TURA, May 18: Tura MDC Bernard Marak on Thursday opposed the new rates of taxes being imposed on non-tribal traders for carrying out trade, stating that the taxation is illegal in nature as it is yet to be green-lighted by the Governor of Meghalaya.
Earlier, the GHADC had raised taxes for trading licences in almost all sectors with the new rates being more than double of what was being previously paid for a Trading by Non-Tribal (TNT) licence.
“I strongly oppose the tax being collected by the GHADC on non-tribals in the guise of TNT. It is an unapproved rate that is being forced upon the traders of Garo Hills, especially the non-tribals. This is not legal and not as per the Constitution. The new rates have to be approved by the Governor before being imposed,” said Bernard in a video statement.
The Tura MDC informed that he had already written to the CEM of GHADC as well as the EC of taxation on the issue but to no avail.
“They have answered that these rates were proposed by the previous EC but did not clarify whether it was approved. This is why I oppose this and it is not right as it is forcing the traders to pay more than their capacity. It should not be imposed on anyone, tribal or otherwise,” he felt.
