Should NAA be revived under GST 2.0?

AS India prepares for a major GST 2.0 overhaul, several opposition states have demanded introduction of anti-profiteering mechanisms amid concerns that companies may pocket tax benefits instead of passing them on to consumers.

- PUSHITA DEY @New Delhi

At a recent GST meeting, states such as Kerala, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu sought a stronger deterrent framework. "There have been instances in the past where the benefits of rate cuts haven't been passed on to the consumers," said K N Balagopal, Kerala's finance minister. The debate has revived discussions around now-defunct National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA), which was introduced in 2017 under Section 171 of the CGST Act. Its mandate was to ensure that businesses reflected GST rate cuts and input tax credit (ITC) benefits in retail prices. However, the NAA was discontinued due to criticism for delayed probe and unclear methodology for quantifying profiteering.