Pending VAT assessment cases: Chandigarh traders seek one-time settlement scheme

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12

The Chandigarh Beopar Mandal (CHB) has demanded one-time settlement scheme on the Punjab pattern or deemed assessment scheme for all pending VAT assessment cases of traders.

The demand was raised during the first Trade Welfare Board meeting of the year, which was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Mandip Singh Brar and attended by senior officials of the Excise and Taxation Department of Chandigarh here yesterday.

CBM president Charanjiv Singh said various issues being faced by traders were put before the Board.

The main issues include one-time settlement (OTS) scheme or deemed assessment scheme to clear off all pre-GST, VAT taxation assessment cases without necessity of C-Forms and interest on tax assessed due to non-availability of C-Forms should not be levied till the implementation of the OTS scheme in Chandigarh.

They demanded that permission for rectification of assessed cases up to 2013-14 should be given without going for appeal and freedom from scrutiny of all traders confining to local sale and purchase.

“Time limit for scrutiny/auditing of GST cases should also be fixed three years from the due date of filing of annual return on the pattern of the Income Tax and relief up to Rs10 lakh to the families and firms of traders who died during the Covid waves,” they sought.

Charanjiv clarified that the CBM had applied for the OTS scheme on the Punjab Pattern for the assessment of old VAT cases around six month ago. However, the Excise and Taxation Department prepared the case and forwarded it to the higher authorities, which ultimately rejected it. Now on the request of board members and considering the difficulty of traders, the department was kind enough to send the case again for reconsideration.