Govt weighs one-time offer to settle GST offences. All you need to know

If you are a business owner whose enterprise pays the Goods and Services Tax (GST) there may be some good news for you. 

According to news reports, the government is considering a Goods and Services Tax (GST) dispute settlement scheme offering a one-time opportunity for businesses to settle tax cases and avoid litigation. 

Citing unnamed government officials, the report said that it will be a time-bound scheme covering only minor GST offences while offering a one-time opportunity to settle past disputes under excise duty, service tax and customs duty. 

Will the scheme need any political approvals?

Yes. The scheme will need to be approved by the GST Council, the apex decision-making body for the indirect tax.

Will there be any major types of cases the new scheme will not cover?

The scheme will not cover willful tax evasion, according to the report. 

Repeat offenders and offenders against whom enforcement agencies have initiated will also not be eligible.

What is the government’s intent and rationale behind the scheme?

The report said the idea is to de-clutter courts and dispose of cases arising because of differences in the interpretation of GST provisions. 

The proposed scheme is likely to be on the lines of the Centre's 'Sabka Vishwas Scheme' of 2019, which sought to resolve all legacy disputes relating to erstwhile service tax and central excise.

What else is being done for dispute resolution?

Apart from this scheme, the GST Council is already working on dedicated tribunals for dispute resolution.