IT Tribunal De-Freezes Bank Accounts of Congress, Confirms Grand Old Party

The Congress submitted before the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in Delh that it would not be able to participate in the 2024 Lol Sabha elections if its bank accounts remain frozen. Consequently, the accounts of the grand old party were unfrozen by the tribunal. Earlier, Congress treasurer said that the freezing of accounts affected all political activities of their party.

New Delhi:Congress leader Vivek Tankha on Friday informed that the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal de-freezed accounts of the grand old party. The confirmation came just an hour after the Congress said Income Tax (IT) authorities had frozen its main bank accounts, impacting all political activity.

Congress leader Vivek Tankha, who appeared before the tribunal against the order, said the party was now allowed to operate its bank accounts. The tribunal will hear the matter next Wednesday before a final decision is taken on the matter.

Tankha said he told the tribunal that the Congress would not be able to participate in the "festival of elections" in case its accounts remain frozen. Earlier in the day, treasurer Ajay Maken said the IT department had frozen the Congress' main bank accounts on "flimsy grounds" and this affected all political activity of the party barely two weeks before general elections are announced.

The accounts, including that of the Indian Youth Congress, were frozen on an IT demand of Rs 210 crore for 2018-19, an election year, Maken said at a press conference. According to him, the party filed its IT return for the concerned year a few days late and that is why this action. He said the IT authorities' orders freezing the accounts had come on Wednesday.

Maken said that the party has taken legal action in response to the freeze, with the matter currently before the income tax appellate tribunal. In a press conference, he explained that they chose not to disclose the information earlier as the hearing is pending.

Maken said four main bank accounts were frozen. Sources later put the number at nine. The party was unable to use even the funds received under its crowdfunding scheme, Maken said at the press conference and alleged that democracy was in danger in the country.

"For the first time in the country's history, accounts of the principal opposition party have been frozen by the tax authorities on flimsy grounds, barely two weeks before the announcement of general elections," Maken told reporters.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X, "Power drunk Modi-Government has frozen the accounts of the country's largest Opposition party - the Indian National Congress - just before the Lok Sabha elections."(With PTI Inputs)

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