The disputed income tax claims nearly doubled in the last five years even as government has maintained that the tax regime is being simplified and made taxpayer-friendly. The total disputed amount rose from 5.24 lakh crore in March, 2015 to Rs 9.52 lakh crore in March, 2019. In the last year alone, the amount surged 36%.
Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur said, the total disputed amount in direct taxes stood at Rs 5,24,825 crore with cases pending across various forums such as CIT (A), ITAT, High Courts and Supreme Court (SC). The disputed amount sky-rocketed to Rs 9,52,552 crore at the end of March, 2019. To be sure, the amount of total disputed tax demand declined between 2017 and 2018.
While the total disputed amount at the end of March 2017 stood at Rs 7,46,692 crore, it came down to Rs 7,00,346 crore as on March, 2018.
Most cases are pending at Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) or CIT (A) and Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) levels.
