Central Board of Revenue (CBR) Chairman Abdullah Yusuf has expressed serious concern over filing of fresh appeals at the level of Income Tax Appellate Tribunals (ITAT) directing the CBR Legal Wing to take prompt action for improving the situation.
Sources quoted last Commissioner's conference where the tax authorities were dissatisfied over filing of fresh appeals. It was observed that although a large number of infructuous appeals have been withdrawn from ITAT, but still filing of fresh appeals shows upward trend.
Sources said the CBR chief has directed the Regional Commissioners of Income Tax (RCITs) and Director Generals, Large Taxpayer Units (LTUs) to ensure that appeals are filed against the decision of Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT), appeals where genuinely required. The income tax officials should not file appeals as a routine matter, sources added.
The total pendency of income tax appeals on July 1, 2005 was 3,624 in which an amount of Rs 12.5 billion was involved. During the period, about 15,630 fresh appeals were also filed. Out of these, 9,792 appeals were disposed of by December 31, 2005.