The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down as unconstitutional the requirement of 25 years of practice for chartered accountants to be appointed as Accountant Members in the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT).

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai and Justices Vinod Chandran and Prasanna B Varale held,

"If this is allowed, then members shall be eligible to be appointed at 60. Thus, we hold that such a requirement of 25 years is unconstitutional. While enacting the law, Union shall also take into consideration that requirement of 25 years for CA to be appointed as technical member is held to be unconstitutional."

The judgment was passed in interlocutory applications filed by the Madras Bar Association and Institute of Chartered Accountants.

This is a developing story.