Facility for taxpayers: SRB offices, NBP branches to remain open till 10 pm today

In order to facilitate the taxpayers of the province, the offices of Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) and many of branches of National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) would remain open till 10 pm on Monday night because 15th August 2011 is the last date of enrolment and paying of sales tax on services while the 18th of this month is the date of filing of returns, Business Recorder learnt.
More than 36 branches of NBP situated in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur are available where the taxpayers could pay their sales tax on services.
An official of SRB told Business Recorder on Sunday that any person who is required to apply for registration under Sindh Sales Tax on Services Act 2011 fails to make an application for registration before providing taxable services, such person shall be liable to pay a penalty of 10,000 rupees or five percent of the amount of sales tax he would have been liable to pay had he been registered, whichever is higher.
He said that in case of non-compliance of compulsory registration, the minimum penalty shall be 100,000 rupees, provided that such person who is required to get himself registered under Sindh Act, fails to get registered within ninety days of providing taxable services, he shall be further be liable, upon conviction by a Special Judge, to imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to the amount of sales tax he would have been liable to pay had he been registered, or with both.
He said that where any person fails to furnish a return within the due date, such person shall be liable to pay a penalty of 50,000 rupees provided that if a return is not filed within fifteen days of the due date, a penalty of 100 rupees for each day of default shall be paid.
He said that where any person fails to deposit the amount of tax due or any part thereof in the time or manner lay down under Sindh Act or the rules made there under, such person shall be liable to pay a penalty of 10,000 rupees or five percent of the total tax payable for that period (if default is more than 3 days) whichever is higher.
He said that if the amount of tax due is not paid even after the expiry of a period of sixty days of issuance of the notice for such payment by an officer of the SRB, not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner SRB, the person shall, further be liable, upon conviction by a Special Judge, to imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to the amount of unpaid tax, or with both.
On the other hand, another official told Business Recorder that taxpayers are giving full response to the SRB and more than 1800 taxpayers companies and individuals have registered themselves at SRB, the taxpayers related to various services are enrolling themselves at SRB on daily basis.