Traders seek penalty exemption till March for errors in filing GST returns

Traders cutting across various sectors on Thursday sought that no penalties be imposed on them till March 31 next year for errors in the filing of Goods and Services Tax (GST) returns as they are yet to get accustomed to the new tax regime.

Participating in an interactive session on GST organised by the Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) and the Economic Cell of the BJP, the traders stated that the GST law is new and there were possibilities of mistakes being made during the initial phase of implementation.

Besides, the filing of GST returns should be made easy as the micro, small and medium enterprises sector is not well equipped with Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and qualified manpower.

Tax relaxation sought

FKCCI President K Ravi sought some relaxation, at least for small traders, from filing monthly returns. “The time involved on filing returns on a monthly basis is enormous. There is a drop in business to the tune of 50% to 60% because the trader is not able of concentrate on business,” Ravi said.

B T Manohar, chairman, State Taxes Committee, FKCCI, said that traders and representatives from the industry do not find a place in the GST Council.

“A steering committee comprising the trade and industries along with government officials should be constituted. The panel should meet every two months and address all issues arising at the grassroot while implementing the new tax regime,” he said.

Former FKCCI president S Sampathraman said the GST rules were “draconian” and “unimplementable”. “In the name of preventing tax evasion, honest business persons are suffering,” he felt.

BJP Economic Cell convenor S Vishwanath Bhat admitted there were several glitches in implementation of the GST regime but they are all temporary. “GST will help India in building a robust economy by 2019,” Bhat said.

BJP leader and Bengaluru Central MP P C Mohan said he will place before the GST Council, which is meeting in New Delhi on Friday, the various issues raised by the traders.