Source: 
Author: 
Date: 
23.11.2016
City: 
Chandigarh

Senior advocate of Punjab and Haryana High Court H.C.Arora today filed a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) in the High Court seeking to quash provisions of section 13-A of the Income Tax Act.1961 and and those of Section 29-C of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

H.C.Arora wrote in his petition that Under these two sections, the Political parties have been given the freedom to accept donations or contributions from any person upto Rs.20,000/- each, without requiring to maintain the accounts, or maintaining the names and addresses of such donors. Political parties can collect endless amount through such so called small donations upto Rs.20000/- from any person.

As per a report submitted by ADR (Association for Democratic Reforms), funds of national Political parties comprise such donations upto 51% of their total fund collection during Financial Year 2014-2015. The political parties are extended benefit of exemption of this income (from unaudited donations) also from payment of income tax.

Audit reports annually submitted by Political parties to Election Commission of India do not contain any particulars of such donations.

Arora said thar he had submitted that these provisions are against public policy inherent under the concept of free and fair elections. These provisions are otherwise also arbitrary and discriminatory vis a vis other tax payers, who have to give details of every penny of their investments for getting any tax exemptions, rebates or reliefs.Besides, these provisions protect black money deposited in the accounts of political parties.

The PIL is expectd to be listed for hearing on Monday, November 28.2016.

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