Hailing the Supreme Court judgement that the recommendations of the GST Council are not binding on the Centre and the States, but only have a persuasive value, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said the ruling upheld the relevance of cooperative federalism and would have a far-reaching impact on the country’s tax structure and Centre-State relations.
In a statement issued here, he said ever since the GST regime came into being, the Centre had been arbitrarily imposing its decisions on the States, affecting their revenue and forcing them to impose treasury restrictions. Mr. Balagopal hoped the Supreme Court judgement would pave the way for States to protect their rights and ensure financial stability.