Court Gives 10-Day Deadline
The Delhi High Court has given the central government ten days to submit a detailed reply on reducing GST on air purifiers. The court issued the direction while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the issue. The matter will come up for hearing again on January 9.
PIL Seeks 5% GST Slab
The PIL requests the government to treat air purifiers as medical devices. It seeks to place them under the 5 percent GST slab. The petitioner cited worsening air quality in Delhi as the main reason. According to the plea, clean air has become a basic health need for residents.
Court Questions Affordability
During the hearing, the bench raised serious concerns about affordability. The judges questioned how common people could buy air purifiers costing ₹10,000 to ₹15,000. The court also asked why the GST Council had not taken a clear decision so far. It expressed dissatisfaction with the Centre’s delay.
Health Concerns Take Center Stage
The court observed that air pollution poses a serious public health risk. It noted that citizens face severe pollution every year. Therefore, access to air purifiers should not remain a luxury. The bench stressed that public health must remain a priority.
Centre Seeks More Time
In response, the Centre’s counsel defended the government’s stand. He argued that the petitioner did not include the Health Ministry in the case. He also said the petition did not clearly mention who would benefit from the GST reduction. According to him, the issue required deeper examination.
GST Council Meeting Required
The Centre informed the court that only the GST Council could decide on tax changes. The counsel added that the council must meet in person. He said a virtual meeting was not possible for such decisions. Based on this, he requested additional time.
Next Hearing on January 9
Accepting the request, the Delhi High Court granted the Centre ten days to file its response. The court will hear the matter again on January 9, when it will review the government’s stand on GST reduction for air purifiers.
