State Taxes Dept. Holds GST Compliance Meet with Kashmir Traders, Vows Fair Redressal

A focused GST compliance and grievance redressal meeting was held today under the chairmanship of Mr. P.K. Bhat (JKAS), Commissioner State Taxes, accompanied by Mr. Parveez Ahmad Raina (JKAS), Additional Commissioner, State Taxes (Administration & Enforcement), Kashmir. The session included active participation from the Kashmir business fraternity and GST professionals.

Discussions covered key compliance challenges, with stakeholders raising concerns about filing issues, technical glitches, and procedural complexities. Special attention was given to long-standing grievances stemming from the post-Article 370 transition and COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly disrupted business operations and return filing.

Dealers also presented compliance reports and requested leniency in cases where delays were due to uncontrollable circumstances. Department officials responded with detailed guidance and assured a pragmatic and compassionate review of such cases within the legal framework.

A major concern raised was the pending establishment of the GST Appellate Tribunal in Jammu & Kashmir, which has delayed dispute resolution. The Commissioner assured that the matter is under active consideration with higher authorities.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. P.K. Bhat (JKAS) appreciated the resilience and cooperation of the business community and emphasized the department’s focus on building a transparent, accountable, and facilitative tax environment. He reaffirmed that “constructive dialogue and proactive engagement will continue to be the foundation of our approach.”
Mr. Parveez Ahmad Raina (JKAS), Additional Commissioner, also extended his gratitude to the participants and highlighted the department’s ongoing efforts to address enforcement issues with fairness, particularly those rooted in extraordinary disruptions like COVID-19 and the post-reorganization period. He emphasized that compliance monitoring will go hand-in-hand with redressal and reform.

The meeting concluded with mutual appreciation, a strong commitment to continued dialogue, and a shared goal of strengthening the GST framework across Jammu & Kashmir.