Tax forum urges FM to protect confidentiality under GST

The All India Tax Advocates' Forum (AITAF) has asked the government to ensure confidentiality of details furnished by assesses under the new Goods and Service Tax regime.
"While framing the GST Rules, adequate safeguards of the information provided by the assessee like records, accounts, returns and statements to the tax under the new tax system must be ensured and penal provision be made for un authorised disclosure or leakage of such information," AITAF President MK Gandhi said in a statement.
Such a provision for protection of information submitted by assessee to the tax authorities already exists in the DVAT Act, he said in a representation to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Under the present Delhi Value Added Tax (DVAT) Act all particulars contained in any statement made, return furnished or account or documents produced in accordance with this Act are being treated as confidential, he said.
"Protection of confidentiality of information submitted to the tax authorities is of extreme importance. Any compromise on this front will jeopardise the competitiveness of business enterprise, which holds key to economic growth," it added.