GULZAR AHMAD VS SECRETARY, REVENUE DIVISION, ISLAMABAD, 2007 PTD-FEDERAL-TAX-OMBUDSMAN-PAKISTAN 1206 (2004)

Income Tax Ordinance (XLIX of 2001)---

----Ss. 12 & 170---Establishment of Office of Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance (XXXV of 2000), S.2(3)---Refund---Maladministration---Refund was claimed by a salaried person---Voucher for actual refundable amount was issued by the Department---Federal Tax Ombudsman found that there was lot of confusion and mismanagement which resulted in undue delay in payment of refunds in salary circle---Concerned Authorities were required to pay serious attention in that matter.

None for the Complainant.

Qaiser Iqbal, IAC Range-II, Islamabad for Respondent.

FINDINGS/DECISION

This is a complaint by a salaried person regarding non-payment of refund amounting to Rs.3,477 for the assessment year 2002-2003. In the respondent's reply it is stated that a voucher for the actual refundable amount of Rs.3,355 has been issued to the complainant on 30-4-2004.

2. Prior to the date of hearing a letter of thanks was also received from the complainant stating that he had been sent the assessment order together with refund voucher by the Taxation Officer Circle 11, Islamabad. While the complainant's grievance has been redressed it was seen that there is apparently a lot of confusion in the salary circles at Islamabad in the context of transmission of income tax returns to PRAL and the generation of assessment orders, demand notices and demand and collection data by the said organization. It seems that there are often serious errors in the material generated while in the circle also the returns received back from PRAL are often not placed on the relevant files. All these factors result in undue delay in the payment of refunds and also in the recovery of demand where it is due. Serious attention thus needs to be paid by the concerned Authorities to the matter.

3. As the complainant's grievance has been redressed the file is closed subject to the above observations.

M.I./288/FTOOrder accordingly.