SC rejects GST department review plea, telecom firms get relief on tower tax credit

In a big relief to telecom companies, including Bharti Airtel, the Supreme Court Wednesday rejected the Central Goods and Services Tax Department’s petition seeking review of its last year’s decision which held that telecom towers qualify as “movable” property and, thus eligible for input tax credit (ITC) under the income tax laws.

A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prasanna B. Varale while dismissing the department’s review petition said: “We have carefully considered the review petitions as well as the grounds set out therein…Having examined the impugned order in light of the grounds raised,