A writ petition challenging the decision of the State Government to implement e-filing of sales tax returns by dealers with effect from September 1 has been filed the Kerala High Court. The court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on the petition.
The petitioner, Mr M.K. Haridas, who is the Manager of a Kochi-based partnership firm, submitted before the court that the notification is of a compulsory nature without any option for other mode of payment.
He argued that no law allows the Government to make e-filing the only possible means of filing returns and e-payment of tax.
According to him, introducing a new system of payment without granting sufficient time to adopt the new technology is unjustifiable.
The Sales Tax offices in the State are not accepting cheques. Mr Haridas said that dealers have to open an account with SBI or SBT to make e-filing. The password for e-transactions is not immediately provided to the dealers by the banks.
Even after the allotment of passwords, technical snags prevent reliable transactions between the banks and State treasuries, he said.
