BEEDI TAX

The Andhra Pradesh High Court has disposed a batch of writ petitions challenging the levy of sales tax on Abnus (beedi) leaves being collected by the AP forest development corporation. The division bench comprising the acting Chief Justice P Vendatarama Reddi and Justice A S Bhate was dealing with a batch of writ petitions filed by beedi leaves contractors seeking directions to the forest authorities to release the beedi leaves without insisting on the payment of sales tax. The Bench, however, directed the tax authorities to finalise the assesment of the corporation within eight months.