| Pouring cold water over the hopes of the left out | | | | tax exemption but those certificates issued without |
| communities in the State, the Income Tax office | | | | Serial number and volume number and granted against |
| reiterated that only Sikkim Subject holders are entitled | | | | land documents cannot qualify for this exemption, it |
| to tax exemptions as under section 10 (26AAA) under | | | | was informed. People with Certificate of Identification |
| the Union Finance Act passed by the Parliament earlier | | | | can also apply for income tax exemption if their |
| this year. | | | | parents have their names in the Sikkim Subject |
| LD Lepcha, Income Tax Officer, Gangtok office in his | | | | register, it was further informed. |
| presentation today during a day long seminar on Tax | | | | “The position of various certificates holders from |
| Deduction on Source (TDS) and Tax Collection at | | | | the State government do not make it necessary to for |
| Source (TCS) at TNA auditorium said that Sikkimese | | | | the eligibility of the Income Tax rules”, said Mr. |
| people have been granted a blanket exemption under | | | | Lepcha inviting the interested persons to visit his office |
| section 10 (26AAA) with retrospective effect from | | | | to clear their doubts. |
| 01.04.1990. However those born and broughtup in | | | | Also present today were officers from Kolkata who |
| Sikkim without Sikkim Subjects does not qualify for | | | | also participated in an interactive session with the |
| direct income tax exemptions, he said. | | | | healthy turnout of chartered accountants, lawyers, |
| The old business community and old settlers in Sikkim | | | | representatives from the business community, |
| without Sikkim Subjects have been demanding similar | | | | business houses, social organisations, government |
| exemption at par with the Sikkimese people. | | | | offices and local gentry. |
| The programme was organized by Income Tax wing | | | | During the seminar, the resource persons went on |
| of Kolkata in coordination with Sikkim Income Tax unit. | | | | length to explain the gathering about TDS and TCS |
| The State Income Tax officer said that a Sikkimese | | | | provisions. |
| individual has been defined as an individual whose | | | | With many of the resource persons from Kolkata |
| name is recorded in the Sikkim Subject Register of | | | | unable to attend today’s briefing, it was decided |
| April 26, 1975. The Union Government has also granted | | | | that several questions put-up by the participants would |
| Certificate of Identification (equivalent to Sikkim | | | | be compiled and booklets would be published for the |
| Subject) in 1991 to some 75,000 individuals in the State. | | | | local gentry. |
| Some of these certificates can be used for income | | | | |