Hearing of revenue fraud cases come to a standstill at RT

REPUBLICA KATHMANDU, Dec 16: Hearing of the cases related to the evasion of revenues, including VAT, has come to grinding halt over the past few weeks as tax payers, who had appealed at the Revenue Tribunal (RT) are on ´wait and watch´ mood until the new government is formed. Tax payers who have been implicated with VAT evasion in around 250 cases have appealed at the RT, challenging the decision of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). Likewise, the tribunal is currently reviewing around 1,350 cases of VAT evasions. As per the existing rules, those who are not satisfied with the verdicts of the IRD can appeal at the RT. In its verdict, the IRD assesses the penalty and tax to be recovered from the alleged fraudulent tax payers. The RT has so far given verdicts on only 12 such cases. A tax payer, who has appealed at RT seeking review on IRD´s decision, said that the process of setting dates for hearing, has come to a virtual halt as most of plaintiffs have got the dates for hearing of the cases postponed. “Hearing of most of the cases has been postponed upon the request of plaintiff tax payers whose cases are sub-judice at RT,” said another taxpayer, who is appealing against a IRD´s verdict. He said plaintiffs have been requesting for the postponement of the hearing in the hope that upcoming government will make decision to exempt some of their tax liabilities. “If cases are finalized now, we have to clear the dues as per the verdict. So, most of the taxpayers are in favor of prolonging the hearings at least until the formation of next government,” said the source. “For the past few weeks we have not conducted any hearing. But, we don´t know the exact reason behind it,” Hari Shankar Gyawali, a legal advisor for IRD told Republica on Monday.
Published on 2013-12-17 02:24:41