Hon’ble President Kovind took a subtle dig at the elite IRS Officers for treating taxpayers with contempt and behaving in a high-handed manner with them.
Income-tax dept is a service provider
“Tax payer is your partner, not your adversary,” the Hon’ble President said, echoing the words of several Courts which have repeatedly passed strictures against the department for adopting strong arm techniques with taxpayers.
“You have a policy and regulatory role, but you are principally a service provider. Please be sensitive to the demands and dignity of the person – the honest tax payer – who is coming to you for a service,” the President added.
He also advised the Income-tax department that while India’s tax to GDP ratio needs to improve, it has to be done “by persuasion” and not “by intrusion“.
Tax payer is your partner, not your adversary. You have a policy and regulatory role, but you are principally a service provider. Please be sensitive to the demands and dignity of the person – the honest tax payer – who is coming to you for a service #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 23, 2018
(President Kovind with trainee IRS Officers (click for larger image))
India’s tax to GDP ratio needs to improve, but it has to be done by persuasion, not intrusion
Honesty Should Be Written Into DNA Of IRS Officers
The Hon’ble President also candidly admitted that there is corruption in the revenue services. However, he referred to this as an “aberration”.
The Learned President said that “Honesty is a given” and should be “written into the DNA of the Revenue Service”.
He pointed out that despite these “aberrations”, common people still have great expectations from the IRS officers and other public servants.
He also referred to the IRS as “front line soldiers in the battle against black money”.
He noted that the Government has put in place various steps to eradicate or at least minimise the curse of black money.
Honesty is a given. It should be written into the DNA of the Revenue Service. Despite aberrations – and we have to admit there have been aberrations – common people still have great expectations from our public servants and particularly from the IRS #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 23, 2018
IRS officers are frontline soldiers in the battle against black money. Govt has put in place various steps to eradicate or at least minimise the curse of black money #PresidentKovind
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) March 23, 2018
All assessments are concluded based on either of TWO things :
1. By Thumb rule of AO who are under great pressure of HIGHER Officers / CBDT.
2. By accepting unlawful………
WHEN AO starts assessment proceedings HIS every hearing detail (NOTE SHEET of case) should be uploaded on ITS than they will not be able to manipulate final orders and if they do it, they can be caught later on. RIGHT now all NOTE SHEETS are manual and are changed / manipulated as and when required.
This SINGLE STEP will reduce CORRUPTION in the department.
Well said by honorable President of India. If the Government Servants ( not only IRS but all from top to bottom in hierchy) just have a feeling of being public servants, supposed to serve public, and deal with respect and regard to public,and show respect to tax payesr as well as others who need service of public servant, I am sure tax collection will go by atleat 20%. Disrespect by tax officers will cause lower tax payment by assessee who faces insult from tax officers.
Pleople will consider that tax is being collected and will be properly spent for public.
Inspite of many fold increase in emoluments of governemtn officers,greed has not come to an end. Black money with politicians and government officers is illgotten as well as black money. Why it is not being unearthed whole hartedly?
Illgotten money must be forfeited and deposited in government account.
Black money with others is not really black money, it may be irregular due to nonpayment of tax but it is not illgotten money as is case in case of politicians and public servants who collect illgotten money.
However, bribes are not new, proportion of bribes vis a vis remuneration is also not new. Upri Kamai has been a lure for many of people. Scope of upri kamai appears to be an attraction to join government services even after qualifying as doctor, engineer , scientist etc. on whose education large public funds have been used.
To stop brain drainage, and loss of public money, there must be restriction on such qualified people appearing in civil service examinations which provide service in unrelated jobs.
The Income tax officials never respect the rulings of the Honourable Supreme Court and the High Courts even though they are binding upon them and by law bound to follow them. It is stupidity to expect that they will change their on basis of a political lecturing.