Jammu association holds general body meet

Jammu Computers Dealers Association (JCDA) is leaving no stone unturned to resolve the contentious VAT issue. Last week the core committee of the association had a meeting with Iqbal Khandey, principal secretary of Finance in Srinagar, despite the quarter end closing and VAT quarterly return filing in view of the letter/recommendations from the consultant, which reached the finance department's office. After the meet, the association presumed that an early action is expected anytime soon.

Meanwhile, the association has been very transparent to its members and held quarterly meetings to provide latest status on this ongoing struggle to its members. JCDA held its quarterly general body meet on July 21, 2012. It was attended by almost all the members thereby showing great concerns for the VAT issue. At the meet the general secretary of JCDA briefed about how JCDA took over the issue from the day one and how it went through various agencies and stages. He gave detailed report of the day-to-day activities and current status.

According to Naveen Gupta, organizing secretary, JCDA, "The association sought members' viewpoint for actions or steps to be taken in near future. It was resolved that all the resellers shall bill at 5%, all those items which have been leftover unintentionally by the Sales Tax department. This was also first time that the members from distributors were asked to join and share their views. Members also showed their full faith on core committee at the meet. Additionally, we have cleared confusion which prevailed upon members with regard to billing done by some of the distributors at the rate of 13.5%, which needs re-billing, but some of the distributors did not agree."

Post all the happenings with the sales tax department, it is likely that after a gap of 4 months, JCDA may get a reprieve from, as the NIC's recommendations have reached deputy secretary finance department and he has passed it on to secretary finance, who may forward it to commissioner of commercial taxes very soon.

The association also explicitly told its members that in case the finance department passed the order against the association, then all the members of JCDA may ask the members to proceed for dharna and legal court case.