ISLAMABAD (March 26 2003) : The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has constituted an 11-member panel, including chartered accountants, businessmen, managing director, Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), director, Lahore Stock Exchange (LSE) and legal experts to resolve sales tax disputes through 'alternative dispute resolution'.
The CBR has issued SRO 288(I)/2003 here on Tuesday to notify the names of persons on the panel for constitution of committees for alternative dispute resolution.
The panel comprises Athar Minallah, advocate, Islamabad; Hasan Tariq Rahim, barrister, Lahore; Khalid Yacoob, chartered accountant, Lahore; Amir H. Shirazee, director, Lahore Stock Exchange, Lahore; Gohar Ejaz, businessman, Lahore; Arshad Chaudhry, businessman, Lahore; Syed Shabbar Zaidi, chartered accountant, Karachi; Feroze Rizvi, chartered accountant, Karachi; Moin M Fudda, managing director, Karachi Stock Exchange, Karachi (KSE); Wajid Jawwad, businessman, Karachi; and Raees Ashraf Tar Mohammad, businessman, Karachi.
The CBR would appoint one of the members, other than a public servant, as Chairman of the committee.
The dispute resolution committee would have the authority to ascertain legal position of the issue in question and seek further information for recommendations with consensus in respect of any tax matter mentioned in sub-section (3) of section 47A of the Act.
Sources told Business Recorder that CBR specified a set of rules six months back that would apply to all cases of disputes under section 47A of the Sales Tax Act, 1990.
Under the rules, any registered person or a class of persons may submit an application to the Chairman CBR for resolution of disputes.
The application must carry the particulars of the case.
On weighing the contents of the application, the CBR would constitute a committee to resolve the dispute that deserves consideration for removing hardships of the applicant within a specific time.
Sources pointed out that the rules were issued in October 2002, but the panel has been formed after a lapse more than six months.
According to the rules, the board, after examining recommendations of the committee, would finally decided the dispute and issue order for resolution of the dispute under intimation to the applicant, Chairman of the committee and concerned collectorate.
The CBR has used powers conferred by clause (b), subsection (1) of section 47A of the Sales Tax Act, 1990 to notify the panel for constitution of alternative dispute resolution committees.
