Sunil Lohan
Bengaluru:The Karnataka State Commercial Tax Department has delivered a GST shock to small and micro traders in the state, which is highly condemnable.
There are certain exemptions under the GST law for conducting business.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must intervene in this matter and immediately provide relief to small traders,demanded former Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai.
In a post on X,he stated that the State Commercial Tax Department has aggressively targeted small and micro traders,imposing several years of tax dues along with interest and other charges.
This has placed a heavy burden on street-side vendors and pushed them to the brink of shutting down their businesses,which is completely unacceptable,he said.
He urged that representatives of the affected small traders be called for discussions and that they be granted all possible concessions.
Just as assistance is extended to taxpayers under the Karasamadhana Scheme, similar support should be extended to these small traders,he stressed.
Bommai further stated that other states have already taken appropriate measures in this regard,and such measures must be adopted in Karnataka as well, keeping in mind the interests of small traders and consumers.
He noted that due to financial constraints and a shortfall in tax collections during the first quarter of this fiscal year,the state treasury is under pressure.
As a result,the Commercial Tax Department has taken this harsh step in haste,following instructions from the top.
Given this background,he insisted that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah must step in and offer a suitable remedy.
