Fear these might be used to harass honest taxpayers Ahead of the general antiavoidance rules ( GAAR) on tax kicking in from the next financial year, many feel the government should remove the retrospective provisions in the rules. A proposed panel of officials that would be set up to decide applicability of GAAR might be used to harass honest taxpayers, said experts. Although GAAR would be applicable prospectively from April 1, 2017, continued benefits arising out of transactions entered into prior to that would be denied the benefits, they said. GAAR is a set of rules designed to give Indian authorities the right to scrutinise and tax transactions they find are structured solely to avoid taxes. It also gives the tax department the power to override tax treaties. “ As GAAR stands, continued benefits such as those of depreciation, interest claims arising out of transactions such as securitisation or sale/ sale back, lease in/ lease out entered into prior to the R