Government clarifies on e-way bill due to rollout from Sunday

A single electronic way (e-way) bill will apply even in cases of a break in journey to destination and where more than one transporter is involved in the transportation of goods under e-way bill system slated to roll out from April 1, the government said on Saturday.

While the e-way bill is being implemented from Sunday for inter-state transportation, for intra-state movement of goods, the new system would be launched in two weeks' time, Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia had announced on Wednesday.

"It is clarified that in only one e-way bill would be required," a Finance Ministry release here said, citing the example of a break in journey involving a third city and which has been undertaken by two transporters.

"In such a scenario, Transporter A will assign the said e-way bill to Transporter B, who will fill the details of his vehicle and move the goods," it said.

In this connection, the ministry also "clarified that the validity period of e-way bill starts only after the e-way bill details are updated by the transporter for the first time".

The e-way bill, introduced under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, will apply to inter-state transportation of goods worth over Rs 50,000 through road, railways, airways and vessels.

In view of the difficulties faced by the traders in generating the e-way bill due to initial technical glitches in the GST Network, it was earlier decided by the GST Council to extend the trial phase for generation of e-way bills, both for inter-state and intra-state movement of goods.

In its meeting last month, a group of ministers headed by Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi recommended April 1 as the date for compulsory implementation of the system for inter-state goods movement.

--IANS

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