structure of the constitution

In spite of the optimism shown by Asim Dasgupta, chairman of the empowered committee of state finance ministers, the much-anticipated goods and services tax (GST) is unlikely to be introduced on April 1, 2010. The process of Constitutional amendment to bring the new indirect tax legislation may take another five months. “It will take 5-6 months for the amendment and everything else to fall in place. Besides, wecannot start work on things like IT infrastructure as long.. Full Article

The Constitutional amendment will be the basis for the new tax regime and will be followed by adoption of separate state and Central GST laws. The last amendment to the Constitution dealing with a financial matter was in 2000, when the Centre was given the power to tax services. The Ministry of Finance was in consultation with the law ministry on drafting of the amendment Bill. Full Article

The Madras High Court has stayed National Tax Tribunals Act 2005, that provides for formation of National Tax Tribunals (NTTs) to hear appeals against orders of Income Tax Appellate Tribunals.The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice Prabha Sridevan, granted the interim stay after admitting a writ petition filed by the Madras Bar Association represented by its president K.R. Tamizhmani on Friday. Full Article