SC orders govt to not impose fines on non-payment of taxes during the prohibitory period

KATHMANDU : The Supreme Court (SC) has given an interim order to the government to make arrangements for the payment of taxes only one month after the end of prohibitory orders.

A single bench of Justice Mira Khadka on Wednesday ordered the government not to impose fines if the Value Added Tax and taxes are not paid within 30 days after the prohibitory order is fully lifted.

The SC had ordered not to impose a fine during the lockdown last year. Advocate Srijana Adhikari and others had filed a writ petition demanding non-imposition of penalty for the lockdown period. “If one cannot file the value added tax statement and tax by the time the prohibitory order or lockdown is enforced, do not collect the fine. Make necessary arrangements so that the VAT and tax can be paid after the lockdown is lifted,” the order read.

The SC also mentioned that the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic is spreading in Nepal in a frightening manner and the taxpayers are not immune from this problem as the infection rate is increasing.

Republica