My Dear brothers and sisters in the AIFTP family.
Well you all know that the entire tax practitioner fraternity is in the grip of fear on account of one of the major taxation reforms in our country that would commence with the advent of the Goods Service Tax Regime. More than 50% of the State Legislatures have already ratified the Constitutional Amendment Bill as passed by the Parliament and the Parliament Act having also received the assent of the President of India became law. Recently the Government also issued notification notifying the date as 12-9-2016 to constitute the GST Council to start the work in the direction of introducing the GST. Subsequently on 16-9-2016 another notification was issued giving effect to most of the provisions of the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act 2016 and the effect of enforcement of the provisions of the Constitutional Amendment Act have also started to raise the vibrations touching upon the continuity of levy of certain fiscals namely the Central Excise duties. Whatever consequences of adverse nature having imminent impact on the enforcement of certain provisions, the effect of the notification dated 16-9-2016 would have to be relooked at by the Government.
Now the greatest concern impacting the professional lives on the eve of the proposed GST is catching wild fire throughout all parts of the country and the entire tax practitioner professional fraternity is concentratedly looking at the leadership of AIFTP for redressal of their grievance. The tax practitioner fraternity in a nutshell desires that status quo in respect of their placements in VAT Acts shall be maintained in all respects both the qualifications as well as the status and stature of their relevance in the GST law as everyone is aware that in all the State VAT laws, there is a provision for licensing the tax practitioners for the purpose of audit of the prescribed assessees along with other tax professionals and also representational status before various quasi judicial authorities. Since the official Model Draft GST Law is not clear as to the placement of the tax practitioners in GST regime, agitation amongst themselves has gathered a momentum throughout all parts of the country. In the NEC meeting on 20-8-2016 at Jamshedpur and subsequently in the office bearers meeting on 9-9-2016 at Mumbai a decision was taken that the Federation should also contribute its mighty and powerful share in protecting the interest of the tax practitioners throughout the country as they are also the members of the Federation. Accordingly representations on behalf of the Federation duly signed by the President have been submitted to all the State Finance Ministers in the country, for, they being members in the GST Council shall consider the justification for inclusion of the tax practitioners in GST regime in terms of the existing VAT laws proposed to be subsumed in GST regime and with the active and encouragive initiation and support of the National President, in every State in the zone representations are presented to the concerned State Finance Ministers through the zone and the good sign is a tremendous positive response is vibrating everywhere to strengthen the efforts of the Federation to achieve this goal.
Federation from its side being the premier professional organization has been doing its best ahead of others since introduction of the Constitutional Amendment Bill in Loksabha to shield the interest of the tax practitioners. It has always strived for the professional interest of the concerned without any compromise and the same spirit shall continue assuring the same benefit will enure to the tax practitioners at large in the country. Already appointments are sought for with the Union Finance Minister and Revenue Secretary for explaining the cause and its jusfification for positive incorporation in the GST regime. It is the moral responsibility and bounden duty of the professional organisation to save the lives of around 2 crore human beings. It is hoped that with the positive response being received from each State, the efforts of the Federation would transform into fruitful one for being reaped by the all Tax Practitioners in the country.
Hope to see you all in 40th Year Foundation Day Celebrations at Pune.
Dr. M. V. K. Moorthy
National President