Many builders have ignored the Govt deadline to register and pay VAT before the October 31,2012 deadline despite Supreme Court rap.About 5257 builders registered themselves to pay VAT for the sales between June 20,2006 to March 31,2010 with the Sales Tax Dept.However,approx 2200 builders from Pune have not paid VAT.Most have showed nil returns.Most builders ask buyers to pay up for their VAT liabilities but social activists say that VAT payment is the responsibility of the person registered with the sales tax dept.A public interest litigation has been filed to prevent builders from extorting VAT from buyers.It will come up for admission on March 8.Builders say that they are entitled to collect VAT from buyers as the sales tax dept has supported their stand of issuing a debit note to flat buyers for the same.
This will be the second time that the dept will raid builders to recover VAT.Many thought that govt will reduce their tax liability hence they did not pay it,though they may have collected it from flat buyers.
It is amazing,that after months of confusion and court battles the govt is yet to specify whether flat buyers are liable for VAT or not.Just one more proof of how the flat buyer is left to fend for himself while builders display their normal high handedness.
How to ascertain a particular builder has deposited the money collected as VAT has been remitted to Govt?
They are careful not to issue any receipt to buyer in this matter to avoid any trouble for themselves just like in the matter of car parking allotment.
If they do not issue reciept with their VAT and Service Tax registration number,you should not pay.These are the only proofs that they are registered with the VAT and Service Tax dept.