In a significant move, the Supreme Court has decided to handle the dispute regarding the imposition of a 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) on e-gaming companies. This decision comes after the Centre's plea to consolidate the cases from nine different high courts into one authoritative ruling.
A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, granted the Centre's request, instructing the cases to be transferred to the Supreme Court. The Centre has been directed to respond to the pending petitions filed by online gaming companies by April 20.
To streamline the process, a nodal counsel has been appointed to gather all relevant records for the case. The Supreme Court has scheduled hearings for the first week of May to address the pleas.
Several prominent online gaming companies such as Dream 11, Games 24x7, and Head Digital Works had previously challenged the imposition of GST in the Supreme Court.
This development follows the Supreme Court's earlier decision to stay a Karnataka High Court verdict, which had nullified a GST intimation notice amounting to Rs 21,000 crore issued to an online gaming firm.
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