Harassed Ramdev can move grievance redressal cell: I-T dept

As far as allegation of harassment of Baba Ramdev,I would like to say that the department has a very well laid out grievance redressal mechanism. If the assessing officer is in any manner perceived to be harassing any assessee,then the next authority in the administration is always available for you to lodge a grievance, Poonam Kishore Saxena,chairperson,Central Board of Direct Taxes CBDT,told reporters when asked about the allegations made by Ramdev.

She said that there are well laid guidelines in the department and the officers are also sensitised to needs of the public.

They are not merely tax collector. They play the role of tax facilitator, she said.

The income tax department has started the process of cancelling the registration of Ramdevs Patanjali Yogapeeth Trust as a charitable organisation,and withdrawal all tax exemptions provided to it.

This follows a final order passed on August 24 by the Income-Tax exemption unit in the case of the Patanjali Yogpeeth Trust for the year 2009-10,after a scrutiny revealed that it was involved in a host of commercial and trading activities.

Further,on the Vodafone tax issue,Saxena reiterated finance minister P Chidambaram stance and said that the tax officials will not do a rash job and move ahead after taking into account the Supreme Court ruling and legal opinions.

The amount of taxes involved is not small and therefore much due diligence has to be done by him Assessing Officer 8230; there are so many legal opinions to be taken and considered, she said.

However,she refused to give any timeline for action by the Assessing Officer in the Vodafone tax case.