GORAKHPUR Around a dozen teams of tax officials conducted inspections at several marketplaces across the seven districts of Gorakhpur and Basti divisions on Saturday. During the drive, several traders were found running their commercial establishments without a Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration.
Additional commissioner of commercial tax, Dev Mani Sharma, confirmed that many medical, hardware, footwear, and electric supply shops had no GST registration and were involved in tax evasion. He further said that the ongoing inspections come after a direction from the government. A database of these raids will be prepared, the official added.
Meanwhile, traders accused tax officials of harassing them in the name of GST and treating them like thieves. At several marketplaces, traders even kept their shops shut to protest the drive on Saturday. Reacting to this, tax officials said that the traders, who pay their taxes timely, have nothing to fear.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader and former zila panchayat member Sunil Kumar Gupta condemned the drive. In a bid to gather support from the business community, the party has reached out to 26 traders’ associations. Gupta added that the ongoing GST survey will become a crucial issue in the upcoming municipal elections.