New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed an appeal filed by I-T Department challenging a tax
tribunal order exempting from tax gifts received by Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati during the assessment year
2003-04.
A division bench of justices A K Sikri and Suresh
Kait upheld the order passed by Income Tax Appellate
Tribunal (ITAT) that gifts received by BSP supremo from party
supporters were not taxable under the Income Tax Act.
ITAT had accepted Mayawati's claim that immovable
property worth Rs 62.72 lakh and cash payments of Rs two lakh
were the gifts given by her supporters out of love and
affection.
The Government in its appeal had held her claim as
unacceptable and contended that cash and property given to
Mayawati should be included in her annual income tax return.
The case pertains to the assessment year 2003-04.
The high court had on Oct 29, 2010 reserved its
verdict on the appeal in which the government had contended
that the movable and immovable properties given to Mayawati by
BSP workers during her birthday celebration in 2004 could not
be exempted from income tax.
The tribunal had passed the order on November 30,
2007.
The I-T department had submitted that the tribunal had
erred by accepting her contention on the source of her income.
The BSP supremo had told the court that the gifts were
given to her in recognition of the fact that she was doing
social work and helping the downtrodden in the society.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, August 03, 2011, 18:12