New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday transferred itself to hear all petitions pending in nine High Courts against the imposition of a 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on online gaming companies.
A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said that the apex court will hear all the pending matters. The bench passed the order after the Centre submitted that the apex court should transfer to itself all 27 petitions pending in nine High Courts in the country.
"We are transferring all the pleas to this court, and would hear all the 27 petitions later on," said the bench. The bench also asked the Centre to file its response on the pending petitions of online gaming companies by April 20.
The apex court also appointed a nodal counsel, who will collate records in the case and scheduled the matter for further hearing in the first week of May.
Several online gaming companies including Gameskraft, Dream 11 and Games 24x7, and many others have also filed their respective appeals before the SC challenging the GST imposition.
Earlier, the apex court had stayed the Karnataka High Court verdict quashing the GST intimation notice to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore issued to an online gaming firm.
In its 50th meeting in the GST council held in July 2023, it was decided to tax online gaming at 28 per cent on full face value with no distinction between games of skill and chance. Similarly, casinos and horse racing were decided to be taxed at 28 per cent. The new tax rate came into effect from October 1, 2023.
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