NAA nudges GST officers to collect evidence against suppliers not cutting prices of COVID essentials
In an office memorandum, the National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) said the suppliers are required to commensurately reduce the prices of each of the supplies of goods and services made by them so that the benefit of reduction in tax rates and or of input tax credits is passed on to the consumers.
"Request you to take all possible steps envisaged under the GST laws to ensure that the legislative intent of Section 171 of the CGST Act is complied with," the NAA said in the office memorandum.
Through the memorandum, the officers have also been asked to take action as mandated under Section 171 of the CGST Act and wherever required, to utilise the powers conferred vide provisions of Section 67(12) of the CGST Act for collection of evidence, which may be required to take action against errant suppliers of various goods and services.
"National anti-profiteering authority in charge of the anti-profiteering provisions has requested tax officers to take stern action against delinquent manufacturers and traders in the pharma sector," Mohan added.
Jurisdictional tax officers are under a national duty to penalize errant taxpayers, ensuring that benefit of this rate reduction can reach at the grass-root level, Mohan added.
