Only MNS filing tax returns: RTI

Only MNS filing tax returns: RTI

If an RTI reply is to be believed, then the Maharashtra Navnirman (MNS) is the only party in the state which is assessed and is filing income tax returns regularly with the income tax department. The reply also says that the party has been receiving donations above Rs20,000, but as parties are exempted from tax on income from donations under section 13A of the I-T Act, no tax is payable on them. If this was about MNS, then the only party which the I-T department has asked to pay tax is the Janata Dal (Secular). It has been asked to pay Rs15,00,590 as tax; the matter is being disputed. RTI activist Manoranjan Roy sought information of income and tax paid by political parties across the country from the Central Board of Direct Taxes. In reply, various regional offices of the I-T department listed some of the parties who are being assessed and also pointed out that their income from donations is non-taxable. “The reply from the Chandigarh office is surprising. It lists the total income of the Shiromani Akali Dal from the year 2000-01 to 2008-09 as nil. It is only in case of JD(S) that the department has raised a demand saying the party’s income is from house property, capital gains and other sources. However, as the party has filed an appeal against the assessment before the department, the matter is pending,” said Roy. “There were reports last month which said that around 13 main political parties in the country had an income of Rs2,490 crore that was exempted from tax in the past five years. The Congress had a tax-exempted income to the tune of Rs1,385.36 crore, the BJP Rs682 crore from 2007-08 to 2011-12, and the NCP had Rs141.34 crore in the same period,” Roy added. Political parties are exempted from tax on income from donations but they have to maintain a book of account for the same if the amount is more than Rs20,000.