Haphazard tax collection must be stopped: MPs

"People are bearing the burnt of double and triple taxation"

Kathmandu, August 20

Lawmakers of the House of Representatives today urged the central government to stop local levels from haphazardly imposing taxes on people.

Lawmakers, especially from the main opposition Nepali Congress, drew the government’s attention towards ‘exorbitant taxes’ imposed by the local levels and provincial governments.

However, the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP)  lawmakers said many forces in the country were conspiring against federalism and the government. NC Whip Pushpa Bhusal said taxes imposed by the Oli government had terrified people. “People are facing the brunt of double or triple taxation, which is ridiculous,” she said.

NC lawmaker Umesh Shrestha said the government could not impose taxes haphazardly. “The government should collect tax on scientific basis,” he said, adding that the central government can direct the local levels about taxation as per Article 232 of the constitution.

Bharat Kumar Shah, another lawmaker from NC, said the government should form a Natural Source and Monetary Commission to solve the problems of taxation at the local levels.

“In village, people are scared of tax. So, the commission should be formed to finalise the problems related to taxation,” he said. NCP (NCP) lawmaker Pampha Bhusal said the central government should come up with a solution to arbitrary taxes imposed by some local levels.

NCP (NCP) lawmaker Krishna Prasad Dahal said only a few local levels imposed such taxes and it would not be fair to accuse all locals levels of doing so.

Krishna Bhakta Pokharel, a NCP (NCP) lawmaker, said the only the central government should have the right to decide on taxation. NCP (NCP) lawmaker Ghana Shyam Khatiwada said the government should direct the local levels about taxation.