Malayali tea-time snacks fall under 18% GST due to classification issues
Thiruvananthapuram: Several traditional Malayali snacks, including pazhampori (banana fritters), ada, unda, and undam pori, have been placed under the 18% Goods and Services Tax (GST) bracket due to the lack of a specific Harmonised System of Nomenclature (HSN) code.
According to Kiran S Palakkal, president of the Bakers Association of Kerala (BAKE), many regional delicacies, despite their short shelf life of less than 24 hours, are subject to high GST rates due to classification complexities in the taxation system.
Biju Prem Shankar, Chief Operating Officer of Kochi-based Fresh Products, explained that businesses manufacturing snacks must individually seek tax clarifications. "Only GST-paying companies can petition for classification changes, not associations," he stated. Fresh Products managed to get tax rulings on certain items, such as unniyappam (classified under 'sweet meat' and taxed at 5%) and chips (taxed at 12% under 'fried namkeen snacks').
However, the taxation disparities persist. Similar products sold at restaurants are taxed at only 5% under service goods, while those sold by manufacturers are subjected to higher rates. The variation in recipes and names across regions adds to the confusion.
Calls for a more uniform GST framework have been ongoing. Last year, Coimbatore-based restaurateur D. Srinivasan raised concerns over the inconsistent taxation of food items, citing cases where a plain bun is tax-free, but adding cream increases its tax to 18%.
Industry representatives argue that simpler and more consistent tax regulations would benefit both businesses and consumers, ensuring that traditional food items do not bear an undue financial burden.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
