The Union government told the Delhi High Court on Friday that reducing the Goods and Services Tax on air purifiers to 5% from 18% without following due process will open up a “Pandora’s box”, Bar and Bench reported.

A bench of Justices Vikas Mahajan and Vinod Kumar was hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Kapil Madan, seeking directions to categorise air purifiers as a “medical device” and lower the tax levied on them.

On Wednesday, the court directed the GST Council to convene an urgent meeting and consider lowering the levies on air purifiers in view of the high levels of pollution in Delhi and the surrounding areas.

During the hearing on Friday, Additional Solicitor General N Venkataraman, representing the Union government, said that the matter was being examined at the highest level, Bar and Bench reported.

Seeking more time to give a measured response, he said that the Union government will inform in its counter-affidavit when a GST Council meeting can be scheduled.

Venkataraman also said that there was a legislative process to deal with recommendations made in parliamentary standing committee reports, as well as how GST Council meetings deliberate on proposals, The Indian Express reported.

“How can this process be scuttled through a court process?” the newspaper quoted the additional solicitor general as asking.

He said that the GST Council was a...

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