State tax officers demand fair share in GST; to work on holiday

New Delhi: In a unique way of protest, about 2.36 lakh officers and employees working with commercial and sales tax departments of various states will work on Sunday to press for their demand of having a fair share in the administration of taxes under the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST).

The All India Confederation of Commercial Taxes Association (AICCTA) said its members will also go on day-long pen down strike on November 23 if their demands are not accepted by the government.

The confederation has decided that all its members will work on November 20, which is Sunday, to protest the way the administration of GST has been planned by the Centre.

"It is a positive form of protest by working on a general holiday," the employees' body said.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has called an informal meeting of state finance ministers to discuss the matters of dual control and cross empowerment on Sunday.

Earlier this week, different delegations of the confederation met finance ministers of various states to seek their support.

The confederation claims to represent over 36,000 Gazetted officers and about two lakh employees of Class-III and -IV categories.

The confederation has sought complete authority relating to monitoring, audit, assessment and enforcement activities provided either under the GST Act or under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax -- to be levied on all inter-state supplies of goods and services.

"It is also demanded that the state authorities should also be empowered under IGST Act to administer matters relating to interstate transactions," as per a memorandum submitted to the Finance Ministry.

The officers' body has sought representation of officers from the states in GST council secretariat.

"It is demanded that the GST council provide sufficient funds to the states to establish a uniform infrastructural and networking system," it said.

The confederation has said that they would not work on November 23 to protest against non-implementation of its demands and for a just and fair tax administration under the GST regime.

The proposed GST is a single tax on supply of goods and services, right from the manufacturer to the consumer.