Meaning of Government under GST
Question 3: What is the meaning of ‘ Government ’ ?
Answer: As per section 2(53) of the CGST Act, 2017, ‘Government’ means the Central Government. As per clause (23) of section 3 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 the ‘Government’ includes both the Central Government and any State Government. As per clause (8) of section 3 of the said Act, the ‘Central Government’, in relation to anything done or to be done after the commencement of the Constitution, means the President.
As per Article 53 of the Constitution, the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or indirectly through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Further, in terms of Article 77 of the Constitution, all executive actions of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President. Therefore, the Central Government means the President and the officers subordinate to him while exercising the executive powers of the Union vested in the President and in the name of the President.
Similarly, as per clause (60) of section 3 of the General Clauses Act,1897, the ‘State Government’, as respects anything done after the commencement of the Constitution, shall be in a State the Governor, and in an Union Territory the Central Government. As per Article 154 of the Constitution, the executive power of the State shall be vested in the Governor and shall be exercised by him either directly or indirectly through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Further, as per article 166 of the Constitution, all executive actions of the Government of State shall be expressed to be taken in the name of Governor. Therefore, State Government means the Governor or the officers subordinate to him who exercise the executive powers of the State vested in the Governor and in the name of the Governor.
Question 6: Would a statutory body, corporation or an authority constituted under an Act passed by the Parliament or any of the State Legislatures be regarded as ‘Government’ or “local authority” for the purposes of the GST Acts?
Answer: A statutory body, corporation or an authority created by the Parliament or a State Legislature is neither ‘Government’ nor a ‘local authority’. Such statutory bodies, corporations or authorities are normally created by the Parliament or a State
Legislature in exercise of the powers conferred under article 53(3)(b) and article 154(2)(b) of the Constitution respectively. It is a settled position of law (Agarwal Vs. Hindustan Steel AIR 1970 Supreme Court 1150) that the manpower of such statutory authorities or bodies do not become officers subordinate to the President under article 53(1) of the Constitution and similarly to the Governor under article 154(1). Such a statutory body, corporation or an authority as a juridical entity is separate from the State and cannot be regarded as the Central or a State Government and also do not fall in the definition of ‘local authority’. Thus, regulatory bodies and other autonomous entities would not be regarded as the government or local authorities for the purposes of the GST Acts.
Question 9: Are various corporations formed under the Central Acts or State Acts or various government companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956/2013 or autonomous institutions set up by special Acts covered under the definition of ‘Government’?
Answer: No. The corporations formed under the Central or a State Act or various companies registered under the Companies Act, 1956/2013 or autonomous institutions set up by the State Acts will not be covered under the definition of
‘Government’ and therefore, services provided by them will be taxable unless exempted by a notification.
Question 10: Are various regulatory bodies formed by the Government covered under the definition of ‘Government’?
Answer: No. A regulatory body, also called regulatory agency, is a public authority or a governmental body which exercises functions assigned to them in a regulatory or supervisory capacity. These bodies do not fall under the definition of
Government.
Examples of regulatory bodies are – Competition Commission of India, Press Council of India, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Forward Market Commission, Inland Water Supply Authority of India, Central Pollution Control Board, Securities and Exchange Board of India.
Related FAQ on GST
GST on Government Services : FAQs
150 GST FAQ’s Replied by Govt of India
GST Tweet -100 FAQs replied by Govt ; Compilation
GST Rates FAQs on queries of Various Sectors Clarified by Govt
GST FAQs on queries of Various Sectors : Issued by Govt
GST on Handicraft Sector : FAQ
GST on Drugs and Pharmaceuticals : FAQ
GST on Food Processing Industry : FAQ
FAQs on Composition Levy under GST ( India )
GSTIN / PAN and Invoice information in Shipping Bill
Bond or LUT along with Shipping Bill
Related Topic on GST
Topic | Click Link |
GST Acts | Central GST Act and States GST Acts |
GST Rules | GST Rules |
GST Forms | GST Forms |
GST Rates | GST Rates |
GST Notifications | GST Act Notifications |
GST Circulars | GST Circulars |
GST Judgments | GST Judgments |
GST Press Release | GST Press Release |
GST Books | Best Books on GST in India |
GST Commentary | Topic wise Commentary on GST Act of India |
GST You Tube Channel | TaxHeal You Tube Channel |
GST Online Course | Join GST online Course |
GST History | GST History and Background Material |