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Ranil scoffs at govt. attempt to impose GST,VAT simultaneously
The Special Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill were presented to Parliament on Thursday.
The Special GST Bill was presented to provide for the imposing of a special goods and services tax in terms of the amount chargeable on specified goods and services by way of tax, duty, levy, or any other charge imposed by law; to promote self-compliance in the payment of taxes in order to ensure greater efficiency in relation to the collection and administration or such taxes and related matters.
UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe demanded to know from the government where in the world both GST and VAT could be imposed simultaneously. “If there is a value added tax then there cannot be a goods and services tax. Both VAT and GST are to be levied on the same item. We introduced GST under the UNP government and later amended it to introduce VAT. You can amend the VAT but cannot have VAT and GST together,” Wickremesinghe said.
