The author suggests to the Prime Minister, who is now also in charge of the Finance Ministry, that if the Government is serious about reforming taxation law, it should listen to professionals who practice the subject day-in and day-out. Professionals know where the problem areas are and why citizens are loath to comply with the law. The author lists out a few burning issues that are crying out for reform. If these are addressed, the taxpayers confidence in the administration will be restored and there will be a marked improvement in compliance with the law, and collection of taxes, promises the author

Our respected hon’ble Prime minster is holding the charge of Ministry of Finance, hence I have made an attempt to put forward the views of tax professionals for his consideration. I am of the opinion that it is the professional organizations and professionals, who  make the suggestions  objectively, in the interest of nation without  any fear, favour or vested interest, therefore if  an opportunity is given, they will make a presentation to the Hon’ble Finance Minster and  his team, if it is considered  objectively, it will benefit the nation. Some of the thoughts which can be debated and considered are:

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The author argues that it is hypocritical that advocates, who represent the elite of society & who are supposed to be the defenders of legal values, should openly flout the law by defying the verdicts of the Supreme Court. Such conduct is symptomatic of the utter lawlessness that our Society has degenerated into in all walks of life rues the author and claims that stern action ought to be taken against the perpetrators for contempt of court

Pursuant to a resolution of the Bar Council of India, advocates across the Country are on a strike yesterday and today (11th & 12th July 2012). The result is that 1.25 lakh lawyers across the Country have abstained from work and Courts have come to a grinding halt.

Let’s understand what the strike is all about and to what extent it is permitted by the law.

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The author suggests that now that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is also the Finance Minister, he should live up to the promise he made to Vodafone that the Supreme Court’s verdict will be honoured and scrap the retrospective amendments. This, says the author, will boost his stature as the Country’s leader and also improve sentiment amongst the taxpayer and investor community and lead to an inflow of billions of dollars into the Indian economy

Respected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ji, welcome back to the Finance Ministry. You may recollect, Sir, that when you first became the Finance Minister in 1991, you were regarded as the “poster boy” for Indian reforms because you ushered in the “revolutionary” reforms that transformed India into the powerhouse that it is today. On that back of that success, you rode the wave of popularity and rightly became the Prime Minister. Sadly, since then, however, much of that sheen has rubbed off and you have been under fire in the recent past for so-called indecisiveness, silence on important policy matters and generally for being “remote controlled”. We know, Sir, that the biggest embarrassment must have been when some political leaders contemptuously suggested that you be “elevated” to the post of President. The less said about that, the better.

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