The first phase of agitation on important issues, the Call Attention Day , falls on 26-02-2020. It has to be observed by all the units of AIBDPA by holding demonstration and sending emails to the Minister of Communications, Secretary, DoT and CMD, BSNL. In case of any difficulty to conduct demonstration due to acute Covid-19 situation and lockdown in certain places, they may skip the demonstration but send the emails without fail. Report and photos may also be sent to CHQ for posting in our website.

Gujarat Circle, despite Covid-19 pandemic, is continuing its sincere efforts in widening the organisation. The relentless sfforts to form the District Branch at Godhra has finally succedded.

A well attended convention of retirees, including VRS retirees, was held on 21-02-2021 at Godhra. Com.N N Patel, Circle President controlled the proceedings. Com.M B Chaniyara, Circle Secretary and CHQ Organising Secretary inaugurated the convention with an elaborate address covering the issues of the pensioners, functioning of AIBDPA and the struggles being organised to resolve the problems. Coms. Anand Singh, CHQ Vice President and District Secretary, BSNLEU, Vadodara, M K Dave, Circle Co-ordinator of VRS retirees also addressed the convention.

Thereafter Office Bearers for the 15th District Branch was elected unanimously. The following Comrades are the important functionaries;

Com. H B Parmar (President),

Com. G J Raulji (District Secretary)

Com. B T Patel (Treasurer)

BSNLEU District Branch, Godhra extended all help and cooperation in forming AIBDPA District Branch.

CHQ congratulates all the office bearers of Godhra District Branch and expresses its sincere gratitude to all the comrades for their wholehearted cooperation in forming the branch.

ATTENTION CIRCLE SECRETARIES & CHQ OFFICE BEARERS.

As you are aware, many BSNL retirees are getting notice under section 154 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, from CPC Bangalore and Ghaziabad.CHQ has already taken up the issue with BSNL, Income Tax Department and Finance Minister. Meanwhile retirees have to give reply to the notice. CHQ has prepared a draft for this purpose which is reproduced below. Circle/ District Secretaries are requested to guide the retirees to fill up it properly for onward transmission to the respective CPC.

K G Jayaraj

General Secretary

From ………………………………….. ….. ……………………………………….. To ………………………………………… …………………………………………

Sir,

Sub: Notice U/S 154 of IT Act 1961 for rectification of IT return for AY 2019-2020

Ref:Your letterNo……………………………………………………………………

With reference to your above letter . I am submitting the objection as follows The difference mentioned in the column “ Less Allowances to the extend exempt U/S 10 Sl No 1 Reporting Head Sec 10(10AA)-Earned leave encashment on retirement” is Rs ………………(Difference between the amount as provided by Tax payer in return of income(………………..) and the amount as computed under section 154(3 00 000) The said amount Rs ………………………. Is for my earned leave at credit on the date of absorption in BSNL ie as on 1-10-2000 for …………..days. The leave earned during Government Service ie DOT and the encashment of Rs ……………is exclusively for the leave earned in Government Service, it is exempted from income Tax as per clause 1 of section 10(AA) of IT act 1961

It is pertinent to point out that ,BSNL and MTNL employees absorbed from DoT are the only CPSE employees getting Pension from the consolidated fund of the government. Further, DoT employees during their absorption in BSNL were permitted to carry forward their earned leave and half pay leave to the new entity.

BSNL has clarified the same as “ The full amount received by a retiring absorbed employee as the cash equivalent of the leave salary in respect of the period of earned leave at his credit at the time of the retirement, under sub clause (1) of section 10(10AA),Income Tax Act 1961,calculated as per the accepted norm adopted for calculating amount due for the Government service period ,will be eligible for full exemption , on the date of absorption in BSNL from DOT” .

In a Judgement by the income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Mumbai vide ITA No 3261/Mum/2018 it was held that “as per provision for section 10(10AA)(1) of the Act, the assessee in entitled for exemption on the amount of leave encashment of the leave earned during the period before absorption as per section 10(10AA)(1) of the Act as applicable to Central Gorverment before that date he was employee of Government of India ie the Central Government “.

In view of the above and also as per the provision in sub clause (1) of section 10 (10AA0 of IT Act 1961, the full exemption claim is in order and hence IT return needs no revision /rectification. I request you to accept the explanation and restore the order already issued under section 143(1).

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

( Name)

Encl: 1) Copy of Assessment order 2) Copy of LPC 3) BSNL Clarification

The first District Conference of Dhrmapuri, Tamil Nadu was inaugurated by Com.N Kuppusamy, Circle Secretary on 17-02-2021. He explained in detail the issues being confronted by the pensioners and the struggles conducted by AIBDPA for settlement.

Com. D Bhaskaran presided over the conference. Com.S.Alagirisamy, Distrct Secretary welcomed the gathering. Com.A Babu Radhakrishnan, Circle Secretary, BSNLEU addressed the conference with adetailed speech on present situation in BSNL. Com. M Narayanasamy, former ACS, BSNLEU and Com. P Krishnan, District Secretary, BSNLEU greeted the conference.

Office bearers were elected unanimously with the following important functionaries;

President Com. R Gopalan

District Secretary Com. D Bhaskaran

Treasurer Com.M Kuppusamy