NEW DELHI: The government is all set to expedite the process of setting up of GST Appellate Tribunals or GSTAT in view of increasing dispute cases, a senior official said, adding that the next GST Council will take up this issue.
The Council meet was earlier scheduled for February 18, but now, as per reports, has been postponed due to the ongoing parliamentary session and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s other commitments. Meanwhile, taxation for tobacco and gutkha businesses and the tax treatment of online gaming, horse racing and casinos will also be on the Council’s agenda list. In the previous meeting, Group of Minister’s reports on these issues were put on hold until the next Council meeting.
“Several cases are stuck in high courts in the absence of GSTATs. Finance ministry has been pushing for the faster decision on GSTATs formation in the GST Council’s next meeting. We want appellate tribunals in all the states for faster resolution of GST disputes,” the official cited above said.
Another official too echoed the same and said there is a lot of internal pressure to set up the tribunals as it’s been over five years since the GST law has been implemented and many cases are pending in the litigation. Sitharaman in a recent event said the issue of higher rate of GST on cement will be referred to the fitment committee and then depending on their recommendation would be taken up in the GST Council meet.
Currently, 28% GST is levied on cement, which as per experts, is a bit on the higher side as there are many non-bulk individual buyers who are unable to take input tax credit on that. “I will have the fitment committee look into it and then, if necessary, take it to the GST Council,” Sitharaman said while responding to the suggestion made by an industry veteran during an event organised by the confederation of Indian industries (CII).