Nagaland govt. closes all check gates to curb illegal taxation

Interstate check gates to remain functional till May 31

Dimapur, May 19 (EMN): Chief Secretary of Nagaland J Alam on Thursday directed all check gates set up within the state by various organisations, groups, government agencies, private individuals and others to be closed immediately.

A notification issued by the Home department Political branch and undersigned by the chief secretary stated that all the check gates set up anywhere in the state for ‘whatsoever reasons by any department or organisation’ should be immediately closed throughout the state. It added that interstate check gates would function till May 31, 2022 and beyond that only after obtaining a specific approval of the Home department.

To curb alleged illegal tax collection in the state, Governor of Nagaland had ordered all check gates set up by the police and other departments including municipal and town councils to be closed immediately throughout the state, except the existing inter-state check gates.

Following the directive from the Governor, the chief secretary issued several directives to curb the issue, stating that “the governor of Nagaland has given out orders for strict compliance by all concerned with immediate effect”.

It stated that the inter or intra check gates required for unavoidable reasons by and department in the start including police should be referred through additional head or head of department concerned with justifications to the Home department for consideration, and “only after getting prior approval of the government, the check gate will be set up by the department concerned”.

It asked the entire department concerned to dismantle and completely remove any temporary structure or building at the location used as check gates to prevent anyone else misusing the structure left behind for illegal collective purposes.

Every district to set up inspection team to collect reports on illegal taxes

The notification stated that the deputy commissioner in every district should constitute an inspection team comprising ADC, additional SP, additional DCP, district transport officer and DPRO. The team will move with section strength force and regularly conduct surprise inspections to check if any unauthorised check is functioning and if found, all the persons manning the gates should be prosecuted under sections 188 and 384 IPC.

Disciplinary proceedings should also be initiated by the department concerned against the government servants found involved, if any, and further prompt steps should be taken to dismantle and remove the unauthorised check gates set up by any department, local authority or organisation, it warned.

The notification also asked the inspection team to conduct comprehensive inspection of the permitted check gates and if any illegal activity is found, the matter should be immediately brought to the notice of the deputy commissioner concerned who will submit a report to the Home department through the commissioner, Nagaland with his views.

The head of the office concerned in the district should take penal action against the erring employees under the relevant sections of law besides initiation of disciplinary proceedings, it stated.

The person in charge of any check gate should ensure that except the government employees detailed by the department, no other private individual is present at any point of time in and around the premises being used for the purposes of check gate, and if any the presence of any unauthorised entity at or near the check gate “shall be considered as sufficient proof of everyone colluding for illegal collection of money and action as per law shall be taken against anyone”.

The inspection team should submit detailed reports of every inspection being made by it to the DC, for perusal and for taking action as required, and further the DC through the DPRO will ensure that the observations and findings of the inspection team, and the actions taken, if any, are given wide publicity, it stated.

It mentioned that the Home department would also be sending officers from the secretariat to inspect the check gates, and the concerned department may also regularly send their officers to inspect the check gates and submit reports to the Home department.

Control room for citizens to report illegal tax activities to be set up

It was informed that the PHQ will set up a control room to be manned 24×7 and share widely the contact mobile number with WhatsApp facility, and an email ID, inviting people without requiring the person concerned to reveal their identity if they so desire, to share any information or make a complaint regarding illegal collection of money from the vehicle at any check-gate or at other locations in the state.

A fortnightly report of the calls received and the action taken by the control room should be made available to the Home department for perusal, it added.

It also stated that in case of any information received of vehicles which need to be checked or inspected because of it being suspected of carrying illegal items, or if there is any contravention of any law, rule or regulation, or it has evaded paying any charges, fee or tax needed to be paid to the government, or for any other sufficiently good reasons, the department officials concerned may immediately contact the inspection team of the district concerned and jointly carry out the necessary checks on the vehicles and take other action necessary.

It has also asked the Public Work Department to put up signages in the local dialect or English and Hindi at every check gate clearing that no payment other than required by any law, if applicable, should be made and that for such payments a proper receipt will be given. The contact number of the control room in PHQ should be displayed prominently on the signages.

The DCs have also been asked to collect regular reports from the inspection team in the district and submit a detailed report to the Home department through commissioner on the 1st and 15th of every month certifying that regular inspections are being carried out by the inspection team throughout the district, no unauthorised check gate is functional in any part of the district and at the permitted check gates, detailed inspection and through inquiries have been made, and there are no cases of illegal collection of money by anyone at such check gates.