Formula One: Supreme Court will hear PIL against Jaypee's tax default on November 1
The petition has been filed on the ground that organisers Jaypee Group had not paid the entire tax amount to the Uttar Pradesh government for first Formula 1 race held in 2011.
The Supreme Court will hear on November 1 a petition seeking to stay Formula One in India for tax default. Two days ahead of the Indian Grand Prix in Greater Noida, a petition seeking to stay the mega event was filed before the Supreme Court on Thursday. But this year's event will take place as scheduled. The qualifiers will be held on Friday. Sunday is the big race day.
A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, before whom the matter was mentioned, said the plea will be heard on November 1. The petition has been filed by one Amit Kumar seeking the court's direction to stay this week's event on the ground that organisers Jaypee Group has not paid the entire tax amount to the Uttar Pradesh government for first Formula 1 race held in 2011.
The Akhilesh Yadav government had recently approached the apex court seeking its permission to withdraw the June 27, 2011 decision of the then UP government headed by Mayawati granting exemption to Jaypee Group from entertainment tax. It sought that the company be directed to the pay entire amount of entertainment tax due to it for the 2011 Formula One race.
Kumar had earlier in 2011 also filed a petition in the apex court challenging exemption of entertainment tax given by the then BSP government in UP for the event. The apex court in its interim order on October 21, 2011, had directed the Jaypee Group to deposit 25 per cent of sale proceeds from tickets in a separate account which would not be operated without its permission. India's first Formula 1 event was held in Greater Noida on October 30, 2011.
(with PTI inputs)