Two supermarkets fined for charging GST on sanitary napkins
KOCHI: Following the report by The New Indian Express, the Legal Metrology Department (LMD) conducted a token drive on Wednesday and fined two supermarkets in the city for not reducing the price of sanitary napkins after it was recently exempted from GST.
Supermarkets in Ernakulam and Kakkanad faced the heat for the lapse. They were fined `5,000 each. The action was taken under Section 18 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodity) Rule.
R Ram Mohan, LMD deputy controller, said the GST council had exempted sanitary napkins from the tax. However, several shops continued to sell sanitary napkins without slashing GST.
Express had reported this on August 6 ('Nailing GST Violators') detailing how consumers were denied benefits of reduced GST on the exempted products.Mohan said, “It was a token drive to check whether traders were still charging the same MRP on products exempted from GST. We found they had not reduced the price of sanitary napkins despite the exemption. Consumers are bound to get the benefits of the exemption,” he said.If the traders continue to violate the norms, LMD will initiate legal action against them, he said.
More inspections ahead
LMD will conduct more drives to check the prices of goods which were exempted from GST or on which tax was reduced, such as electronic goods. Considering the demand of electronic items during Onam, the checking will be intensified, Mohan said.
Onam-Bakrid drive
LMD will conduct Onam-Bakrid drives from August 14 to 21. Two special squads have been formed to inspect shops for ensuring adherence to rules. A control room will be opened where public can lodge complaints in case traders overcharge or sell products which lack MRP or a description. A mobile roaming desk will be set up on the days. It will move around and monitor the sales taking place at markets and trade fairs. The public can lodge their complaints with LMD by calling 0484-2423180; 0484-24528772.