Mounting pendency of appeals before CIT(A) and huge amounts disputed therein has been a matter of serious concern for the Department. The C&AG, Standing Committee on Finance, PAC have been adversely commenting upon this issue and calling upon the department to take up the issue on priority to clear the pendency and liquidate the demand locked up in the appeals, urgently.

A Joint meeting of CBEC and CBDT was held on 10th Oct., 2012, under the Convenorship of Chairperson, CBDT regarding appropriate steps to be taken for recovery of taxes due from M/s. Kingfisher Airlines Ltd. (KFA). It was informed that the Karnataka High Court vide order dated 26-9-2012 have restrained the Department from making further recovery and have permitted KFA to operate their accounts. As a result, the Income Tax Department has lifted the attachments of various bank accounts of KFA.

Vide Order No. 193 of 2012 dated 17.10.2012, the CBDT has ordered that several IRS officers in the grade of ACITs be promoted to the grade of DCITs

Analysis of e-filed returns filed in the current Financial Year reveals that nearly 29,000 taxpayers, where committed tax payable was in excess of Rs.50,000, have defaulted on the payments aggregating to approximately Rs. 3,770 crores.

As you are aware, the CBDT has laid special emphasis in the CAP 2012-13 for improving the quality of assessments. In this regard, a strategy has been mentioned at Annexure-II (pgs. 38-43) of CAP Document. 2. The then Member (IT) had asked the Chief-Commissioners of Income-tax (‘CCsIT’) to send list of top 100 quality assessments in respective charges. This direction of Member was not complied with by many of CCsIT which has been viewed seriously by the Board. It is expected from the field-formation that in future the directions of the Board will not be ignored.

A Regular and Open Channel of Communication with Chairman, CBDT has been put in place for the convenience of Member(s) of the IT Family. It is however, observed that Officers/Officials come to the CBDT without prior appointment to put forth their views in person to the Chairman, CBDT. This causes avoidable inconvenience to them, as at times, they have to wait for the meeting due to pressing engagement of the Chairman, CBDT.

Kind reference is invited to the letter no. DIT(S)/DMFortnight/2012-13 dated 3rd September, 2012 by Member (Revenue) to all CCsIT/DGsIT for organizing a Demand Management Fortnight from 3rd September to 14th September, 2012 to settle Arrear Demand Grievance pertaining to uploading and rectification of Demand on the CPC portal.

Vide Order No. 9/FT&TR/2012 dated 07.09.2012, the CBDT has directed a change in the Constitution of the Dispute Resolution Panel in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kolkota, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai with effect from 24.08.2012

The issue of demand management continues to remain an area of grave concern. It has been found that in most of the cases demand uploaded is incorrect and incomplete. Such demands have been uploaded by AOs without due diligence and verification. Adjustment of such demands against refunds is leading to public grievances. It is therefore imperative to correct the demand data base and quickly rectify cases, where wrong adjustments have taken place.

The present criteria for jurisdiction is based on CBDT Instruction No. 1/2011 dated 31.01.2011 read with Instruction No 6/2011 dated 8.4.2011 and subsequent clarification dated 8.12.2011. A view was expressed to suitably revise the same so that equitable distribution of workload could be ensured among the Assessment Officers. The hon’ble FM, during the deliberation had desired that the field authorities should send their recommendations to CBDT without delay so that the needful could be done.