With an aim to productively use the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), has started a series of Video Conferences involving regular interactive sessions. In a communication, the ITAT President P.P Bhatt has said that such meetings can be utilized for exchanging views and formulating strategies as to how to improve the rate of disposal of cases as well as the quality of judicial orders.
The ITAT President though it is difficult to work from home and retain the same productivity levels as of normal working days, it is important to utilize this period to enhance our skills and capabilities.
“In our daily routine of attending to judicial workload, sufficient time is not available to address issues of administrative, infrastructure, employees disciplining, etc. Therefore, such interactions would help in achieving efficiency in our administrative working also,” said Mr. Justice Bhatt.
The topics of the seven interactive sessions on all working days till Monday, 13th April, include domain as well as non-domain subjects and will have different sessions at the National and Zonal levels, including amongst Members of bigger multiple Bench stations. Domain topics include Income Tax and allied laws, while non-domain subjects relate to better living viz., health, meditation, holistic wellness, etc. Members of each station have been asked to have meetings amongst themselves on local issues relating to infrastructure and administrative problems.
The emerging issues for the sessions would include various relevant topics such as GAAR, The expectations of ITAT over the newly implemented direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Act, 2020, amendments in Finance Act, 2020, etc.
Addressing the Inaugural Session today, Mr. Justice Bhatt said he has requested the Chief Justice of India, Mr. Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde to address one of the Interactive Sessions with the ITAT Vice Presidents and Members. Eminent jurists will also address various sessions and participate in the interactions, he added.
