The Union government will set up an online audit mechanism under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in order to streamline the process, as suggested by a parliamentary panel in its report on ‘anti-competitive practices by the big tech companies’.

“The ministry has accepted the recommendation concerning the establishment of an online audit mechanism. The committee would expect the ministry to earnestly pursue this issue with the objective of further streamlining the GST audit process. The committee desires to be apprised of the results of this undertaking at the time of furnishing the final action taken statement,” the standing committee on finance said in its report.

“From the systems perspective, the current audit functionality provides the feasibility for conducting the audit online wherein the required documents can be uploaded by the taxpayer as well as the tax officer for further examination,” the corporate affairs ministry said in its reply to the recommendation of the panel.