Election Commissioner's wife under I-T dept scanner

Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa's wife Novel Singhal Lavasa has come under the scanner of the Income Tax Department on charges of alleged tax evasion, official sources said on Monday.

Lavasa's wife has been issued a notice by the department to explain certain details in her IT Returns with regard to holding directorship in about 10 companies, they said.

The officials said after preliminary investigation, the tax department has asked her to provide more documents related to her personal finances.

The department is looking at the ITRs of Novel Singhal Lavasa to ascertain if her income has escaped assessment in the past or something has been concealed from tax authorities, they said.

The probe into alleged tax evasion and holding of directorship in multiple firms against the former banker pertains to a time period between 2015-17, they said.

No comments were available from either the election commissioner or his wife.

Ashok Lavasa was appointed election commissioner on January 23, 2018, after he retired as the Union Finance Secretary in the previous year.

His difference of opinion, with regard to the implementation of the model code of conduct, with Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra was reported during the recently-concluded general elections.