SC asks Sesa Sterlite to deposit Rs 290 mn as Odisha entry tax

NEW DELHI:  The Supreme Court directed Sesa Sterlite Ltd to deposit another 290 mln rupees with the Odisha government of the 1.19-bln-rupee tax demand that the company faces in the state.  The direction came after the Odisha government informed the court that the company had not followed apex court’s Apr 9 order to deposit 50% of the tax demand with Odisha till the case was pending in the apex court. The state government told the court the company has deposited only 300 mln rupees and needed to deposit another 290 mln rupees to comply with the apex court’s order.  The court said the state government would be at liberty to take any coercive steps to recover the amount if the company does not pay the amount in four weeks.  The court had in April asked Sesa Sterlite and 15 other companies, including Tata Steel Ltd, Essar Steel Ltd and Adani Enterprises Ltd, with manufacturing units in Odisha to deposit 50% of the state entry tax demand in respect to imported plant machinery and raw materials.