Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday reiterated the responsibility of tax officials to serve taxpayers with "transparency and integrity," emphasizing the need for trust-building between the government and the public. Her remarks came in response to a recent controversy surrounding a delay in GST registration.
"To provide service to the taxpayer is our duty. While so serving the taxpayers, transparency and integrity are crucial in earning their trust and confidence. Confident that the Board and the field formations will remain sensitive and responsive," Sitharaman stated on social media platform X.
The Finance Minister's comments followed a clarification issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) regarding a GST registration application. The issue came to light after a LinkedIn post by Vinod Gupta alleged a delay in processing the GST application of a business entity.
Addressing the concern, the CBIC explained that the application was filed on May 26 and was assigned to the Delhi State GST authorities. The central GST authorities were not involved in this particular case.
According to CBIC's statement on X, the application was acted upon promptly, and a query was raised concerning the absence of a designation for the individual who signed the rent agreement on behalf of the company. The CBIC clarified that the application was held up solely due to the applicant's failure to respond to this query.
"The application will be processed by the Delhi GST authorities upon receipt of the pending information," the statement said, adding that the matter was transparently communicated to the applicant.
In a stern note, CBIC also urged individuals to refrain from spreading misinformation on social media without verifying the facts. "CBIC requests the applicant not to circulate wrong information on social media without knowing the facts," it said.
The incident has reignited discussions around the responsiveness and accountability of tax authorities, with Sitharaman's remarks highlighting the government's commitment to taxpayer-centric governance.
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