Taxation, not litigation

Tax reform need not focus merely on tax slabs and the nature of the laws governing taxation. It can, indeed it must, also look at the decision-making processes and the incentives governing those in charge of tax assessment. One good indication of the maladministration at work in this branch of the government is the overall number of tax orders that are eventually taken to be adjudicated to the tax appellate tribunals, and thenceforth to the high courts and the Supreme Court. Sukumar Mukhopadhyay, writing in his column in this newspaper earlier in the week, has quoted numbers that the minister of state for finance told Parliament in a written reply to a question.

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