Anti-Profiteering Authority likely to merge with CCI for speedy redressal.

Anti-Profiteering Authority likely to merge with CCI for speedy redressal.

NAA asked to expedite 400 pending cases on an urgent basis ahead of its likely merger with CCI.

The National Anti National Anti-profiteering Authority (NAA) is likely to merge with the competition watchdog, Competition Commission of India by year-end as the tenure of the GST authority has expired with nearly 400 cases pending with the statutory body. Sources have claimed that CCI is likely to take over the remaining cases after the merger.

The GST council in its 35th meeting scheduled on 21 June under new Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had decided to give a one year extension till 30 November 2020, as the authority continued receiving anti-profiteering complaints by consumers.

It is pertinent to note that the GST council first deliberated the idea of integrating NAA with CCI in an attempt to benefit the consumers, businesses, and centre. In pursuant to this, the Council had urged CCI to verify the feasibility of the proposal.

This initiative is hoped towards alleviating the litigation burden off the Central Government as the constitutionality of NAA has been challenged in several state High Courts.

Constituted under the Competition Act, CCI sought to eliminate the adverse effects of competition and protects the interests of the consumers from unfair competition.

NAA was established in the year 2017 to probe unfair probe profiteering activities by registered suppliers under GST law and to ensure that the tax reduction benefits are passed on to the consumers. The authority was constituted under Section 177 of the Goods and Services Act, 2017.

The Anti Profiteering Authority has issued a total of 67 orders against various anti-profiteering protests so far, including orders against major corporate players including McDonald's, HUL Starbucks, etc.