LS approves setting up of GST Appellate Tribunal

Lok Sabha cleared changes in the Finance Bill to pave the way for setting up an appellate tribunal for the resolution of disputes under GST
LS approves setting up of GST Appellate Tribunal
LS approves setting up of GST Appellate Tribunal

New Delhi: Lok Sabha on Friday cleared changes in the Finance Bill to pave the way for setting up an appellate tribunal for the resolution of disputes under GST. Currently, taxpayers are filing writ petitions before high courts in the absence of the appellate tribunal.

Finance Bill

As per the amendments proposed in the Finance Bill 2023, which was passed by Lok Sabha on Friday, benches of the GST Appellate Tribunal would be set up in every state while there will be a principal bench in Delhi that will hear appeals related to 'place of supply'.

Even after more than five years of implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), the appellate tribunal has not been set up. As a result, unresolved legal matters under GST have accumulated.

Experts' opinions on GST Appellate Tribunal

Nangia Andersen India's Tanushree Roy, Director- Indirect Tax, said that the establishment of the appellate tribunal would result in a lower burden on high courts, Supreme Court and at the same time, would also provide taxpayers the much-needed reprieve. "This is certainly a welcome and a positive move, ending the industry's long wait for the establishment of the GST Appellate Tribunal," Roy said.

EY Tax Partner Saurabh Agarwal said that the amendment made in Section 109 of the CGST Act would help the government in setting up the GST tribunal in a time-bound manner.

It would also enable the principal bench to take certain important decisions such as the distribution of cases amongst the state benches, and referring of cases to other members if there is a difference in views within the same bench or otherwise. These would help in expediting the decision-making process, Agarwal added.

"Further, on the vexed issue with respect to place of supply, the power to hear the appeal should now vest with the principal bench which would likely aid in better decision making," Agarwal said.

Abhishek Jain, Partner, Indirect Tax at KPMG in India, said it will bring to an end the long wait by the industry and help streamline pending litigations.

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