Several states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, have expressed interest in adopting Aadhaar-based authentication for GST registration, according to an official statement on Monday.
The proposal for biometric-based authentication was discussed at the third National Coordination Meeting of senior Central and State GST officers earlier this month.
Presently, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Puducherry have initiated Aadhaar authentication of taxpayers on a pilot basis.
"Approximately five states, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, have shown interest in implementing Aadhaar-based authentication for GST registration," an official said.
These states are now evaluating the associated costs, infrastructure requirements, and manpower needs for implementing biometric authentication during registration. Upon assessment, they will present proposals to their respective state Cabinets for approval.
Until now, GST authorities have utilized OTP-based Aadhaar authentication to verify the identity of registration applicants. However, instances of identity misuse for fraudulent purposes prompted the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) to consider biometric authentication.
Under this system, individuals in suspicious cases may be required to visit an Aadhaar center for biometric verification.
In terms of GST revenue, Karnataka ranks as the second-largest contributor, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Maharashtra leads in revenue collection.
April witnessed a significant milestone in GST collections, surpassing Rs 2 lakh crore for the first time since the implementation of the unified tax system.
The robust revenue growth of 12.4% to Rs 2.10 lakh crore in April was attributed to strong economic activity, increased domestic transactions, and imports.
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