DELAY IN CBDT APPOINTMENTS RAISES CONCERNS

Context:

• A delay in appointing members of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the apex body of the Income Tax Department, is puzzling the entire revenue service and tax bureaucracy.
• The Committee of Secretaries (CoS) shortlisted names for CBDT members, however, there appears to be no progress in the appointment process, and the government appears to be in a wait-and-watch mode.

Relevance:

Prelims, GS-III: Indian Economy (Taxation, Organizations and Bodies set up for taxation)

Dimensions of the Article:

1. About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
2. Composition of CBDT
3. Functions of CBDT:

About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

• The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is a Statutory Body functioning under the Central Board of Revenue Act, 1963.
• It is official Financial action task force unit.
• CBDT is a part of the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Composition of CBDT

The CBDT Chairman and Members of CBDT are selected from Indian Revenue Service (IRS), a premier civil service of India, whose members constitute the top management of Income Tax Department.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes consists of a Chairman, and six members that deal with the following:

1. Income Tax & Revenue
2. Administration
3. Legislation & Computerization
4. Audit and Judicial
5. Investigation
6. Transaction Processing System (TPS) & System

Functions of CBDT:

• CBDT is responsible for administration of the direct tax laws through Income Tax Department.
• The officials of the Board in their ex-officio capacity also function as a Division of the Ministry dealing with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes.
• CBDT provides essential inputs for policy and planning of direct taxes in India as well.

1. It deals with matters related to levying and collecting Direct Taxes.
2. Formulation of various policies.
3. Supervision of the entire Income Tax Department
4. Suggests legislative changes in Direct Tax Enactments
5. Suggests changes in tax rates
6. Proposes changes in the taxation structure in line with the Government policies.

-Source: The Hindu