New Delhi: A bill to align provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act with the Tribunal Reforms Act to initiate the administrative process for operationalisation of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals was introduced in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 was introduced in Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The Bill seeks to amend the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017.

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill, Section 109 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017) provides for Constitution of Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal, which is the second appellate authority within the Goods and Services Tax framework for hearing appeals against the orders passed by the Appellate Authority under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and the State Goods and Services Tax Acts.

It said that non-constitution of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals is denying the taxpayers of second appellate remedy and consequently the taxpayers are seeking relief directly from the High Court, thereby burdening the High Courts.

The amendments to sections 109 and 110 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 for enabling the creation of the Central Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals were notified in July this year.

"During the process of operationalisation of said Tribunal, it was observed that certain provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 need to be aligned with the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 (33 of 2021). The provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 are being aligned with the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021, to initiate the administrative process for operationalisation of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunals at the earliest," it said.