Today (March 22), the Delhi High Court rejected pleas filed by the Indian National Congress regarding tax reassessment proceedings. The court’s decision comes after a Division Bench reserved its verdict earlier in March, addressing all arguments except for concerns regarding the timing of reassessment initiation. Congress has been given the opportunity to present its case on the delay in reassessment proceedings before the March 31 assessment deadline. Follow us for updates
NEW DELHI: Today (March 22), the Delhi High Court dismissed three petitions filed by the Indian National Congress (INC) contesting the tax reassessment proceedings by the Income Tax (IT) Department.
Justice Yashwant Varma and Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the Division Bench, had reserved the verdict for March 20. In the pronouncement, the Court addressed all of Congress’s arguments except for one regarding the timing of the reassessment proceedings’ initiation.
Justice Varma informed Congress’s counsel that they had refrained from addressing this aspect as the petitions were submitted only on March 20, leaving open the opportunity for Congress to present its case regarding the delay in reassessment initiation before the assessment deadline of March 31.
Read also: Delhi HC Rejects Congress’s Plea: ITAT Judgment on Bank Account Lien
Background
On March 19, the Indian National Congress (INC) approached the Delhi High Court, challenging the Income Tax Department’s decision to reopen tax reassessment proceedings against the party.
In February, the Congress had a dispute with the Income Tax Department before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. Congress Treasurer Ajay Maken revealed that the Income Tax Department had frozen four of its bank accounts, demanding Rs 210 crores related to the party’s income tax returns for 2018–19. Maken cited delays in submitting account details due by December 31, 2019, which the party missed by 40–45 days.
READ ALSO: ITAT Allows CONGRESS to Operate Bank Accounts with IT Department Lien
Subsequently, the Congress pleaded with the ITAT to lift the freeze on its bank accounts and stayed the IT Department’s actions.
