LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday turned down a request to suspend the impugned notifications about agricultural tax and sought replies from the respondents within fortnight.
The petitioners MPA Ijaz Shafi and Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) challenged the increase in agricultural tax in the province.
Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the government unlawfully revised agricultural income tax rates without mandatory legislative approval and by bypassing the constitutional role of the assembly.
He also alleged that the impugned notifications violated Articles 4, 9, 19-A, 25, 38, 77 and 127 of the Constitution. He asserted that the taxation cannot be imposed or altered through executive action without legislative sanction and constitutional oversight.
He also pleaded that the agricultural community had been subjected to discriminatory and unconstitutional taxation measures.
He also claimed that the tax in question adversely affecting farmers’ livelihoods and economic stability.
