Himachal Assembly clears 2nd Amendment to GST Act for uniform taxation
Shimla, Aug 29,
The Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly on Thursday gave its nod to the second amendment of the Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, 2017, paving the way for greater alignment with the Central GST framework. The bill was cleared by voice vote during the ongoing Monsoon session.
In the absence of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri presented the government’s stance, noting that the changes were introduced in accordance with directions from the Union Government and recommendations of the GST Council. “This move strengthens the concept of ‘one nation, one tax,’ which seeks to merge multiple indirect levies into a unified structure,” he remarked while addressing the House.
The amendment makes modifications to nine sections of the existing Act and incorporates six fresh provisions. Among the significant changes are the introduction of digital compliance mechanisms, standardization of tax thresholds across states, and clearer definitions for taxpayers. Another important clause specifies restrictions on issuing refunds from certain designated funds.
Agnihotri stressed that harmonizing the state law with the national framework will reduce confusion for businesses and taxpayers alike, besides ensuring smooth revenue collection. “Uniformity across states is critical to achieving consistency and transparency in taxation,” he added.
The bill was adopted unanimously, with members across party lines extending support. With this step, Himachal Pradesh has further streamlined its GST regime to be in sync with central guidelines, a move expected to ease interstate trade and compliance processes.
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