HC sets aside notices by I-T dept against P Chidambaram, family

CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Tuesday set aside a batch of notices issued by the income tax department against former union finance minister P Chidambaram and his family members for the assessment year 2010-11. Justice T S Sivagnanam granted the relief while allowing writ petitions from Chidambaram and his family members.

The judge had on November 13 granted a similar relief to them for the 2009-10 assessment year. He noted on Tuesday that the court had quashed the reopening proceedings related to the 2009-10 assessment year with identical facts and said the petitioners had made out a prima facie case to set aside proceedings in the present case.

The petitioner submitted that he and his family grow coffee and after pulping and drying, sell the raw coffee. Proceeds of its sale are agricultural income exempted from the applicability of Section 10(1) of the Income Tax Act, he said.