In recent raids done by the Department of Legal Metrology officers, it was found that multiple chains of electronics and electrical appliances showrooms were doing the GST transactions in a wrong way.
Apparently, the showrooms were selling the products and electronic appliances at the older GST rates even when the government had extensively notified the industry to drop down the rates on all the concerned electronic items.
In this regard, the officials issued a total of 62 cases again the shopkeepers and are required to furnish their details and transaction to the department with the penalty if applicable after the hearing.
It is becoming common to see the shopkeepers looting the general public even after the GST rates have been reduced. Many of the retailers take advantages of less awareness regarding the GST rate reduction on several items.
According to the officer in charge, “The Central government reduced GST on some products, but these benefits are nor reaching the consumers. They were several complaints that the traders were selling goods at old prices.”
After which the officers conducted the raids on the said institution and found the discrepancies on a larger scale. There were a total of 18 teams which get to the actual spot and found the issues in transactions.
The controller of Legal Metrology has warned the dealers that the act would be punishable according to the prescribed provisions and applicable penalties. Most of the showrooms were from the reliance digital chain of electronic store.
The national anti-profiteering authority has gone through such cases earlier when they have found many of the concerned dealers have created ineligible wealth by not passing GST rate cut benefits.
National anti-profiteering authority is a surveillance institution set up under the GST to go through all the profiteering issues arising from the implementation of goods and services tax previous year.
The standing committee looks through the matter and has the power to issue notices and collect penalties from the concerned business units. Recently there were a number of businesses who were caught up in the anti-profiteering clause including a Jaipur based Honda dealer and famous FMCG company Hindustan Unilever.
