Tax Systems Reforms
An initiative to study and recommend improvements in India’s direct tax ecosystem, bringing certainty, timeliness, and minimising litigation.
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ABOUT THE INITIATIVE
Why This Matters
Direct Taxes constitute a desirable and equitable way of generating revenue for the State. In India, the Direct Taxes component has risen to constitute almost half of the revenues of the Central Government. However, there has been an increase in stress in the form of uncertainty, agonisingly long timelines, and frustrating litigation.
Tax Arrears Crisis
Direct tax arrears exceed double the annual tax collections, creating a significant fiscal challenge.
Litigation Burden
Mounting litigation strains both taxpayers and the judicial system.
Business Impact
Reduced ease of doing business, distorted business decisions, and discouraged investment & entrepreneurship.
Systemic Imbalances
Complex laws, inconsistent enforcement, administrative limitations, and lack of early resolution mechanisms.
Our Mission
Reform of the direct tax ecosystem is essential to ensure a fair, predictable, and user-friendly tax environment. This initiative aims to create actionable pathways for reform to strengthen public institutions while making them sensitive to the needs of businesses and citizens.
PODCAST
This podcast brings you a unique and insightful conversation that explores two sides of India’s tax system. Joining us are two distinguished voices from across the tax table:
- Mr. P V Srinivasan, with decades of experience navigating India’s tax landscape, from his time at the Wipro Group to his work today as an independent practitioner, sharing the taxpayer’s perspective.
Mr. Pavan Kumar, a retired senior IRS officer, and currently a practicing advocate, offering deep insights from within the tax administration.
At the heart of this conversation are two fundamental promises every tax system must deliver – certainty and timeliness.
When these promises fall short, the impact goes far beyond individual taxpayers, affecting trust, efficiency, and the broader economy. Drawing from DAKSH’s work on institutional reform, this episode examines whether India’s tax system meets these expectations and what can be done to strengthen it. Tune in for a thoughtful discussion!
EVENTS
Chennai Roundtable
March 10, 2026
Chennai
Watch the session on YouTube
Roundtable discussion on “Certainty and Timeliness in Direct Tax Matters“, organised by DAKSH and Esperti Fiscalli at Chennai.
“This is not a conversation about the latest judgment or law change in tax matters. This is about stepping back and taking a moment to look at the functioning of the system as a whole and what it means to citizens and businesses”
At DAKSH’s Chennai roundtable on direct tax reform, that framing set the tone for a deeply reflective discussion on the functioning of India’s tax ecosystem.
With a keynote by Justice Anita Sumanth, the conversation moved beyond surface-level issues to ask harder questions:
- Why does litigation persist despite fewer scrutiny cases?
- Where exactly does the pipeline get clogged and why?
- Are we prioritising certainty and timelines for taxpayers?
The participants shared their experiences, highlighting how delays and complexity impact both businesses and trust in the system. The discussion focused on practical, solution-oriented reforms.
Bangalore Roundtable
November 13, 2025
Bengaluru
Watch the session on YouTube
“Certainty and Timeliness in Direct Tax Matters“ – A landmark gathering of eminent jurists, practising professionals, veteran IRS officers and researchers.
Our Chief Guest, Hon’ble Justice K V Aravind, Judge of the Karnataka High Court, emphasised:
- The critical need for a collaborative approach and dialogue mechanism between all stakeholders and importance of continuous capacity building for departmental officers; and
- Strategic focus on selecting the best cases for judicial interpretation to minimise disputes and enable early resolution, as well as innovative case management practices
Rich multi-stakeholder dialogue, participants engaged in constructive discussions exploring: Root causes, Systemic challenges, Dispute resolution, and Priority interventions.
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
DAKSH X Esperti Fiscali
DAKSH, India’s leading think tank focused on law and justice system reforms, has partnered with Esperti Fiscali, an advisory platform set up by IRS veterans, to launch this comprehensive study.
This initiative extends DAKSH’s commitment to critical stakeholder groups and aims to reform specialised dispute resolution mechanisms in areas like tax, essential to reducing the burden on India’s broader judicial system.
MEMBERS
Surya Prakash BS
Pragramme Director, DAKSH
Sanjai Kumar Verma
Ex-IRS Officer and
Founder, Esperti Fiscalli
Dr Zakir Thomas
Ex-IRS Officer and
Founder, Esperti Fiscalli
RSVS Pavan Kumar
Ex-IRS Officer and
Founder, Esperti Fiscalli
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