Srinagar, Nov 27: Valley’s apex business body, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) today ticked off the Commercial Tax Department for “imposing penalties on traders/dealers of the Valley for not filing their returns and non-payment of dues on time.”
 In a statement here today the chamber alleged that the Department’s method of forcing penalty on the traders showed it was unmindful of the situation that prevailed in the Valley during last over six months.
 The chamber said that the traders could not file their returns nor could deposit the dues on time due to the prevailing situations in the Valley needed to be appreciated by the department. “The Valley has been reeling under unrest for the last over six months. The traders’ community got barely a few days during this period when actually they could do their business. How could they complete their account books and pay their dues to the department,” it said.
 “The traders/dealers have not even been able to earn their sustenance. Non-filing of returns and non-payment of dues therefore could not be termed as a wilful act on the part of the traders,” it said.
 “The department should appreciate the problems and plight of traders,” he stressed, adding that under the present circumstances “there is no justification or reason for the department to harass the trading community.”
 The chamber appealed the department not to impose any penalties on the traders.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:00 IST