The Centre informed the Delhi High Court that any Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting to discuss reducing or eliminating GST on air purifiers must be held in person, not via video conferencing. The court granted the Centre 10 days to file a detailed response to a PIL seeking air purifiers to be classified as “medical devices.” The Centre’s law officer raised concerns about the PIL’s validity, stating it was filed without involving the Union Health Ministry.
ASG Venkataraman emphasized that any GST Council voting or deliberation must occur physically, as it involves representatives from all states and union territories. He cautioned that bypassing the prescribed process for GST reduction could lead to complications. The petitioner argued that air purifiers are taxed incorrectly under the GST slab and cited recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment.
The Delhi High Court noted that final directions could not be issued without a counter-affidavit and scheduled further hearings for January 9, 2026. A previous bench had urged the GST Council to consider lowering the 18% GST on air purifiers due to the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR. The court emphasized the importance of clean air and suggested temporarily exempting air purifiers from GST during emergencies.
