Thanks to the efforts taken by Shri P.V.S.S. Prasad, Chairman, AIFTP, (Southern Zone), Shri P.V. Subba Rao, Vice-President, AIFTP (Southern Zone), Shri V. Nagendra Prasad, President, Twin City’s Tax Practitioner’s Association, Hyderabad, Shri V. Ahalada Rao, Secretary, AIFTP – SZ for arranging the mega Conference at Hyderabad, the Conference was a grand success with 600 registrations. The topics and speakers were well chosen and the delegates who attended the Conference, appreciated the efforts of the organizers. The Hon’ble Justice Anil R. Dave, Judge, Supreme Court of India, Chief Guest, inaugurated the National Conference on 3rd July, 2010 at Hyderabad. In his speech he expected that the consultants should properly plan the liability of the tax payers to avoid unnecessary litigation.

For implementation of the GST, Constitutional Amendment is a must for which the law ministry is likely to finalise the Constitutional Amendment Bill on the Goods and Services Tax this week which will be shared with the empowered group of State Finance Ministers on GST for its feedback. The Government is trying to get the approval of the States on the draft of Constitutional amendment at the earliest so that the Bill can be put up before the House in the monsoon session.

This is for the first time in the history of Indian Constitution since its enactment that a tax base is proposed to be shared between the Centre and the States. The 13th Finance Commission had suggested only five exemptions from GST viz. public services such as civil administration, defence and police; employer-employee transactions; unprocessed food sold under the public distribution system; education services provided by non-governmental bodies; and health services offered by non-governmental agencies.

The meeting under the chairmanship of Shri S.R. Wadhwa of Direct Tax Representation Committee and under the chairmanship of Shri P.C. Joshi of VAT/GST Representation Committee was remarkable and various suggestions were discussed to be forwarded to the concerned authorities.

The Direct Tax Code and GST are in the process of enactment. The laws, in order to be very effective, have to be very simple. The tax litigation, like other litigations, acquires creditability only

if justice received by litigants is both effective and quick.

It is also desired from the tax law makers that the entire tax structure be rationalized and provisions of the Act be concised, made simple and people must be made to realize the nexus between the tax paid by them and what they are getting in return.

(M.L. PATODI)
National President