IT asks non-tribal offsprings to pay tax in Meghalaya

Shillong, Jul 19 (UNI) The Income Tax Department has served notices to 450 government offices in Meghalaya to deduct income tax from the offsprings, born out of a tribal and non-tribal wedlock.

The IT Department notices were issued in the backdrop of the Supreme Court verdict that children born out of the wedlock of tribal-non-tribal couples could not be treated as tribals nor enjoy the Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation benefits.

'' All offsprings born out of the wedlock of tribal-non-tribal couples should file income tax returns for the current financial to avoid interest and penalties, '' Commissioner of Income Tax H Raikhan told UNI here today.

Recently, a bench comprising Justices H K Sema and A R Lakshmanan pronounced that children born out of the wedlock of tribal-non-tribal couples could not be treated as tribals.

The court, however, said if a forward caste woman married a tribal man, the children ''would obviously attain the tribal status.'' Soon after the apex court verdict, the Jharkhand High Court also confirmed the Supreme Court ruling stating that the offspring of a non-tribal father and a tribal mother were not entitled to Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation benefits.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister D D Lapang decided to take up the matter with appropriate authorities to resolve it expeditiously, in view of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council's (KHADC) decision to file a review petition with the Supreme Court to plead for exemption of Meghalaya from the recent ruling of stripping ST status of the children of a tribal mother and a non-tribal father.

KHADC Chief Executive Member Hispreaching Son Shylla said the Council will file a review petition with the Supreme Court to seek exemption of Meghalaya from the purview of the verdict as most of the indigenous tribes followed the matrilineal system, unlike in other parts of the country.

However, Income Tax officials made it clear that the department imposed tax on children of a non-tribal father as per the directives of the apex court.

'' We will stop imposing tax on those offsprings only if the Supreme Court passed a new judgment with special reference to Meghalaya on the matter, '' Mr Raikhan said.

UNI