Contempt petition
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 14 2019: A shopkeeper has filed a contempt petition to the High Court of Manipur against the State Government for resuming tax collection on betel leaves, despite High Court of Manipur earlier passing an order instructing the Government against levying taxes on betel leaves brought into the State.

The High Court of Manipur, on June 11, admitted the contempt petition which was filed by one Moirangthem Premila through her counsel, Senior Advocate M Hemchandra, against the Chief Secretary, Manipur, Additional Chief Secretary (Forest and Environment), Principal Chief Conservator of Forest and Under Secretary, Forest Department as respondents.

The petitioner mentioned that she is running a shop which sells betel leaves, piper betel, in different parts of the State for the last ten years and as the authorities concerned resumed levying taxes on betel leaves recently, she has not been able to get any benefit of the order passed by the High Court on April 10 (which quashed and set aside the notification for inclusion of betel leaves as forest products), she filed the contempt petition.

The petitioner further mentioned that kwamana, paanmana, betel leaves, piper betel, are basic commodities in Manipur as they are essential in functions like marriage, Shradha and all kinds of religious ceremonies and these products are imported from neighbouring States like West Bengal and Assam where they are abundantly grown.

The petition alleged that even as the High Court passed the order instructing no tax to be levied on betel leaves brought into the State, the State Forest Department resumed levying taxes (cut transit pass) on betel leaves on June 4 and 5 amounting to Rs 69,120, without any authority of law and also in total violation of the High Court order.

As such, the petitioner prayed for the Court to issue show cause notice for their wilful and deliberate disobedience of the Court order.

She also prayed for issuing further appropriate order/direction, interim order as well as final which the High Court deems fit and proper.

The High Court admitted the contempt petition on June 11 and issued notice to the respondent before listing the matter for the hearing on July 16.It may be mentioned that on June 5, a team of Forest and Environment, led by its Deputy Ranger, collected tax on betel leaves which were brought into the State by air, at the rate of Rs 10 paise per leaf and it was mentioned that the Department had resumed levying tax on betel leaves in accordance with an order issued by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest the day before (June 4) .

Yesterday also, Forest official had collected taxes on betel leaves brought by air after taking it to Forest beat office located at Sangakpham, at the rate of Rs 28,104 for 14 baskets of betel leaves.

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