Demanding offline Goods and Services Tax (GST) meetings, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday said the hasty meeting  was planned to facilitate the Real Estate and Lottery lobbies to avail undue benefits.  Notably, GST council’s meeting has been adjourned till Sunday.

Targeting builder mafia in Delhi and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled States, Sisodia said that meeting via video conference was a forced one.  “We are raising serious concerns on lowering tax rate on residential housing, “It will have serious repercussions on the tax regime. Unfortunately many BJP run State Governments are also under the severe pressure from the real estate lobbies” said Sisodia who also holds important portfolio in Aam Admi Party (AAP) ruled Delhi Government.

Sisodia also wrote a letter to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, demanding postponement of GST Council meeting scheduled on Wednesday. “On the demand of at least ten states finance ministers, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley agreed to take up these issues in a face-to-face meeting to be held on Sunday (24 February),” the minister said.

Citing the reservations expressed by states like Kerala and West Bengal on same lines in this regard, Sisodia said, “ Both the agenda items - special scheme for real estate sector and single rate of tax on lottery - are of crucial nature and requires detailed discussion before arriving at a considered decision on the matters.”

On Tuesday, Sisodia had written to Jaitley demanding postponement of the GST Council meeting through video conferencing on Wednesday.