Finance Minister launches Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman launched the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) yesterday. Union Finance Minister called the launch of Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) not just an institutional milestone and stated that it is a symbol of how far GST has come in the last eight years, and it is also a powerful reminder of our determination to continue improving, reforming, and adapting it for the future. Sitharaman stated that GSTAT is a natural extension of the reform arc — an important advance for ease of doing business and a vital forum for justice; and in simple terms: when a taxpayer has a dispute, the first appeal lies within the tax administration. At the second level, whether the original order is from the Centre or a State, the appeal will now converge at a single, independent forum - the GSTAT. Marking the operationalisation of GSTAT is an important milestone, the Union Finance Minister said that what began in 2017 as 'One Nation, One Tax, One Market' now evolves into 'One Nation, One Forum for Fairness and Certainty'.