The sales tax employees in Aurangabad joined the state-wide pen-down strike to register their protest against alleged unfair policies of the Goods Service Tax (GST) Council.
Accusing the Central Customs and Service Tax Department of infringing on the domain of state tax and commercial tax department, the sales tax staff demanded the "assesse with turnover of less than Rs 1.5 crore be brought under the state jurisdiction".
The protest was staged on Wednesday outside the sales tax office where protesters said the central excise department has been infringing on their domain through the decision of the GST council.
"This has resulted in growing discontent among officers and employees of various sales tax, VAT or commercial tax department. The concern of reduction in strength of the employees is also being raised by us," said S M Jonwal and P B Kshirsagar, divisional secretary and executive member respectively of the Sales Tax Employees Association.
"To protest this decision the employees on Wednesday observed one-day pen-down strike," said Jyoti Gaisamudre, divisional member of the association.
The agitators demanded assesse above Rs 1.5 crore be allotted in the ratio of 4:1 between states and the Centre and also sought implementation of all the three taxes under GST, State Goods Sevice Tax (SGST), Central Goods Service Tax (CGST) and Inter-State Goods Service Tax (IGST) be kept under the purview of the state.
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