Chandigarh, October 22: Under the dynamic leadership of the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the campaign waged against the tax defaulter private companies by the Transport Minister Mr. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring got a major boost when the Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected a petition filed by the private bus operator New Deep bus company against the decision of Regional Transport Authority, Faridkot, thus refusing to give any relief.
The bus operator company while arguing its case in the court had admitted that it had not deposited the balance of Motor Vehicle Tax from January to October, 2021.
The company cited various reasons such as fewer passengers due to Covid-19 restrictions, losses owing to free bus travel facility for women by the Punjab Government and victimization because of hailing from the other side of the political spectrum but the court refused to give any relief with regard to filing taxes on time.
It is noteworthy that due to the strict action against the tax defaulter private companies plying their buses in the State in violation of the transport norms and without paying taxes, the State netted Rs.4.29 crore as tax.
During the campaign, 258 buses plying in the State without tax, documents besides illegal permits, were impounded including 26 buses of the New Deep Company for not paying 10 months’ tax.
The company instead of paying tax immediately approached the Regional Transport Authority, Faridkot on October 12, 2021 for paying taxes in installments and appealed for releasing the buses but the RTA rejected the appeal as it didn’t concur with the argument of paying tax in instalments.
The company then approached the High Court instead of the concerned higher authority but got no relief.
The Government Counsels told the court that the company has the option of appealing before the departmental higher authority against rejection of the appeal by RTA and reconsideration of the same.
Meanwhile, the Transport Minister Mr. Amarinder Singh Raja Warring welcoming the orders of the court against the defaulter company said that it has paved the way for more tax realizations.
