Congress receives interim relief, allowed to use frozen bank accounts with lien

Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has granted interim relief to the Congress party, allowing it to use its frozen bank accounts with a lien from the Income Tax department. Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha, representing the Congress, expressed gratitude for the ITAT’s decision, stating that the accounts are not restricted but have a lien. Tankha emphasized the importance of an independent hearing before the ITAT and highlighted the impact of the frozen accounts on the party’s ability to participate in elections.

Tankha also mentioned that the Congress party’s bank accounts have been frozen, hindering its participation in upcoming elections. He argued that the taxation imposed on the party was disproportionate, given its financial details for the relevant year. Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken confirmed that the ITAT has marked Rs 115 crores as a lien in the party’s bank accounts, which exceeds the party’s available funds.

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the central government for the alleged freezing of the party’s accounts, stating that the party will protest against the government’s actions. Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy expressed concern over the account freeze and questioned the reasons behind it. BJP leader CN Ashwath Narayan accused the Congress of attempting to politicize the issue and stated that the law applies to everyone, including the Congress party.