CT wing blamed for heavy fines

More than anything, extending advance way bill system, which is applicable to only sensitive commodities to all the commodities being purchased from other states, came in for sharp criticism from traders. They allege that the additional revenue is nothing but collection from imposing tax plus two times penalty at the border check posts for minor omissions pertaining to advance waybill (e-waybill).

There is no scope for tax evasion once advance waybill is generated online from official website of commercial taxes department as six copies of the transaction are automatically mailed to officials including commissioner of commercial taxes.

Moreover, the trader must record the transaction in the books of accounts once way bill is raised. The traders argue that those evading tax are transporting goods by bribing the officials manning the integrated check posts while genuine traders bringing goods with advance waybill are put to hardships.

"The commercial tax department issued a GO insisting that we have to mention lorry number in the advance waybill otherwise the waybills are to be construed as incomplete and invalid document.

Usually, we book the goods through transport companies and they send the load on available fleet. Tax and penalty is levied on a firm simply because the lorry number is marked with pen" a trader said lamenting over the attitude of CT department.

Meanwhile, in a latest GO issued in September this year, CT wing made filing of transport registration and declaration at border check posts also mandatory for interstate movement of goods.