Telcos to ask govt to lower GST on telecom services to 12%

Mobile phone companies are set to shortly press the finance ministry to lower the goods & services tax (GST) rate on an essential service like telecoms to 12%, to ensure parity with the applicable tax rate for mobile handsets, while pushing for an extension to the July 1 deadline for implementation of the new tax regime. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents Indi…