New Delhi, Aug 3 : The Delhi High Court today dismissed an appeal filed by I-T Department challenging a tax tribunal order exempting from tax gifts received by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati during the assessment year 2003-04.
A division bench of justices A K Sikri and Suresh Kait upheld the order passed by Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) that gifts received by BSP supremo from party supporters were not taxable under the Income Tax Act. ITAT had accepted Mayawati's claim that immovable property worth Rs 62.72 lakh and cash payments of Rs two lakh were the gifts given by her supporters out of love and affection.
The Government in its appeal had held her claim as unacceptable and contended that cash and property given to Mayawati should be included in her annual income tax return. The high court had on Oct 29, 2010 reserved its verdict on the appeal in which the government had contended that the movable and immovable properties given to Mayawati by BSP workers during her birthday celebration in 2004 could not be exempted from income tax.
The tribunal had passed the order on November 30, 2007.
The I-T department had submitted that the tribunal had erred by accepting her contention on the source of her income.
The BSP supremo had told the court that the gifts were given to her in recognition of the fact that she was doing social work and helping the downtrodden in the society. PTI
