From the rich: Luxury tax challenged in LHC

LAHORE: Justice Mansoor Ali Shah on Monday requested the Lahore High Court chief justice to constitute a larger bench to hear a petition challenging the imposition of luxury tax on properties of two or more kanals. Counsel for the petitioner said last year, the government had imposed luxury tax by amending Section 8 of The Finance Act. The tax was challenged in the Lahore High Court last year and the government withdrew it. He said the government had now imposed the same tax this year. Petitioner Zain Shehzad said the government was using coercive measures to recover the tax and requested directions for the government not to do so. He said luxury tax was inconsistent with fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution. The petitioner requested the court to set aside notices issued to them by the Excise and Taxation Department.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2014.