Assam suspends e-way generation bill amid anti-CAA protests

NEW DELHI: The Assam government has temporarily suspended e-way bill generation for intra-state movement of goods amidst the ongoing protests in the State against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019.

An anti-evasion tool under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, the e-way bill is required to be produced to tax authorities while moving goods worth Rs 50,000 or more from one State to another.

Rajat Mohan, Senior Partner, AMRG & Associates, said that traders, suppliers, manufacturers and others could exploit this temporary suspension in future claiming that certain goods were supplied during this period.

In a notification, the Assam government said that several representations were received from different trade bodies and stakeholders to temporarily exempt them from generation of e-way bill.

“The notification shall be deemed to be withdrawn as soon as Internet services are restored in respective areas,” a gazette notification said.

The development has come close on the heels of the Income Tax Department extending a deadline for payment of advance tax by 15 days to December 31 for all the taxpayers in the northeastern states in the wake of the widespread unrest.

The law-and-order situation in the region, especially in Assam, has been massively affected following the protests against the CAA that grants citizenship to non-Muslim illegal migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. (IANS)

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