Court orders interim stay on inducting members into GST Appellate Tribunal

The Delhi High Court on Monday restrained the government from appointing members to the GST Appellate Tribunal without its prior approval, till further hearing of a case relating to a smaller number of judicial members in the body. 

Earlier, the government had sought adjournment of the case. 

A petitioner had moved the court against a situation in which technical members would outnumber judicial members in the tribunal. The Cabinet had approved the setting up of the tribunal in January. It was to be presided over by the President and would have two technical members, one each from the Centre and the states.  

Abhishek Jain, partner at EY, said,"A final verdict on whether inadequate representation by judicial member(s) in the Tribunal is constitutionally viable or not is keenly awaited by tax and legal experts."