Congress Seeks Judicial Relief in Tax Penalty Dispute

New Delhi: The Indian National Congress has approached the Delhi High Court to contest the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal's (ITAT) decision to reject its appeal against penalty charges levied for inconsistencies in tax filings. 

The case was urgently brought up by the party's senior advocate, Vivek Tankha, before Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, citing the freezing of the party's accounts as a critical issue. The Acting Chief Justice has consented to schedule a hearing provided the petition is properly filed. 

Previously, the ITAT had ruled against Congress, upholding the penalty for tax return errors from past years. The party has criticized this move as detrimental to democratic processes, especially with the Lok Sabha elections on the horizon. Reports indicate that the penalties in question total Rs 210 crore, as determined by the Income Tax department.