Conflicting rulings at state level fuel call for setting up centralised AAR

Centralised AAR was, in fact, already approved by GST Council and Cabinet over a year ago

The recent ruling by the Karnataka-based authority for advance rulings (AAR) on GST on director's income, which runs contrary to the decision by other courts, has made it all the more necessary to have a centralised AAR.

Back in December 2018, the GST Council had approved setting up of a centralised AAR that would decide on cases in which there are divergent orders at the state level.

The next month, the union Cabinet had given nod to the proposal. 

The setting up of a centralised AAAR would require amendments to the GST Acts. The centralised authority as an appellate body