KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) or its offices have been empowered under the law to recovery tax from a person, who is holding money of a taxpayer.
The FBR recently updated Income Tax Ordinance, 2001 and its Section 140 highlighted the powers of the FBR and its field offices regarding recovery of tax from persons holding money on behalf of the taxpayer.
Section 140: Recovery of tax from persons holding money on behalf of a taxpayer
Sub-Section (1): For the purpose of recovering any tax due by a taxpayer, the Commissioner may, by notice, in writing, require any person –
(a) owing or who may owe money to the taxpayer; or
(b) holding or who may hold money for, or on account of the taxpayer;
(c) holding or who may hold money on account of some other person for payment to the taxpayer; or
(d) having authority of some other person to pay money to the taxpayer,
to pay to the Commissioner so much of the money as set out in the notice by the date set out in the notice:
“Provided that the Commissioner shall not issue notice under this sub-section for recovery of any tax due from a taxpayer if the said taxpayer has filed an appeal under section 127 in respect of the order under which the tax sought to be recovered has become payable and the appeal has not been decided by the Commissioner (Appeals), subject to the condition that ten per cent of the said amount of tax due has been paid by the taxpayer.”
Sub-Section (2): Subject to sub-section (3), the amount set out in a notice under sub-section (1) —
(a) where the amount of the money is equal to or less than the amount of tax due by the taxpayer, shall not exceed the amount of the money; or
(b) in any other case, shall be so much of the money as is sufficient to pay the amount of tax due by the taxpayer.
Sub-Section (3): Where a person is liable to make a series of payments (such as salary) to a taxpayer, a notice under sub-section (1) may specify an amount to be paid out of each payment until the amount of tax due by the taxpayer has been paid.
Sub-Section (4): The date for payment specified in a notice under sub-section (1) shall not be a date before the money becomes payable to the taxpayer or held on the taxpayer’s behalf.
Sub-Section (5): The provisions of sections 160, 161, 162 and 163, so far as may be, shall apply to an amount due under this section as if the amount were required to be deducted from a payment under Division III of Part V of this Chapter.
Sub-Section (6): Any person who has paid any amount in compliance with a notice under sub-section (1) shall be treated as having paid such amount under the authority of the taxpayer and the receipt of the Commissioner constitutes a good and sufficient discharge of the liability of such person to the taxpayer to the extent of the amount referred to in such receipt.
Sub-Sections (7, 8 and 9) have been omitted.
Sub-Section (10): In this section, “person” includes any Court, Tribunal or any other authority.
