The Excise Department has already commenced taking legal actions against individuals and companies who have failed to pay the relevant taxes on time, The Daily Morning learnt.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (26), Additional Commissioner of Excise (Revenue and Law Enforcement) and Media Spokesperson Kapila Kumarasinghe said that the department is taking initial steps against individuals and companies who are yet to be prosecuted on this matter.

It was revealed at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Economic and Physical Plans last week that although the department was expected to earn excise revenue of Rs. 217 billion this year (2023), the department has only been able to collect a sum of Rs. 73 billion as of June.

Kumarasinghe also said that the department has filed cases against those who have not paid the relevant taxes and that some of them had agreed to repay the dues according to the payment plans provided by the courts. He said that other parties too have been given payment plans by the department and that legal actions will be taken if they are unable to meet the deadlines. Kumarasinghe further noted that the department had informed the others about the prior steps which are being taken against the recent cases. He further said that most cases are not recently reported cases but rather cases which have been on the list for some time. He further added that the department had enforced the closure of certain companies that were included in the list due to the nonpayment of dues. According to Kumarasinghe, these actions could take some time as numerous individuals and companies have taken legal action against the department.