A writ petition called ‘Nipun Malhotra versus Union of India’ challenging the levy of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on disability equipments was mentioned before the Supreme Court on Friday. The petition was filed in 2017.
Before a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud, the counsel mentioned that, in 2020, the top court had granted liberty to the petitioner to move a representation before the GST council. However, the levy is not abolished yet.
Justice Chandrachud said, “this is something in the policy domain on GST to be levied...then we will have to hold if there should be no GST on medical equipments.”
While the counsel submitted that there is a 5% GST levied on braille paper, wheelchairs, whereas an able bodied person pays no GST for walking. Later, the judge listed the matter for hearing in September this year.
In this matter, the bench had earlier sought the assistance of the Attorney General for India and AG KK Venugopal in October 2020 while hearing said that he understood the problems being faced by the petitioners at a humanitarian level.
