Bharat Bandh on Feb 26: Traders' body calls for shutdown over rising fuel prices, GST norms, e-way bill

Bharat Bandh on Friday: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has said all commercial markets will remain shut across the country in view of the nationwide shutdown on February 26. CAIT General Secretary Praveen Khandelwal said, "All commercial markets across the country will remain closed and protest dharnas will be organised in different cities of all states."

He added that around 40,000 traders' associations in India including All India Transporters Welfare Association (AITWA) will support this Bandh. The AITWA will also hold a 'Chakka jam' on February 26.

These protests will be held in 1,500 places demanding the Centre, the state governments and the GST Council take back the 'draconian' GST provisions.

Since the AITWA has urged all transport companies to park their vehicles between 06:00 am and 08:00 pm on Friday, 40 lakh vehicles will remain off-road and booking and movement of bill-oriented goods will be hit. While acknowledging the importance of voluntary compliance in ensuring a successful GST regime, Khandelwal also talked about almost 950 amendments made so far to the GST rules in the past 4 years.

Demands

• CAIT has called for a review of the GST system and tax slabs under it to ensure easier compliance for traders.

• Transporters are demanding a rollback of the e-way bill laws. An e-way bill refers to the permit transporters have to carry while moving goods from one place to another. The recent amendment to the GST laws has narrowed the validity of the e-way bill by increasing the distance from 100km per day to 200km per day.

• Under Section 129 of the CGST Act, 2017, transporters will have to pay penalties amounting to 200 per cent of the tax value or 100 per cent of the invoice value for a truck carrying a consignment with an expired or faulty e-way bill.

• Transporters are also protesting against the constant rise in fuel prices.

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