The Government of India has ordered that J&K will have its own Goods and Services Tax Act -2017 while Ladakh would be covered by the law governing imposition of goods and services tax in union territories.
According to the order, J&K’s Goods and Services Tax Act -2017 will be applicable to the Union Territory of Jammu &Kashmir while Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act (UTGST) will apply to the Union Territory of Ladakh.
J&K GST, also known as SGST Act, was passed by the J&K legislature in 2017 when PDP-BJP was ruling the State.
The law was enacted after the state government gave concurrence for extension of constitutional amendment 101 to pave way for GST implementation in Jammu and Kashmir. The constitutional amendment was extended to the state through a presidential order issued by then President Pranab Mukherjee.
In its order, the MHA has said that Jammu and Kashmir would be covered by its own SGST law because it is Union Territory with legislature. “The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, being a Union Territory with a legislature shall have its own Goods and Services Act, 2017 whereas the Union Territory of Ladakh without a legislature shall be governed by the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act- 2017,” reads the order. (KNS)