Overview
- The Centre opposed a PIL seeking to classify air purifiers as medical devices and to reduce the GST to 5%, calling judicial intervention in tax policy impermissible.
- The affidavit argues that directing rate changes or compelling the GST Council’s outcomes would violate separation of powers and undermine cooperative federalism.
- It warns that medical-device classification would trigger Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Medical Device Rules oversight, restricting availability and narrowing market participation.
- The government says a medical-device tag does not determine tax rates and describes the plea as a colourable, motivated bid for regulatory and commercial advantage.
- The matter is listed for hearing on Friday before Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, after an earlier court direction asked the GST Council to urgently consider rate relief.