New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The finance ministry is planningto simplify the form which consumers are required to fill tosubmit their complaints against businesses that are indulgingin profiteering post GST rollout.
The ministry wants to make the form more consumer-friendly and simpler.
As many as 170 complaints have been filed before thestanding committee and screening committee by consumersagainst businesses for not passing on benefits of tax ratereduction since the implementation of the Goods and ServicesTax (GST) from July 1.
The profiteering complaint form, though a single pagedocument, has about 44 columns seeking a number of details andhalf of these fields are mandatory.
The move to simplify the form comes after the standingcommittee received numerous representations red flagging thecomplicated nature of the form, an official said.
"A simplified form is on the anvil so that even a commonman can apply without the help of an accountant. No complexdetails would be sought," the official told PTI.
In the existing form, the consumer has to specify theactual price or value charged per unit pre-GST and the samepost GST. Also, the total tax per unit and the reduction intax amount post GST has to be filled up by the complainant.
Details of pre-GST rates of excise duty, VAT, servicetax, luxury tax charged by the businesses against whom theprofiteering complaint is being lodged too have to be filledup.
Self-attested copies of all documentary evidences likeproof of identity, invoice, price list and detailed workingsheet have to be submitted along with the form.
As per the structure of the anti-profiteering mechanismin the GST regime, complaints of local nature will be firstsent to the state-level screening committee while those ofnational level will be marked for the Standing Committee.
If the complaints have merit, the respective committeeswould refer the cases for further investigation to theDirectorate General of Safeguards (DGS).
Once DGS submits its report, it would be scrutinised bythe Anti-Profiteering Authority for further action, which mayinclude fine and extreme penalty like cancellation ofregistration. PTI JDABM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.