Parliament passes bill to raise cap on age of GSTAT president, members

New Delhi: Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill that will raise the cap on the age limit for president and members of GST Appellate Tribunals.

The bill was approved with a voice vote in Rajya Sabha and returned to Lok Sabha, which had passed the bill on Tuesday.

In the post-lunch session, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved The Central Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Upper House.

Taxpayers battling against GST demands in different high courts or the Supreme Court will be able to withdraw their cases and approach GSTAT once the benches are operational, according to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who is spearheading the bill.

The bill seeks to cap the age for the president and members of GST appellate tribunals (GSTAT) at 70 years and 67 years, respectively, higher than 67 years and 65 years specified earlier.

An advocate with 10 years of ‘substantial experience’ in litigation in matters relating to indirect taxes in the Appellate Tribunal, would be eligible to be appointed as a judicial member of GSTAT.

As per the amendment, the president and judicial and technical members of GSTAT shall hold office for four years, or until he attains the age of 70 years and 67 years, respectively, whichever is earlier.

The rules notified by the government earlier had fixed the age limit for the president and members of GSTAT at 67 years and 65 years, respectively.

Sitharaman said the passage of the bill would align terms of service of judicial and technical members of GSTAT with the Tribunal Reforms Act of 2021.