A Seminar on Clause by Clause Discussions on Finance Bill, 2008 on March 8. At the outset, CA. Sudhir K. Agarwal, Chairman, NIRC of the

ICAI, welcomed the guest speakers and participant at the seminar. The Seminar was inaugurated by CA. N K Poddar, Past Central Council Member, ICAI. The Chairman, in his welcome address, expressed his sincere thanks to the guest speakers for accepting the invitations of the NIRC to be present at the seminar. He also requested the members to forward the information on which topics they required the regional council to organize seminars/ workshops. He also conveyed his message through the Vision Statement, 2008-2009.

Thereafter, CA. N K Poddar, Past Central Council Member, ICAI and Dr. Rakesh Gupta, Past Member, ITAT, Guest Speakers, took up the deliberations of the Seminar and spoke on Clause by Clause Discussions on Finance Bill, 2008 on Direct Taxes. He threw light on the possible rationale behind such provisions and the likely outcome. The proceedings of the seminar in the pre-lunch session were conducted by CA. Sukhen Pal Babuta, Secretary, NIRC of the ICAI and vote of thanks was presented by CA. Durga Das Agrawal, Vice- Chairman, NIRC of the ICAI.

Shri Gautam Bhattacharya, Commissioner of Service Tax was the Guest of Honour and Shri K. Vaitheeswaran, Advocate and the guest speaker, flew from Chennai, took the deliberations in the post lunch session and spoke on Clause by Clause Discussions on Finance Bill, 2008 ? on Service Tax. Shri Gautam Bhattacharya briefly touched upon the provisions relating to indirect taxes introduced in the Finance Bill, 2008 took the participants through their background as also how the initiatives taken by the Finance Minister in the past. The speakers replied the queries of the members. The Seminar was largely attended.

The proceedings of the seminar were conducted by CA Mohan Mittal, Executive Member, NIRC of the ICAI and CA. Atul Kumar Gupta, Treasurer, NIRC of the ICAI presented vote of thanks.