SC transfers to itself pleas from 9 HCs on imposition of 28 per cent GST on e-gaming firms

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed a petition of the Centre and transferred to itself pleas, challenging the imposition of 28 per cent Goods and Services Tax on e-gaming firms, from nine high courts for an authoritative pronouncement.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra allowed the transfer plea of the Centre and asked it to file the response to the pending petitions of online gaming companies by April 20.

It also appointed a nodal counsel, who will collate records in the case and now the pleas will be taken up for hearing in the first week of May.

Many online gaming firms like Dream 11, Games 24×7, and Head Digital Works had moved the top court challenging the GST imposition.

Earlier, the top court had stayed the Karnataka High Court verdict quashing the GST intimation notice to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore issued to an online gaming firm.