New Delhi: With the Union Upkeep 2026 less than three weeks away, experts and industry groups have begun walk well-spoken demands. Vastitude the usual bets on tax rates and spending plans, many voices say the upkeep must tackle deeper economic and structural problems. The focus, they argue, should be on fixing long-standing bottlenecks that disrupt business, jobs and investment.
What's the Main Problem?
Industry groups point to a huge pile-up of unresolved tax disputes. At the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) level alone, increasingly than 5.4 lakh cases are pending, involving disputed tax claims of over Rs 18 lakh crore. These appeals have dragged on for years, tying up wanted and keeping merchantry leaders and investors on edge.
Here are the five big issues merchantry groups want Upkeep 2026 to tackle:
How can the request reservoir be cut lanugo faster?
Industry persons say the first appellate validity has wilt a chokepoint. They want priority handling for ramified and high-value cases, filling vacant positions, and a faster track for simple disputes. Delays now often stretch vastitude five years.
Should stay of disputed tax demands be made easier?
Right now, companies often must pay a large portion of a disputed tax to get a stay order. Experts oppose this ties up working capital. They want options like wall guarantees and a digital system that automatically protects refunds when stays are in place.
What can be washed-up well-nigh legalistic delays and hardships?
Even when businesses win appeals, they often wait months for refunds. Tax professionals say system-driven timelines for issuing refunds and penalties on officials for needless delays would help.
Why does the government request settled issues then and again?
Observers say revenue authorities protract contesting issues once decided by higher courts, subtracting to the backlog. They want well-spoken guidance from the Centre so similar cases aren’t repeatedly fought.
How can whop ruling systems be made increasingly effective?
Advance rulings are meant to requite certainty on tax treatment surpassing transactions happen. But critics say the current setup isn’t delivering timely, tightness guidance, expressly for cross-border deals. Reform here could stop disputes surpassing they start.
As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Upkeep on February 1, voices from industry and tax circles are clear: it’s time to fix the foundations of India’s tax system, not just tinker with rates.
