The Finance Ministry has termed the report prepared by a group of Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers suggesting higher tax on super rich, besides others, as ‘ill-conceived.’ Accordingly, the CBDT has been asked to seek explanation from these officers.
Meanwhile, the IRS Association (IRSA) said in a tweet on Sunday that the paper ‘FORCE’ by 50 young IRS officers suggesting policy measures had been forwarded by IRSA to CBDT for consideration. “It does not purport to represent the official views of the entire IRS or the IT Department,” it clarified.
According to Finance Ministry sources, releasing the report in the media through IRSA’ twitter and website is ‘an irresponsible act’ of a few officers. Further, neither the IRSA nor group of officers mentioned in the said report were asked by the government to give any report on the subject. In fact, it was not even part of their duty to prepare such a report. Therefore, “it is prima-facie an act of indiscipline and violation of conduct rules which specifically prohibits officers to go to media with their personal views on official matters without taking prior sanction or the permission of the government,” a source said, adding that suggestions in the report do not reflect views of the CBDT or the Finance Ministry in any manner whatsoever.