Document Type : Article

Author

Assistant Prof. in Law, The Institute For Management And Planning Studies (IMPS), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

As a result of the principle of legality of taxation, statute law is the main basis in the relationship between the taxpayer and the government. Therefore, the interpretive approach to statutory laws on taxation has considerable effects on the legal position of taxpayers as well as the rights and obligations of both  the taxpayer and the government. Some interpretive approaches, such as literal interpretation, result in the formation of principles like restrictive interpretation and interpretation in favor of taxpayer and enable taxpayers to manage their legal position so as to avoid tax obligations. But legal loopholes resulting from the literal interpretation of tax statutes might lead to the liberal interpretation of these statutes. It might also give more interpretation authority to judges on the basis of economic goals of the statute, the purpose of the statute and the intention of legislature in order to resolve the textual ambiguity in a statute. This article attempts to analyze and explain the particular elements and factors of tax statute interpretation on the basis of scholarly opinions, comparative law studies and judgments of judicial and tax authorities.

Keywords

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