Sonia Gandhi refuses to divulge IT details to PIL applicant

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has declined to divulge her income details sought by a PIL applicant. However, analysts say even if she were to put her latest income-tax returns in the public domain nothing much would come to light.

According to First Post, her main income would likely come from the salary and perks she earned by being a member of parliament, and some additional earnings as a cabinet-ranked member of the NAC.

The assets she disclosed to the EC in the 2009 Lok Sabha poll were around Rs1.38 crore, which were not capable of generating very high incomes – unless the landed properties held in her name in Italy and India were to be sold, the newspaper said.

The news website said that it would be highly unlikely that her tax returns would provide any greater insight into her real sources of income – assuming these exceeded what had been disclosed.

Also it is not as if she has not disclosed any of her tax status, rather according to her election returns filed before contesting the 2009 poll, she said she had paid Rs5.58 lakh as income tax for assessment year 2008-09 and Rs32,512 in wealth tax.

Since she would fall in the top tax slab, a tax payment of Rs5.58 lakh would imply a taxable income to the tune of Rs16-17 lakh in 2007-08 (financial year).