SIKKIM STATE LEVEL COMMITTEE OF AOS-SIKKIM FORMED

ASSOCIATION OF OLD SETTLERS OF SIKKIM.
GANGTOK. SIKKIM.

PRESS RELEASE
22.10.2009


A State Level delegates meeting of Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim ( AOSS) was held in Gangtok on 22-10-09 which was attended by more than 350 delegates representing all towns and bazars of Sikkim.

The meeting which was called to deliberate on the socio-economic development of the old business community of Sikkim witnessed unprecedented enthusiasm in appreciation of sincere efforts and unstinted support of the Government led by Dr Pawan Chamling who has stood by the community which is in minority, at all times.

The meeting discussed enactment of Finance Act 2008 wherein the old settlers have been inadvertently left out from the exemption of Direct Taxes and appraised that the AOSS has been taking up the cause of these 9000 odd left out individuals who are two centuries old settlers and who are true Sikkimese earning and investing within the state.

Shri S.K.Sarda, President of the Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim in his address appreciated that the SDF party itself in its Election manifesto had dealt with the matter in detail and promised that as soon as the Government comes into formation, the matter of Income tax Exemption to old settlers will be taken up. True to his words, Dr Chamling immediately after the formation of the Government for the 4th term visited New Delhi and urged Prime Minister of India to solve this problem. The president on behalf of the old settlers expressed gratitude to His Excellency the Governor and the Hon’ble C.M for having taken on record in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly the need to secure exemption from Income tax for them in their endeavor to deliver justice and equal rights to all.

Shri Suresh Agarwal, General Secretary appraised the meeting of the various steps taken by AOSS and the support received from the State Government in this regard. He said, upon the request of the AOSS the Government was kind enough to constitute a committee to look into its request for exemption to old settlers and recommend their case to Government of India. He said that the Committee in its first meeting held on 8.10.2009 has directed AOSS to obtain expert legal opinion which could help the State Government in pursuing for exemption for the old settlers with Government of India. He further said that this was a very positive signal from the State and that the AOSS shall faithfully discharge the responsibility given, by consulting legal luminaries and present their opinion before the committee.

The meeting adopted the following resolutions.

1. A Thirty One Member State Level Committee formed to obtain expert opinion from leading legal, constitutional and taxation luminaries.
2. As directed, the opinion(s) so received shall be submitted to the State Government for consideration and taking up the matter for exemption of Income tax to left out individuals with Government of India.
3. To support the popular demand of implementation of Income Tax act with prospective effect for PEOPLE SETTLED POST MERGER.
4. To inform the Income Tax Department of all developments in this regard by submitting copy of letter received from the Government of Sikkim and relevant extracts of the present meeting.




Anil Kumar Gupta
Secretary
Association of Old Settlers of Sikkim (AOSS).
Gangtok, Sikkim

INCOME TAX EXEMPTION TO LEFT OUTS IN SIKKIM

SIKKIM: CS heads committee to study Income Tax exemption to ‘Left Outs’
Posted by barunroy on July 22, 2009

FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS

GANGTOK: The State government has constituted a six member committee headed by chief secretary ND Chingapa to consider exemption the left out individuals of Sikkim from the purview of Central Income Tax.

The other members of the committee are additional chief secretary TT Dorji, law secretary RK Purkhayastha, Chief Minister’s principle secretary RK Basnet and transport secretary KN Bhutia.

HB Rai, additional commissioner, commercial taxes division is the member secretary of the committee.

The high level committee has been tasked to examine all matters relating to grant of exemption of Central Income Tax (Direct Tax Law) to the ‘left out’ individuals in Sikkim and make recommendation to the State government for taking up the issue with the Centre. The committee has also been directed to submit its report at the earliest.

It may be added that the ‘left outs’ as referred by the State government implies those persons living in Sikkim for generations and had not been granted exemption from paying income taxes as provided to people with Sikkim Subject Certificates.

The Union government had last year exempted Sikkim Subject holders from paying Direct Income Tax by passing an amendment in the Finance Bill of 2008.

People of Sikkimese origin having Sikkim Subject Certificates have been exempted from Direct Taxes as per the 26AAA clause paving way for the Act to be enforced in the state.

However, the old business community who has been living in the State for generations but without Sikkim Subject certificates have expressed their objections for being left out of the Act.
The old business community had also expressed their objections for being bracketed into ‘Non Sikkimese’ category by the Union government in the Finance Act.

The old business community living here for generations had demanded to be defined as ‘Left out Sikkimese’ and not as ‘Non Sikkimese’.


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