City
Epaper

Kerala: Trade Unions protest uniform GST rate of 28% on lotteries

By ANI | Published: December 23, 2019 4:58 PM

Trade unions including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) took out a protest march in Thiruvananthapuram in front of the Accountant General's office here on Monday against the decision of the GST council to fix a uniform tax on lotteries at 28 per cent.

Open in App

Trade unions including Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) took out a protest march in Thiruvananthapuram in front of the Accountant General's office here on Monday against the decision of the GST council to fix a uniform tax on lotteries at 28 per cent.

PR Jayaprakash, chairman, Kerala Lottery Agents and Sellers Welfare Fund Board who inaugurated the protest march said that they are planning to start a campaign to prevent the selling of lottery run by other states in Kerala.

"The Kerala lottery sector is going through a severe crisis with the centre setting the uniform GST at 28 per cent. All trade associations and the Kerala government had opposed the move when it first came up as a suggestion in January," he said.

"In three GST council meetings, it was opposed by Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and also by finance ministers of other states. But in the last GST council meeting, it was decided to increase the existing tax of state lotteries from 12 per cent to 28 per cent. This move will put the whole lottery agents' livelihood in crisis. We cannot pass the additional burden to the customers nor can we reduce the prize money," he added.

Kerala had vehemently opposed the implementation of uniform GST for lotteries in the GST council meeting, pointing out the move will help the middlemen in the lottery business.

Earlier, the GST Act had prescribed two rates, 12%, for the lotteries sold within the same state, and 28%, if a state sells its lottery in other states.

It is noteworthy that Kerala does not sell lottery in other states.

( With inputs from ANI )

Tags: GSTkeralaThomas Isaac
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalKerala: Man Hurls Bomb at BJP Worker's House in New Mahe, Accused Arrested; Incident Caught on CCTV

NationalKuwait Fire: Special Flight With Mortal Remains Of 31 Victims Arrive at Kochi Airport In Kerala (Watch Video)

MumbaiMumbai: Colaba Contractor Defrauded of ₹1.3 Crore in GST Scam, Case Registered

NationalStones Thrown At Vande Bharat Train In Kerala, Window Broken

Social ViralVIDEO: Alert Conductor Saves Life of Passenger From Falling Out of High Speed Bus in Kerala

National Realted Stories

NationalBJP to review its Lok Sabha performance in Bengal at grassroots level

NationalMP CM Mohan Yadav inaugurates new cricket stadium in Gwalior, launches MPPL

NationalBengal bypolls: Congress to contest Raiganj and Bagda; back CPI-M in other 2 seats

NationalTribal welfare board scam: K'taka BJP gives call for state-wide protest on June 28

NationalYechury, Karat to attend CPI-M meeting to discuss poll debacle in Kerala