Supreme Court stays GST tax notices seeking ₹1.5 trillion from online gaming companies till final ruling
Live MintThe Supreme Court on Friday stayed all tax notices issued by the revenue department to online gaming companies, estimated at more than ₹1.5 trillion, on pleas by both parties and scheduled a hearing on the matter for 18 March. For example, notices issued by the Directorate General of GST Intelligence to online gaming companies related to FY18 will expire on 4 February 2025, making them invalid. "At the same time, it safeguards the interests of the revenue by ensuring that the demands do not become time-barred during litigation, preserving the scope for legal clarity.” Gaming companies including Games 24x7, Head Digital Works, Play Games 24x7 Pvt Ltd, Baazi Networks Pvt Ltd, and the E-Gaming Federation filed 51 writ petitions in the Supreme Court, challenging the imposition of GST on them. The gaming companies emphasised that the tax claims against online gaming companies far exceed their reported net revenue over the past five years, threatening to push the industry into bankruptcy.