Gold jewellers in a fix as confusion over GST levy continues

They want uniform 2% levy, but may have to pay 18% on making charges; they are billed separately

As the rollout deadline nears for a national goods and services tax (GST), there is ambiguity on its applicability to gold jewellery.
 
A section of jewellers considers making charges as a service charge and shows this separately while billing. If a service, the applicable rate would be 18 per cent, by the draft GST guidelines.
 
Another section of jewellers, however, adds making charges in value of the jewellery; they do not show it separately but add it to the price of gold. In this case, the applicable rate under GST would be two per cent (assumed, as the