Income Tax department to search for companies avoiding GST

When you might be thinking ways to escape GST, the Income Tax department just won't let you. 

Senior tax officials have confirmed that the department will soon undertake search and surveys in order to comb out the companies that have still not come under the ambit of GST, as reported by Economic Times (ET). 

The search and survey operation could commence by next week where the income tax authorities will conduct physical search of the premises of several companies and also check their GST certificate. 

This action comes a week after a meeting of senior tax officials with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. As per the income tax department, several buisnessmen and companies have been identified, who are deliverately avoiding GST for fear of being penalised for earlier unpaid taxes. 

The move has been welcomed by the experts. As per earlier reports by ET, as many as 200 IAS, IRS and IFS officials have been appointed countrywide to physically verify whether GST is being implemented at all levels of business activity.  

Where experts have praised the government's efforts to widen the GST ambit, they have also expressed concerns that there should not be harrassment of any kind.