AMIT BAJAJ ADVOCATE

 Traders in Punjab are mulling approaching the High Court against the state government's decision to levy new processing fee and e-TRIP system. "We are going to have a meeting soon in which the trading community and various industry associations will participate to collectively decide about next course of action which may also include approaching the (Punjab and Haryana) High Court, having protest rallies against the processing fee and e-TRIP," Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal, President, Amrit Lal Jain told PTI today. "We are already in touch with prominent High Court lawyers to give their opinion on how to go about against processing fee and e-TRIP," Mandal’s Secretary, Mohinder Aggarwal said. 

The agitating traders are also building pressure on SAD's ally BJP, which has strong base among traders, to support them in this fight against the state government’s new levies and e-TRIP (Transportation Information Within Punjab) system. Aggarwal said traders have also asked Punjab BJP to clear its stand on these issues. "If state BJP leaders are against the processing fee and e-TRIP then they should come on road with us to protest the same," asked Aggarwal. Noting that there was a strong resentment against the Punjab government's decision to levy processing fee on VAT dealers and implement e-TRIP, Jain warned that the traders could "go to any extent" to force the state government to roll back their decisions which would yield nothing but hit trade. As part of mobilising additional resources exercise, the Punjab government has decided to levy processing fee of Rs 800 on VAT dealers which is expected to impact almost 2.20 lakh registered dealers across the state. MORE PTI CHS DKR