NEW DELHI: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council at its next meeting, which is expected to take place in December, may decide on taxing online games, decriminalising certain offences, and setting up an appellate tribunal.
The status on the much-awaited full report of the committee tasked with rationalisation of GST rates may also come up for discussion at the 48th Council meeting in Madurai.
In an office memorandum dated October 19, the council said that it has decided that enforcement action against a single offence can be initiated either by state or central tax authorities, a move aimed at preventing issuance of multiple show cause notices (SCNs) to businesses for the same offence.
The Government is mulling offering businesses a one-time opportunity to settle Goods and Services Tax (GST) disputes and avoid litigation. As part of the scheme, only minor GST offences will be covered.
In order to encourage the taxpayers to compound their offences instead of going into litigation, the compounding charges for offences under GST would also be lowered.
Under GST Act, the amount payable for compounding of offences shall be 50 per cent of the tax amount involved subject to a minimum Rs 10,000. Maximum amount for compounding is 150 per cent of the tax or Rs 30,000, whichever is higher. That is being relooked at so that it becomes affordable and compounding becomes the first or a better choice.
