Chennai: Protest leave by commercial taxes employees from today

CHENNAI: Normal work in Commercial Tax Offices (CTOs) across the State would be paralysed on January 19 and 20 as 6,500 CTO employees will go on leave en mass to highlight  several long-pending demands.

The Joint Action Committee of Commercial Taxes Association, which comprise Tamil Nadu Commercial Taxes Services’ Association and Tamil Nadu Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax Officer and Deputy Commercial Tax Officer Association, has called for the pro-test.

 The department has been collecting tax under 10 major categories including VAT. To draw the government’s attention to the issues, 6500 employees including clerks, assistants, typists and Assistant Commissioners, will go on leave en mass on Tuesday and Wednesday.

As their demands were not met, the Government, which was earning nearly 70 per cent of the revenue from the department, has been losing revenue over the years steadily.

The revenue growth has come down sharply from 27.09 per cent in 2011-12 to 5.54 per cent in 2014-15.
 

The president, Tamil Nadu Commercial Taxes Services Association, N.Janarthanan, said the department has passed over 100 notifications, which were not useful in increasing revenue.

The notifications have been affecting independence of the employees and they undergo mental agony.

Seniority of employees was not being considered while giving promotions. He appealed to government to file its reply to writ petitions filed regarding this and expedite the proceedings.

The president, Tamil Nadu Assistant Commissioner, Commercial Tax Officer & Deputy Commercial Tax Officer Association, M. Rajendiran, said several employees were suspended a day prior to their retirement
date.

The ‘anti employee’ attitude has been opposed by the association for years.