In a move that is likely to make mobile phones more expensive, GST Council today proposed a high in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on mobile phones and allied parts. Addressing a press conference following the GST Council meet, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also brought the manufacture of matches to a common rate of 12 per cent across the board.

Earlier, hand-made matches attracted 5 per cent, while machine-made ones attracted 18 per cent. She also said interest for delayed GST payment will be charged on net tax liability, not gross tax liability, and would be ...