AAP gets notice from Income Tax Department, asked to explain discrepancies in donations

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been slapped with a notice of Rs 30.67 crores by the Income Tax Department. The taxman wants AAP to explain alleged discrepancies in donations by December 7.

The notice for tax assessment for financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16 has pegged the AAP's taxable income at Rs 68.44 crore. According to the notice, the political party has not disclosed donations worth Rs 13 crore.

The part, led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, celebrated its fifth anniversary in Delhi on Sunday. The party was founded on an anti-graft platform and has its roots in India Against Corruption, the mass movement for a Lokpal Bill led by Anna Hazare.

At the party's five-year celebration rally, party chief and Delhi CM Kejriwal had the BJP in his cross-hairs as he referred to AAP's anti-corruption agenda. "On corruption, the BJP is as bad as the Congress. Even judges are not safe it seems. Just as you had uprooted the Congress, the time for BJP too is coming," he said.

 "In 2011, we had gathered here to fight corruption, but that fight is still on. We will not sit down till corruption is tackled. Today, it has been five years since the AAP was formed. On this occasion, I want to congratulate those who worked to make this possible," he added.

Last year the Income Tax Department had issued a notice to the Aam Aadmi Party, citing discrepancies in the donors' list submitted to tax officials and what had been put up on the party website.