The next meeting of the Goods and Services Tax Council has been deferred on a likely delay in submission of the group of ministers' final report on casinos, horse racing and online gaming, according to an official aware of the matter.
The council is now expected to meet later in September against last week of August as scheduled earlier, the official told BQ Prime on the condition of anonymity as the details are not public yet.
After the last council meeting in June, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had indicated that the 48th GST Council meeting is expected to have two agendas—imposing a uniform 28% tax on casinos, horse racing and online gaming and establishment of a GST appellate tribunal for faster grievance redressal.
The group of ministers for casinos, horse racing and online gaming was earlier expected to submit its final report by July 15, but was granted an extension till Aug. 10, BQ Prime had reported.
The report submission, however, is likely to be extended beyond Aug. 10, the person quoted above said. That would push the next GST council meeting to September.
The members of the GST Council need to be informed of a meeting two weeks in advance going by the procedure. So far, no notice has been issued to states.
BQ Prime's emailed queries to GST secretariat on the postponement of the council meeting remained unanswered.
Met with Hon'ble Union Finance Minister, Smti. @nsitharaman Ji to apprise her about the recent meetings of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on casinos, race courses & online gaming with the concerned stakeholders in Bengaluru and Goa. pic.twitter.com/noCayP6NgL
While a uniform tax rate of 28% has been approved for casinos, horse racing and online gaming, the mechanism of levy has been a subject of deliberation.
On Saturday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met the Union finance minister and apprised her of the GoM meetings with the gaming and casino industry in Bengaluru and Goa.
The GoM last met on July 23 and 24 in Bengaluru and Goa to hear representations from the gaming industry, turf authorities of India and representatives of the casino industry.
But only three GoM members—Suresh Khanna, Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister; Mauvin Godinho, Goa's minister for transport, industries, panchayati raj; and convener Sangma—attended the meeting, according to the Meghalaya CM's posts on Twitter. The GoM members from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Gujarat, Telangana and Maharashtra didn't attend.
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