The Kerala high court on Monday asked the GST Council to inform why petrol and diesel were not brought under the ambit of Goods and Services Tax (GST).
A division bench comprising chief justice S Manikumar and justice Shaji P Chaly sought the GST Council’s views after considering a petition filed by Kerala Pradesh Gandhi Darshanvedhi.
The council has been asked to respond within ten days. Petitioner’s counsel Arun Varghese submitted during the hearing that petrol and diesel are priced differently across the states due to varying rates of taxes being levied by state governments.
This goes against the goal of a harmonized national market as envisaged under the Constitution, the counsel argued. The counsel also brought to the court’s notice the plight of the common man in having to pay higher fares on public transport due to frequent increases in fuel prices.
The rise in fuel prices will also lead to an increase in prices of essential commodities, thereby leading to a higher cost of living, the counsel said. In the petition, it is contended that the unprecedented increase in fuel prices is causing immense hardship to the public and their right to life under Article 21 is violated.
