D.K. Shivakumar at the GST Council meeting. Credit: @DKShivakumar/X
NEW DELHI: Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has argued that officials should recover GST dues rather than unnecessarily arrest traders, saying the issue was discussed at the GST Council meeting in New Delhi.
Speaking to reporters at Karnataka Bhavan on Thursday after the meeting, Shivakumar said the discussion covered registering criminal cases and making arrests over non-payment of GST. He favoured an approach along the lines of income-tax rules and regulations.
D.K. Shivakumar at the GST Council meeting
Tax recovery should be the focus
“It is not right for officials to unnecessarily arrest traders. Let us collect the amount they are required to pay. Arresting them is not right,” Shivakumar said.
He described the GST Council meeting as having gone “very well” and said Karnataka’s points had been accepted. According to Shivakumar, all States except one agreed with the position discussed on arrests.
Also read: GST Council backs end to arrest powers, ₹5-crore prosecution threshold
Pending dues discussed with Finance Minister
Shivakumar also said he discussed Karnataka’s old pending dues with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and had received “some good news”, but declined to disclose the details.
“I discussed our State’s old pending dues with the Finance Minister. She has given some good news. I will not speak about it now; I will speak later,” he said.
Shivakumar attended the 57th GST Council meeting, chaired by Sitharaman, at Bharat Mandapam. Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda was also present, according to Shivakumar’s X post.
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