The Supreme Court has upheld a wage board provision that requires newspaper and news agency owners to pay the income taxes of their employees.
The four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Justice Md Adbul Wahhab Miah issued the verdict on Wednesday after hearing an appeal filed by the government against a High Court rule.
The High Court rule in 1997 scrapped the fourth wage board provision over a petition filed by the owners of the Daily Ittefaq, the Sangbad, the Inqilab, the Khobor and the Azadi.
The state filed a leave-to-appeal against the High Court verdict which was granted on February 2, 2003. The state that year filed a regular appeal which was heard on Wednesday.
Deputy Attorney General Rashed Jahangir Shuvra said after the verdict the owners are obligated to pay the income tax of their employees.
The eighth wage board, under which the newspapers and news agencies are now operating, also requires owners to pay the income taxes of their employees, he said.
During the hearing no lawyer on behalf of the petitioners were present at the court.
