The post GST era may have been harsh for deceitful retailers and shopkeepers. Quite so as the government announced hefty penalties for those retailers found selling products at the former price.
On Friday, the government instructed the companies to print the revised MRP on goods or go to Jail apart from a fine up to Rs 1 lakh.
In the wake of multiple complaints received by customers distressed with differential prices, the government announced an imprisonment terms along with a penalty fee as consequence of perfidious activities undertaken by the retailers.
Ram Vilas Paswan, consumer affairs minister said, “We have told companies to reprint revised rates on unsold goods. Stickers of new MRP should be posted so that consumers are aware of the change in rates after GST.”
The new order draws from provisions under the consumer protection laws that stipulate fines of up to Rs 50,000 for the first two offenses and Rs1 lakh as well as a year in jail for repeat offenders.
The major bottleneck faced by the GST council is to ensure that consumers are passed on to the customers apart from ensuring that input tax credit facility is not utilized.
The retailers are allowed to paste stickers with MRP printed on the unused stock until September 30, after which the shopkeepers will not be in a position to sell goods having earlier rates.
There has been a host of consumer complaints coming from various parts of the country. Consumers are NOT dissatisfied with the higher price they have to pay after GST-implementation but are despondent about how retailers are misleading consumers to earn extra profits.
If you are having any grievances from any shopkeeper, who you feel has misled you, do not hesitate to lodge your complaint at various digital platforms and referring it to the official handle of GST.
