Governor of Maharashtra, C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the All-India Members Conference 2025 of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) at Goa Marriott Resort & Spa, Miramar, North Goa, today (12th July). Established in the 1941, ITAT is the country’s oldest and most esteemed quasi-judicial institution in the field of direct taxation. The two-day conference marks the Tribunal’s 84th Foundation Anniversary.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor of Maharashtra said that the very existence of the Tribunal validates the Constitution of India and its ethos and functioning. “Over the last eight decades, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has evolved not merely in form but in function too from a modest appellant body into an intuition whose decisions influence not only the tax jurisprudence but also the broader question of economic governance and rule of law,” he said.
“I am always very proud of Indian judicial system. In our system, if a judge decides to deliver the justice, it can be delivered and nobody can stop him. And, ITAT has distinguished itself by delivering justice that is not only legally sound but also citizen-centric, bridging the complexities of the tax law with a focus on clarity, transparency and timely solution,” the Governor said.
Talking about the dual role institutions such as ITAT serve — as interpreters of law and instrument of trust, Radhakrishnan said that the confidence of the tax payers in the fairness of the system was built upon the strength and credibility of the forums like the Tribunal.
“Integrity is a very important quality to have in the judicial system. Conferences like these will help our enthusiasm and aspirations for establishing justice,” he said.
Earlier, welcoming the gathering, Justice (Retd) C V Bhadang, President, ITAT, said that the Tribunal had made significant strides in the integration of technology in its day-today working by providing facility of e-filing and virtual and hybrid hearings. “E-filing of the appeals by the Revenue has been made compulsory from 30th June 2023. The assessees are also taking benefit of the facilities in a significant manner,” he said.
“I am happy to place on record that in the last five years, the pendency in the tribunal has come down from 87,500 to 44,500. The consistent hard work of the members of the Tribunal, Chartered Accountants, Advocates and all the other stakeholders has resulted in the reduction in the pendency,” Justice (Retd) Bhadang said.
He also said that there should be discussions on the opportunities and challenges of the use of artificial Intelligence in judicial dispensation.
Justice Ashwin Damodar Bhobe, Judge, Bombay High Court; Dr. Anju Rathi Rana, Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs, Government of India; and CA Charanjit Singh Nanda, President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, were also present at the inaugural session.
The conference is being attended by ITAT members from across the country, providing a vital forum for reflecting on the evolution of tax jurisprudence, reaffirming institutional values, and engaging with the emerging challenges in the realm of tax adjudication.
The Conference has featured engaging technical sessions on contemporary developments in tax law, with particular emphasis on the forthcoming Income Tax Bill, 2025. Eminent speakers including senior officials from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), luminaries from the legal and accountancy professions, and members of the Tribunal led various sessions on the first day of the conference.
