National Human Rights Commission Chairperson and the former Chief Justice of India, K.G. Balakrishnan, has told income-tax authorities that details of his I-T returns cannot be disclosed, but he has no objection to revealing his total income or taxable income and the amount paid as tax during 2005-10.
Counter-affidavit
In his counter-affidavit filed before the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax, Kochi, in response to a Right to Information appeal, which sought details of the I-T returns filed by him and his family members, Mr. Justice Balakrishnan said: “... the petitioner/appellant is not entitled to get the details of the Income-Tax returns as it is a personal document and disclosure of which is prohibited under the RTI Act.”
“I reiterate my stand made clear in my reply on February 5 given to the petition filed by the appellant. That may be read as part of the counter-statement. I have no objection in disclosing my total income or taxable income or the amount paid as Income Tax during 2005 to 2010,” Mr. Justice Balakrishnan said.
In February, I-T authorities declined to reveal details of tax returns filed by Mr. Justice Balakrishnan and his family members on the RTI application by Dr. T. Balachandran, executive member of the Kerala RTI Federation, after the NHRC Chairperson objected to the disclosures.
