SJB and JVP file action in Court against Tax Amnesty bill

COLOMBO (News1st): The Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna filed separate petitions against the proposed Finance Bill with the Supreme Court. The finance bill published by the finance minister on the 20th of July, proposes amnesties for voluntarily disclosing taxes that should have been disclosed under the law. Samagi Jana Balawegaya parliamentarain Eran Wickremaratne had filed a petition with the Supreme Court today. He has argued that the 1% tax imposed for disclosing previously undisclosed taxes, is lower than the tax liability of people who have already settled tax payments. The petitioner noted that granting such amnesty for people who did not disclose their taxes would legitimize the fraud committed by them. The petition goes on to note that the clauses in the bill will encourage further tax evasion and will not bring benefits to the state.