GST most complicated law: Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 22

Over 1,100 amendments in the GST have changed its entire character. Now the GST is exact opposite of its original declared objective of “Good and Simple Tax”.

The Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) urged the government to simplify and rationalise the GST, saying that it would expand the tax base, thereby increasing its revenue. Its office-bearers stated that even after almost four years of the introduction of the GST its portal continues to face many challenges. The rules have been amended, but the portal fails to update on time with the said amendments.

Piara Lal Seth, president of the PPBM, rued, “No National Appellate Tribunal has been constituted so far. States have been given an open hand to interpret the law in their own way to distort the basic principles of “One Nation-One Tax”. Similarly, no the Central Advance Governing Authority has been constituted. GST officials want to get the tax done through e-system, but a large number of traders in the country are yet to adopt computerisation in their existing business, they never thought about it and any one about equipping the traders with computers.

Seth said complicated GST was in contrary to the basic concept of ‘Ease of Doing Business’, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added that recently the Supreme Court also expressed doubt over the working style of the GST Council.

Sameer Jain, general secretary of the PPBM, said the GST officers had been given arbitrary power to cancel the GST registration of any trader in which no notice would be given to the traders and no opportunity of being heard. This is totally against the natural principle of justice. Arbitrary and unbridled powers will definitely lead to corruption, he feared.

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