Shimla, April 5 (IANS) Online shopping in Himachal Pradesh will be costlier now, with the state assembly on Tuesday passing a bill to levy tax on such purchases.
The Himachal Pradesh Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was introduced in the house a day earlier, was passed without any discussion as the opposition BJP members at that time were protesting on some other issue.
Excise and Taxation Minister Prakash Chaudhary said the bill includes provisions to tax as it was providing "uneven" playing field for local businessmen and also causing revenue loss to the government.
A clause has been inserted in the bill providing for levying of tax on e-commerce.
"Notwithstanding anything contained in section 3, tax shall be levied on entry of goods specified in schedule II, made through online purchase or transactions or through e-commerce. The tax shall be levied on the value of goods in the manner prescribed and shall be collected from person in-charge of the goods on behalf of the importer," says the clause.
