Other Exemption (Clarifications) - GST Ready Reckoner - GST

Other Exemption (Clarification) Circular No. 32/06/2018-GST Clarifies that Issues Held that Is GST leviable on the fee/amount charged in the following situations/cases: (1) A customer pays fees while registering complaints to Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission office and its subordinate offices. These fees are credited into State Customer Welfare Fund s bank account. (2) Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission office and its subordinate offices charge penalty in cash when it is required. (3) When a person files an appeal to Consumers Disputes Redressal Commission against order of District Forum, amount equal to 50% of total amount imposed by the District Forum or ₹ 25000/- whichever is less, is required to be paid. Services by any court or Tribunal established under any law for the time being in force is neither a supply of goods nor services. Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions (National/ State/ District) may not be tribunals literally as they may not have been set up directly under Article 323B of the Constitution. However, they are clothed with the characteristics of a tribunal on account of the following: - (1) Statement of objects and reasons as mentioned in the Consumer Protection Bill state that one of its objects is to provide speedy and simple redressal to consumer disputes, for which a quasijudicial machinery is sought to be set up at District, State and Central levels. (2) The President of the District/ State/National Disputes Redressal Commissions is a person who has been or is qualified to be a District Judge, High Court Judge and Supreme Court Judge respectively. (3) These Commissions have been vested with the powers of a civil court under CPC for issuing summons, enforcing attendance of defendants/witnesses, reception of evidence, discovery/production of documents, examination of witnesses, etc. (4) Every proceeding in these Commissions is deemed to be judicial proceedings as per sections 193/228 of IPC. (5) The Commissions have been deemed to be a civil court under CrPC. (6) Appeals against District Commissions lie to State Commission while appeals against the State Commissions lie to the National Commission. Appeals against National Commission lie to the Supreme Court. In view of the aforesaid, it is hereby clarified that fee paid by litigants in the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions are not leviable to GST. Any penalty imposed by or amount paid to these Commissions will also not attract GST.