Section 129 of GST Act: Detention, seizure and release of goods

Amended and updated notes on section 129 of CGST Act, 2017. Provisions and rules for detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit.

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Amended and updated notes on section 129 of CGST Act, 2017. Detail discussion on provisions and rules related to detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit.

Chapter XIX (Sections 122138) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 deals with the provisions related to offences and penalties. Section 129 of CGST 2017 provides for detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit.

Recently, we have discussed in detail section 128 (Power to waive penalty or fee or both) of CGST Act 2017. Today, we learn the provisions of section 129 of Central GST Act 2017.

Section 129 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 has been notified by the Ministry of Finance vide Notification No. 9/2017-Central Tax, G.S.R. 658(E), dated 28.06.2017. This notification was come into force from 1st July, 2017 i.e. the commencement date of section 129 is 1-7-2017.

Name of ActThe Central Goods and Services Tax Act 2017
Enacted byParliament of India
Administered byCentral Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs
Governing bodyGST Council
Number of Chapters21
Number of Sections174
You are reading:
Chapter No.XIX
Chapter NameOffences and Penalties
Section No.129
Section NameDetention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit
Updated 2024 EditionGST Law Book PDF

Relevant Rules and Forms for GST Section 129:

  • Rule 142: Notice and order for demand of amounts payable under the Act
    • FORM GST DRC – 01: Summary of Show Cause Notice
    • FORM GST DRC – 01A: Intimation of tax ascertained as being payable under section 73(5)/74(5)
    • FORM GST DRC – 02: Summary of Statement
    • FORM GST DRC – 03: Intimation of payment made voluntarily or made against the show cause notice (SCN) or statement or intimation of tax ascertained through FORM GST DRC-01A.
    • FORM GST DRC – 04: Acknowledgement of acceptance of payment made voluntarily
    • FORM GST DRC – 05: Intimation of conclusion of proceedings
    • FORM GST DRC – 06: Reply to the Show Cause Notice
    • FORM GST DRC – 07: Summary of the order
    • FORM GST DRC – 07A: Summary of the order creating demand under existing laws
    • FORM GST DRC – 08: Summary of Rectification /Withdrawal Order

Section 129 of Central GST – Detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit1

Section 129 of CGST Act 2017 shall come into force on 01.07.2017 vide Notification No. 9/2017-Central Tax, G.S.R. 658(E), dated 28.06.2017.

Section 129(1) of CGST Act

Section 129(1): Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, where any person transports any goods or stores any goods while they are in transit in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, all such goods and conveyance used as a means of transport for carrying the said goods and documents relating to such goods and conveyance shall be liable to detention or seizure and after detention or seizure, shall be released, ––

  • (a) on payment of the applicable tax and penalty equal to one hundred per cent. of the tax payable on such goods and, in case of exempted goods, on payment of an amount equal to two per cent. of the value of goods or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less, where the owner of the goods comes forward for payment of such tax and penalty;
  • (b) on payment of the applicable tax and penalty equal to the fifty per cent. of the value of the goods reduced by the tax amount paid thereon and, in case of exempted goods, on payment of an amount equal to five per cent. of the value of goods or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less, where the owner of the goods does not come forward for payment of such tax and penalty;
  • (c) upon furnishing a security equivalent to the amount payable under clause (a) or clause (b) in such form and manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that no such goods or conveyance shall be detained or seized without serving an order of detention or seizure on the person transporting the goods.

Section 129(2) of CGST Act

Section 129(2): The provisions of sub-section (6) of section 67 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply for detention and seizure of goods and conveyances.

Section 129(3) of CGST Act

Section 129(3): The proper officer detaining or seizing goods or conveyances shall issue a notice specifying the tax and penalty payable and thereafter, pass an order for payment of tax and penalty under clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c).

Section 129(4) of CGST Act

Section 129(4): No tax, interest or penalty shall be determined under sub-section (3) without giving the person concerned an opportunity of being heard.

Section 129(5) of CGST Act

Section 129(5): On payment of amount referred in sub-section (1), all proceedings in respect of the notice specified in sub-section (3) shall be deemed to be concluded.

Section 129(6) of CGST Act

Section 129(6): Where the person transporting any goods or the owner of the goods fails to pay the amount of tax and penalty as provided in sub-section (1) within fourteen days of such detention or seizure, further proceedings shall be initiated in accordance with the provisions of section 130:

Provided that where the detained or seized goods are perishable or hazardous in nature or are likely to depreciate in value with passage of time, the said period of seven days may be reduced by the proper officer.

  1. Section 129 of CGST Act 2017 shall come into force on 01.07.2017 vide Notification No. 9/2017-Central Tax, G.S.R. 658(E), dated 28.06.2017. ↩︎


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