Income Tax dept opens new office in city for better coverage during polls

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 17, 2018: Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the office of the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Central Range, Mangaluru on March 16, Friday,   Director General of Income Tax (Investigation) Karnataka and Goa region B R Balakrishnan has said that the I-T Department (Investigation) will form teams in each district of the state to check flow of money during the upcoming Assembly elections.

He went on to say, “There is great income of money during the election in different states. To ensure fair and transparent election, the Election Commission had convened a series of meetings. One of the issues discussed was to check the flow of money during the election.”

In addition to the teams, the department will also set up dedicated telephone lines and provide email address to enable the public to provide information about use of money power during the election. In a few cases, the informants could be referred by the political opponents. In spite of it, the department would verify such information.

During the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the department had seized about Rs 40 crore in cash following rigorous enforcement. Tamil Nadu is one state where money power was said to be playing a major role during the election, he said.

Benami properties :  Following the enforcement of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amended Act, 2016, the I-T department seized benami properties worth over Rs 500 crore in Karnataka and Goa. Adjudication of these properties is in process and if the properties are proved to be benami, then it will be confiscated by the government, he added.

Works on trust  :  Earlier, after inaugurating the new office, Balakrishnan said, “We work on the basis of trust, believing that the assessees have filed their I-T returns properly. The department had conducted several search and seizure operations in the last two years.”

Principal Commissioner of I-T (Central) (Bengaluru) Anuja Sarangi said that the establishment of Central range of I-T (investigation) wing in Mangaluru will help to ensure tax compliance in eight districts coming under its jurisdiction. Though the central range came into existence in 2014, there was a need for a dedicated office.

Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (Mangaluru) Narottam Mishra said every year, about 15,000 new tax payers are added.

City Police Commissioner T R Suresh and others were present.