Plea in Supreme Court seeks GST exemption for COVID-19 drugs, medical equipment

Centre empowered under public interest, says lawyers group, citing hardship of people

A group of advocates moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking a direction to the Centre and the Office of the GST Council Secretariat to let go of their “apathy” and exempt COVID-19 drugs and equipment from the GST regime with “immediate effect” in public interest. The petition filed by The Public Policy Advocates, represented by advocate Astha Sharma, asked whether the GST authorities and government officials concerned were unable to see people run from pillar to post trying to procure drugs, oxygen, equipment and hospital beds to save their loved ones. The plea said the court should direct the GST Council “to convene a meeting expeditiously and direct exemption of GST with respect to COVID-19 related drugs, including, but not limited to, Remdesivir, Tocilizumab, Favipiravir and other drugs with similar generic constitution, medical equipment, including, but not limited to, ventilators and Bipap machines, and other medical treatment for infection prevention, control measures and supportive care for COVID-19 patients, including, but not limited to, medical grade oxygen, oxygen concentrators, etc.”.