Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking deferment of the Goods and Services Act (GST), saying it is not inclined to entertain it.
A Division Bench of Justice V.K. Tahilramani and Justice S.S. Shinde was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by retired professor Kanagasabapathy Sundaram Pillai.
Dr. Pillai was with KEM Hospital in Parel, and runs ‘My integrating Society India Net’, an NGO.
Next financial year
The PIL sought to defer the implementation of the GST Act till the next financial year.
Additional solicitor general Anil Singh said over 6.5 million taxpayers have already migrated to the GST network. He also said that 30 States have passed the Act and necessary rules have been framed, and that the Centre has trained 60, 000 officers across States in this regard.
The court said, “The petitioner can not urge and/or seek directions to the respondents to postpone the decision to implement the GST with effect from July 1, 2017, for the simple reason that levy and collection of taxes on goods and services has the sanction of law. It is evident that all necessary steps are taken to ensure implementation of the GST, as it appears (i) over 65 lakh of tax payers have already migrated to the GST network and obtained registrations; (ii) the rates and taxes have been notified; (iii) rules have been framed and notified; (iv) wide publicity is given in public domain; (v) entire machinery has geared up not only to accept the new challenge but also to ensure the GST is implemented efficiently. Hence, we are not inclined to entertain the PIL and the same is dismissed.”