Excise duty hike raises fuel and LPG costs despite offsets from falling global oil prices and prompts public protests.
Central excise duties and administrative retail charges were increased effective April 8, raising consumer prices for petrol, diesel, domestic LPG cylinders and CNG. The LPG price rise applies to both general consumers and subsidised Ujjwala beneficiaries. Authorities stated retail adjustments would be calibrated against declines in global crude prices, while the Oil Minister cited increased input costs as the basis for the LPG revision.

Excise duty increase on petrol and diesel and LPG/CNG hikes prompt public protest over economic management.
The government raised the excise duty on petrol and diesel and increased retail prices for domestic LPG and CNG, with the LPG revision covering both general consumers and Ujjwala beneficiaries; the duty rise is being adjusted against declining international crude prices while the Oil Minister cited higher input costs as the rationale.

Auto-populated inter-state supply values in GSTR-3B will be non-editable; correct via GSTR-1/GSTR-1A/IFF amendments promptly thereby.
Table 3.2 of GSTR 3B will be auto-populated from GSTR 1, GSTR 1A, and IFF and, from the April 2025 tax period, the auto-populated inter state supply values will be non-editable. Corrections must be made by amending the underlying returns through GSTR 1A or by filing/updating GSTR 1 or IFF for subsequent tax periods. Taxpayers should therefore ensure accurate reporting in GSTR 1, GSTR 1A, or IFF to secure correct auto-population in Table 3.2.

Table-12 bifurcation requires HSN selection via dropdown for B2B and B2C reporting in GSTR-1 submissions.
Phase-III changes to Table-12 of GSTR-1/GSTR-1A require separate HSN-wise summaries under B2B and B2C tables, and prohibit manual HSN entry; taxpayers must choose the HSN from a dropdown on the filing interface, with procedural details in the system advisory.

Legal guarantee of MSP proposed, plus statutory protections for farmers, gig workers, women and MSMEs urged.
The resolution attributes unemployment, commodity price hikes and policy choices to a reversal of demographic advantage and systemic inequality, alleging denial of the Right to Food and concentrated wealth ownership. It alleges elimination of competition and harm to MSMEs, urges revival of domestic manufacturing and adoption of future technologies, and advances operative demands: enact a legal guarantee of MSP (fixing MSP at fifty per cent over cost), farmer debt relief, legislation for gig and unorganised workers, and immediate implementation of the Women's Reservation Bill with inclusion for marginalised women.

Transshipment facility withdrawal ends Bangladesh use of Indian ports for third country exports, easing domestic congestion but disrupting regional logistics.
India rescinded the transshipment facility allowing Bangladesh to route exports to third countries through Indian ports and airports by withdrawing the CBIC circular; existing cargo already in India may exit under prior procedure. The measure is justified by port and airport congestion, logistical delays and higher costs that hinder Indian exports, while explicitly preserving transit for Bangladesh exports to Nepal and Bhutan under obligations to facilitate landlocked countries. The change is expected to decongest terminals and aid Indian exporters but to disrupt Bangladeshi export logistics and regional transit arrangements.

Governor withholding assent invalidated; timelines mandated for governors to act on bills, reinforcing federal principles.
The Supreme Court declared a governor's withholding of assent to state assembly bills illegal and arbitrary, prescribed timeframes for governors to act on legislation, and cleared ten previously withheld bills to become laws, thereby limiting gubernatorial reserve powers and affirming judicial oversight to protect state legislative authority and federal principles.

Price hike accountability: State leaders urge BJP to press its central government over fuel and cooking gas increases.
Recent central government increases to cooking gas prices and excise duties on petrol and diesel have led Karnataka Congress leaders to demand that the BJP direct its Janakrosha Yatre against the Centre. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the BJP to press its own central leadership to reverse or mitigate the pricing measures or abandon the protest yatra, while the state Congress plans demonstrations and the BJP continues to fault the state over separate consumer price increases.

Fuel excise duty increase offsets crude price fall; government says retail fuel prices unchanged amid political criticism
The central government increased central excise duty on petrol and diesel by a fixed per litre amount; however, the oil ministry and public sector oil marketing companies stated retail pump prices would not increase because the excise hike would be offset by required reductions in retail prices arising from lower international crude oil rates.

Central excise duty increase on fuel framed as a tax adjustment; Centre says oil firms will absorb impact and states receive allocation.
A central excise duty increase on petrol, diesel and cooking gas functions as a fiscal instrument raising central tax levies; the Centre states oil marketing companies will absorb the hike and that a per litre allocation from increased excise will be remitted to state governments. The core issues are tax incidence, allocation of excise receipts between central and state governments, and whether the excise adjustment will be transmitted to consumer prices.

