36th GST Council Meeting: News & Updates – Highlights

36th GST council meeting happened via video conference on Saturday (27th July 2019) after a deferment by two days. The meeting was primarily called to decide GST rate cut on electric vehicles that are currently taxed at 12%. The Union Budget 2019 announced direct tax benefits to encourage increased use of the electric vehicles for taxpayers. The previously concluded 35th GST council meeting had referred the matter of GST rate cut to the fitment committee to check its feasibility.

Important Announcement

24th June 2022
The 47th GST Council meeting was held on the 28th and 29th of June 2022 in Chandigarh. Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman chaired this meeting and made recommendations to revise rates for revenue augmentation and correction of inversion while pruning the GST exemption list. Compliance relief was granted to e-commerce suppliers and composition taxpayers.

29th December 2021
The 46th GST Council meeting was held on 31st December 2021 in New Delhi. Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman led meeting has decided to defer the GST rate hike to 12% for textiles.

1st September 2021 
45th GST Council meeting was held on 17th September 2021. Tax concessions on COVID-19 essentials got extended, Matter on GST compensation to states was taken up, correction of inverted tax structure, etc were on the agenda. 

28th May 2021
43rd GST Council meeting took place on 28th May 2021. The Council approved the GST amnesty scheme to be re-introduced, the late fee was rationalised for all taxpayers, especially for small taxpayers and IGST is exempted on import of COVID treating equipment and relief materials up to 31st August 2021.

Highlights of the 36th GST Council meeting

Rate slashes to boost EV sector The GST Council has reduced the GST rate on electric vehicles (EV) from 12% to 5%. Also, the GST rate on chargers or charging stations for electric vehicles is slashed from 18% to 5%. Further, the e-buses (seating capacity exceeds 12 passengers) can now be hired by all the local authorities without charging GST. The changes will come into effect from 1 August 2019.

The annual revenue loss is estimated at Rs 60 crore, which is a relatively low impact. The announcements will give a major boost to the electric vehicles market in India that is still in a budding stage. It will take a sufficient time of more than two years for a decent rise in demand for the vehicles.

However, a smooth collaboration between the manufacturers and the government can aid the growth of this potential environment-friendly product. Meanwhile, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has chalked out plans to set up more than 100 public electric vehicle charging stations at Noida, one of the most air-polluted cities in India.

The reduction in the GST rate will not see an immediate rise in demand. The prices of EVs are currently high when compared to petrol and diesel vehicles. The rate cut may bring down the prices to allow level-playing for the EV manufacturers. Nevertheless, other factors must be taken into consideration one of them being a higher tax rate on raw materials when compared to EV. It leads to Inverted duty structure issue and hence working capital stuck with the government until refunded.

Extension in time limit helps service sector under Composition Scheme The time limit to opt for Composition Scheme in CMP-02 is extended till 30 September 2019. Only the service providers notified under notification No. 2/2019-Central tax (rate) dated 07.03.2019 for a special Composition Scheme can avail the benefit of the extension. The deadline was earlier announced to be till 31 July 2019.

Also, the due date for paying GST in CMP-08 (for the quarter April-June 2019) for all the composition dealers has been further extended to 31 August 2019 from the earlier due date of 31 July 2019. The announcement was a much-needed one as the GSTN is yet to make the CMP-08 facility available for taxpayers on the portal.

• The 36th GST council meeting began at 11 am today.

The latest GST council meeting being the 36th one was postponed. Date to be announced soon.

Expectations from 36th GST Council Meeting

Conclusive call on rate reduction for electric vehicles

Fitment committee will place its report on the feasibility study at the 36th GST council meeting. Currently, the GST rate for electric vehicles is 12%. In addition to this, the GST charged for the hiring of electric vehicles can be brought down from 18% to 5%. The government presently charges a tax rate of 28% on the vehicles that run on petrol and diesel. The use of electric vehicles across India is still at a nascent stage.

Enough incentives for the manufacturers would help boost supply and in turn, the demand for the same. The tax incentives for buying electric vehicles can encourage demand for electric vehicles. However, the prices of electric vehicles are on an average basis higher than the price of vehicles run on petrol. Also, the lack of infrastructure across India to set up enough charging booths or points need to be looked. We can expect the industry to take sufficient time of around three years for acceptance among Indians.

Council may also look at the tax treatment of lotteries

The long-pending issue of the differential tax treatment of lotteries between state-owned and state-authorised lottery players is discussed at 36th GST council meeting. The Council, in its previous meeting, had decided to seek a legal opinion of the Attorney General to determine the tax structure for lotteries. The principle reason for deferring the decision is due to the differential tax treatment within a State. It is in contradiction to Article 304 of the Constitution of India.

The GST rate charged for lottery schemes authorised by State Government is at a higher 28% compared to the ones run by State Government, which is taxed at 12%. Whether the disparity in the tax structure for the same product/commodity be continued or a uniform rate be prescribed for both will be decided at 36th GST Council meeting.   Other decisions on GST rate cuts like solar power projects cannot be completely ruled out. Since it is a short meet, we expect no significant decisions in 36th GST council meeting apart from the ones given above. Read through the decisions taken and those that were deferred through the highlights of last 35th GST council meeting.