Indians were already concerned that the prime minister would unleash “tax terror,” using tax raids and claims against political opponents. This after finance minister Arun Jaitley has insisted several times that he doesn’t believe in retrospective tax law. Because the annual finance bill is what is called a “money bill”—unlike regular legislation, it doesn’t need the approval of the upper house of India’s Parliament. By tacking these changes onto a money bill, the government has ensured that they’ve been signed into law by Modi’s partymen in just one house. But the courts, the tribunals and the upper house of Parliament have all acted as constraints on the executive.

Source: Mint March 28, 2017 02:37 UTC