Excise duty hike criticised for blocking global price relief, with calls for a white paper and immediate fuel price reductions.
The Centre's increase in excise duties on petrol and diesel and a rise in cooking gas prices drew political criticism for preventing pass-through of lower international crude prices to consumers. The critic demanded a white paper detailing taxes and cesses on fuel, alleged that specific levies unfairly raise retail prices, and urged immediate reductions in petrol, diesel and LPG prices while contrasting current rates and excise levels with earlier government figures to support claims of increased fiscal burden.

Fuel tax increase offsets retail price reductions while proceeds may compensate LPG under recoveries and support oil firms.
The government raised domestic LPG and CNG retail rates and increased the special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel to shore up revenues and address oil PSU under recoveries; the excise rise will be offset against reductions warranted by falling international crude prices so retail petrol and diesel prices remain unchanged, while LPG hikes will be reviewed monthly and past under recoveries may be met through budgetary support.

Excise duty increase offsets international oil price fall, keeping retail fuel prices steady while central levies rise.
The government increased domestic LPG retail prices for Ujjawala beneficiaries and general consumers effective April 8, 2025, to reflect higher international LPG benchmarks while seeking budgetary support to address past under recoveries of public sector oil marketing companies. Simultaneously, the central government raised the special additional excise duty on petrol and diesel, increasing central tax incidence but maintaining unchanged retail pump prices by offsetting the duty hike against reductions warranted by falling international crude prices; excise accruals may be used to compensate oil PSUs and prices will be reviewed monthly.

Excise duty hike on petrol and diesel offset by retail price adjustments despite political criticism.
The Central Government increased the excise duty on petrol and diesel by two rupees per litre each, but the oil ministry and public sector Oil Marketing Companies announced there will be no increase in retail prices because the excise hike will be offset against reductions in retail prices warranted by the fall in international crude oil prices.

Excise duty hike on petrol and diesel may be offset against international oil price-driven retail adjustments, keeping pump prices steady.
An administrative order increased excise duty on petrol and diesel by two rupees per litre, raising petrol excise to thirteen rupees per litre and diesel excise to ten rupees per litre; the order is silent on retail price effects, and industry sources expect no change at the pump because the additional excise will likely be adjusted against the price reduction warranted by falling international oil prices.

Transparency in public welfare schemes demanded to verify disbursements, audits, beneficiary outcomes and tax compliance.
The piece demands audit and methodological transparency for a large microfinance initiative, questioning reported loan recipient numbers and total disbursements, and seeking verification whether recipient enterprises generated profit, paid income tax, or registered for GST. It alleges possible diversion of funds away from small entrepreneurs to larger interests and calls for disclosure of audits, data sources, and GST collections to determine the scheme's real economic and employment impact.

GST growth signals stronger state resource mobilisation as collections outpace national level, reinforcing fiscal self reliance.
West Bengal reported an 11.43% year on year rise in Goods and Services Tax collections in 2024 25-Rs 4,808 crore more than the prior year-outpacing the national GST growth rate by two percentage points; registration and stamp duty receipts also rose, with 60,000 additional deeds registered and a reported Rs 1,908 crore (31.05%) increase, reflecting strengthened state revenue mobilisation and fiscal discipline.

Taxable value determination for GST: retrospective distributor discounts questioned, interim restraint ordered pending valuation ruling.
The core issue is whether retrospective discounts routed through distributors reduce the supplier's transaction value for GST purposes. The revenue department treated such distributor-to-retailer discounts and subsequent supplier adjustments as reductions to taxable value under Section 15(3)(a), while the supplier maintained compliance with Section 15(1) and documented discounts in its Distributor Management System. The court found the department's interpretation prima facie incorrect and granted an interim restraint on coercive action pending further hearing.

SGST collection growth outpaces budget target, signalling stronger state tax administration and fiscal management performance.
Haryana's SGST collections for 2024-25 exceeded the budgeted target, with reported SGST receipts of Rs 39,153 crore surpassing the estimate by Rs 1,655 crore; after IGST settlement the state's SGST tally increased further. Gross GST collections for the year and for March outperformed national growth averages, while excise duty and VAT/CST collections also exceeded or modestly exceeded their budgeted or prior-year levels, attributed to effective tax administration and fiscal management.

Case-insensitive invoice numbers will be converted to uppercase for IRN generation, standardising reporting across returns.
Effective 1st June 2025, the Invoice Reporting Portal will treat invoice and document numbers as case-insensitive for IRN generation; invoice numbers submitted in differing letter cases will be automatically converted to uppercase before IRN generation to avoid duplication and align with GSTR 1 treatment.