New Delhi: Cancellation of confirmed train tickets will now come at a cost as it will now attract Goods and Services Tax (GST). According to an August 3 circular issued by the Tax Research Unit of the Ministry of Finance, the booking of tickets is a ‘contract’, under which the service provider (IRCTC/Indian Railways) promises to provide services to the customer.
As per the notification, the cancellation charge for a first-class or AC coach ticket will be 5 per cent GST, which is the rate levied on the ticket. The same logic will be applicable to the cancellation of air travel or hotel accommodation, where the cancellation charges will be taxed at the same GST rate as applicable to the principal service.
According to the Ministry, the cancellation charge is a payment instead of a breach of contract, so GST has to be paid. “When the contract is breached by the passenger, the service provider is compensated with a small amount, collected as a cancellation charge. Since the cancellation charge is a payment, and not breach of contract, it will attract GST,” the notification read.
If one cancels the bookings of a particular class, then the same GST rate applicable for booking seats and berths for that class will be applied. For instance, if the rate is 5 per cent for first-class or AC coaches and the cancellation fee for this category is Rs 240, then the total cancellation fee will be Rs 252. No GST is applicable on other categories and second sleeper classes.
Indian Railways charges Rs 240 for cancellation when the ticket is cancelled 48 hours or more before the scheduled departure of the train. If the confirmed ticket is cancelled before 48 hours to 12 hours from the scheduled departure of the train, 25 per cent of the ticket amount is charged as a cancellation fee.
