Urgently call GST Council meeting, Amit Mitra writes to Sitharaman

Nov 16, 2022

Synopsis
The GST Council, chaired by Sitharaman and her counterparts from all states, last met on June 28-29 in Chandigarh. Thereafter, the meeting was slated to take place in August at Madurai, but it did not happen.

Former West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Wednesday exhorted Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to 'urgently' convene a meeting of the GST Council, which has not met since June. Mitra, who is currently Principal chief advisor to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a letter to Sitharaman, said that as per the Rules of Conduct, the GST Council has to meet every quarter in a fiscal year.

The GST Council, chaired by Sitharaman and her counterparts from all states, last met on June 28-29 in Chandigarh.

Thereafter, the meeting was slated to take place in August at Madurai, but it did not happen.

"...in utter violation of this solemn provision, you have not called a single meeting of the Council over the last four-and-a-half months. Not even an intimation of any exigency was communicated to the Minister of State, Finance, of West Bengal or any other member of the GST Council," Mitra wrote in the letter.

He also said that the two Group of Ministers (GoMs) on GST rate rationalisation and GST on casinos, online gaming and horse racing have not been able to submit their report. The GoM on rate rationalisation had in June submitted only an interim report.

"I humble urge you to call a meeting of the GST Council urgently. May I also urge you to bring finality, through consensus, on the serious matters pending with 2 GoMs for over a year," Mitra said.

He said not following the rules of conduct is a case of "severe undermining of the only Federalist institution where Ministers of all states and Union Territories come together, under your Chairpersonship".

[The Economic Times]