Srinagar, May 5: In the face of severe criticism to its new VAT return form, Commissioner, Commercial/Sales Tax, G A Peer today said the department can defer the filing of Returns by the traders to give them some time to gain knowledge about the new form.
 Terming the deferment of the Return akin to time extension, Peer said the department can defer (extend the time for) the filing of the VAT return for “at the most one quarter.”
 “After holding some meetings with the traders, industrialists and other stakeholders, we told their representatives that we can defer the filing of the returns by the assessees. But that can be done at the most for one quarter. ٰIn the next quarter the traders would have to file the return forms of this quarter as well,” he said.
 While maintaining that cancellation of the new VAT return fell outside his competence, Peer said: “We assured the traders that we will facilitate their meeting with Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather.”
 Peer said in their meetings with the department the traders had cited lack of awareness about the new form “as the main reason for opposing the new regime.”
 He said the department had already initiated a series of programs from yesterday to educate traders/industrialists about the new form. “We held the awareness programs both in Srinagar as well as Jammu on Wednesday and Thursday. The programs shall continue in the coming days as well,” he said.
 When asked if the traders had agreed to the department’s offer of deferring the filing of the new form, he said they were seeking total withdrawal “which is not in my hands.”
 He added deferment was actually akin to extending the time period for filing of their VAT return form, which lies “within my competence.”
 To mention, the Valley traders have opposed tooth and nail the new VAT return form, which according to them “is an attempt to harass to business community in the Valley.”
 The Department has asked the traders to fill up the new “Quarterly VAT Return” from July this year, citing “computerization of the departmental activities.”  But the trade community is in turn threatening to protest the decision on the grounds that the new document was “aimed at harassing them.”
 The traders said they were till now filing a one-page document as Quarterly Return. “But the new 7-page document is altogether different, having scores of columns and hundreds of details to be filled up,” they said.
 Meanwhile, the traders have again reiterated their demand for completion withdrawal of the new form.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 5 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 6 May 2011 00:00:00 IST