In Bangalore alone, around 50 lakh people now live in apartments, with nearly 90 lakh apartment dwellers across Karnataka. However, recent changes in GST regulations have caused panic in apartment associations, as societies that collect over ₹20 lakh annually or charge more than ₹7,500 in monthly maintenance are now subject to GST. This includes occasional expenses, like building painting or lift replacements, that push the total collections over ₹20 lakh. Once registered, societies must file two monthly returns and an annual return, with an 18% GST rate, not the commonly assumed 5%. In this interview, Chartered accountant Sanjay Dhariwal explains new GST rules for Apartment Associations.