Bombay HC Agrees To Hear Anushka Sharma’s Plea Against Sales Tax Dept Orders Seeking Dues

Anushka Sharma is challenging an order of the deputy commissioner of sales tax, Mazgaon, regarding dues from the financial year 2012-13 and 2013-14 under the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Act

The Bombay High Court has agreed to hear a petition filed by actor Anushka Sharma challenging the sales tax department’s proceeding against her, reported news agency ANI. The report said the court has issued notice to the sales tax department on Anushka's plea and has kept the matter for hearing on February 6. 

Anushka Sharma is challenging an order of the deputy commissioner of sales tax, Mazgaon, regarding dues from the financial year 2012-13 and 2013-14 for assessment under the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Act. 

Sharma had previously filed the case through her consultant. The Bombay HC last year in December ordered her to file the case herself. The judges, as per LiveLaw, had said, "these Petitions are filed through the Taxation Consultant of the Petitioner. There is no reason shown as to why the Petitioner cannot file these Petitions."

"The Writ Petitions are accordingly disposed of with liberty to the Petitioner to file Petitions afresh on the Petitioner's own affirmation," the bench said in its order.

According to Sharma's previous petition, the assessing officer wrongly held that by endorsing products and anchoring, she acquired copyrights which are tangible goods, that are sold and transferred. 

She challenged that the copyright always remains with the producer. In her plea, she claimed to have acted in several films as well as award functions according to the tri-party agreement with Yashraj Films Pvt Ltd. The assessing officer levied sales tax for endorsements. The demand inclusive of interest was Rs 1.2 crore and Rs 12.3 Crore for 2012-13 and for 2013-14 it was nearly Rs 17 crore, the report said.