University — autonomy, inquiry and strive for excellence. They have driven serious teachers, scholars and researchers to foreign lands. The central and state governments have tied Universities hand and foot by starving them of funds. Thousands of teaching posts in Universities are vacant. According to a reply in Parliament, as on October 31, 2024, there were 5,182 teaching posts in central universities that were unfilled. I am afraid the way forward on this vexed issue lies far outside the ambit of MoF. Suggestion: CEA may delete this issue from his to-do list. What does the CEA mean by 'formalization of the economy'? Does he want more economic activities that are carried on in the 'informal' economy (e.g. part-time maid services in middle class homes) formalized? Suggestion: Absent clarity, I have none. Please accept the suggestions; or reject them; do not ignore them.
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Mega Millions jackpot Virginia winner: Where was the $348 million ticket sold. First details on winner out
A Mega Millions ticket purchased in Northumberland County, Virginia, hit the jackpot in this week's drawing, securing an estimated $348 million, the largest lottery prize ever won in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Lottery confirmed the ticket matched all six numbers and Mega Ball, marking the state's 10th Mega Millions jackpot since 2002. Mega Millions lottery's winning ticket was sold in Virginia(Unsplash) The ticket was purchased at E & C VA, a convenience store located at 14878 Northumberland Highway in Burgess, Northumberland County, a rural area near the Chesapeake Bay. Read More: Elephants form a living umbrella to protect caretaker from rain: 'She sees me as one of her own' The store will receive a $50,000 retailer bonus for selling the winning ticket, which was bought before the Friday, June 27 drawing, though the exact purchase date is unconfirmed. First details on the winner Generally winners of these lotteries are not identified. They have 180 days to claim their prize. The winner can either take the full amount, before taxes, in annual payments over 30 years or take a one-time cash option, which is estimated close to $160 million before taxes. Read More: Woman left shivering in ice bath, Malaysian firm slammed for extreme team-bonding challenge The Virginia Lottery allows winners to remain anonymous, as the state is one of 11 permitting this for prizes over $10 million. Where is the Mega Millions lottery played? The Mega Millions lottery is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and US Virgin Islands. List of states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
