The author, an eminent senior advocate, points out that the orders passed by the ITAT have severe ramifications on the taxpayers and the department and that it is essential that its Members undergo rigorous training before being permitted to exercise their powers. The author expresses concern that the newly appointed Members of the Tribunal do not appear to have undergone an “orientation” course and have been straightaway permitted to hear matters and pass judgements. He urges that the old practice of formally tutoring the new Members of their duties and responsibilities and of apprising them of the basic fundamental characteristics of a judge should be revived and implemented immediately. He emphasizes that the orientation course and judicial training will help the new Members to discharge their duties more efficiently and uphold the dignity and honour of the Tribunal

The author has raised the alarm that appointing the President and Members for the ITAT is not sufficient. He reminds the Government that it also needs to urgently appoint several Vice Presidents to fill the impending vacancies. If the Government drags its feet in the matter, the cause of justice will suffer, he warns

The author, an eminent senior advocate, is deeply anguished that the ITAT, which was at one time hailed as a “Model Tribunal”, is today facing the ignominy of being subjected to repeated strictures from the High Courts. The author has analyzed the reasons for this sorry state of affairs and offered valuable recommendations on what can be done to rectify the situation. He has also sent the clarion call to all stakeholders to rise to the occasion and work tirelessly towards restoring the glory and prestige of this august institution

The author, an eminent Senior Advocate and champion of judicial independence points out that what was in the realm of a dream till now, namely, the constitution of regional Supreme Court Benches, may soon become reality. The Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, Mr. H.L. Dattu, has clearly indicated that he is in favour of such regional Benches. The Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Vision of “Digital India” may help lawyers at remote places to argue matters before Supreme Court Judges sitting in Delhi or before the regional Benches

The author, an eminent senior advocate, expresses gratitude at the proactive role played by Courts in seeking to redress the inefficiencies of the department. However, while the strictures do shake the department out of its’ reverie for some time, the effect does not last long. The author suggests that a monitoring mechanism should be set up and the top brass of the department hauled up for non-compliance of the directives. The author has also identified the problem areas and suggested simple and cost-effective solutions to prevent the department from being on the wrong side of the law

The author bemoans the myopic attitude of the Government that even though hundreds of crores of revenue is locked up in litigation pending before the Tribunal, a few crores is not being spared for the day-to-day effective functioning of the Tribunal. Even strictures by the High Court in similar matters is not having any effect on the Government’s attitude rues the author. He pleads again with the powers that be to wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late to save the Tribunal

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, like any judicial body, has a number of procedural requirements that require to be complied with before an appeal can be heard. Unfortunately, several authorized representatives, though highly qualified CAs and Advocates, neglect to comply with the requirements with the result that their matters get adjourned and they waste their own time and that of the Bench and their clients incur unnecessary costs. To assist the Tribunal and the ARs in the cause of justice, the author, an eminent advocate, has prepared a comprehensive check-list of matters that need to be complied with. The author assures all taxpayers that if the check-list is religiously followed, they will have a smooth and pleasant experience before the Tribunal

The author, an eminent advocate, voices his exasperation at the continued indifference of the Government towards the well-being of the Tribunal. Though 3 long years have passed, the Government has not bothered to even appoint a full-time President for the Tribunal. The author warns the Government that patience amongst the stake-holders is running thin and that the Bar will, if driven to it, have no option but to seek relief from the High Court. He cautions that if this happens, the Government will face acute embarrassment and urges the Government to get its act together to ensure that such an eventuality does not happen