The Congress's request for a halt of the Income-Tax department's actions against its bank accounts in advance of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was denied by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). Ahead of the pivotal Lok Sabha elections in 2024, the Income Tax Department has started the process of recovering and blocking their bank accounts as a punishment for past I-T returns.

In order to allow the Indian National Congress (INC) to file an appeal with the High Court, Senior Advocate Vivek Tamkha, representing the Congress, asked that the order be placed on hold for ten days. The bench, however, rejected the plea, stating that no such provision or prayer was presented to it.

Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken responded to the ITAT ruling by saying that the party is considering its legal options and will appeal the ruling to the highest court.

Congress had claimed earlier in February that the Income-Tax department had "freeze of democracy" in effect, freezing its bank accounts. Congress further claimed that the Income Tax agency has requested a recovery of ₹210 crore from Congress and the Youth Congress.

"We got information yesterday that banks are not honoring the cheque we are issuing," Ajay Maken stated at a press conference. We discovered after conducting additional research that the Youth Congress bank accounts have been frozen. Additionally, the Congress party's accounts have been taken."

Income tax requested a recovery of ₹210 crore from the Congress party and the Youth Congress. Our accounts' crowdfunding funds are no longer accessible. "Frosting the opposition's accounts just two weeks before elections is akin to freezing democracy," he continued.

Congress says Tax Demand is Politically Motivated

Congress said the ruling party is exploiting government agencies and that their tax demand is "politically motivated" while criticizing the BJP-led Union Government on the tax demand issue. The established party asserted that this is the BJP's plan to sabotage the Congress's preparations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Before the country's general elections, Congress claimed that the government was engaging in "financial terrorism" and that this was an attempt to "cripple" India's main opposition party.