Sujeet Swamy fought 5 years to get a refund of Rs 35 for a cancelled train ticket

Likewise, about 3 lakh citizens with cancelled train tickets will benefit, and the railway department will have to spend 2.43 crore.

(Right side) Sujeet Swamy

Kota (Rajasthan) – Sujeet Swamy, an engineer from Kota, Rajasthan had to fight for 5 years against the Railway Administration to get a refund of Rs 35 for a cancelled train ticket.  After about 50 RTI applications, letters to 4 Government departments and many tweets to the PM, Railway Minister, Finance Minister, GST (Goods and Services Tax) Council, and 5 years of hard work, Swamy got back Rs 35. Other 2 lakh 98 thousand citizens will also get a refund of Rs 35 for cancelled tickets.  Indian Railways will have to spend Rs 2.43 crore, Government sources said.

Kota-based engineer Sujeet Swami said he filed nearly 50 #RTI applications and shot off letters to four government departments in his fight to get back Rs 35 charged as service tax despite cancelling his ticket before the GST regime was implemented.https://t.co/4r2Usc8IVj

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 30, 2022

1. Swamy had booked a ticket in April 2017, to travel on 2^nd July 2017. The GST was implemented in India on 1^st July 2017. A few days before that, Swamy cancelled his train ticket. The Railway Department levied a service tax of Rs 35 on that.

2. In response to the RTI application filed by Swamy, the Government said that though the ticket was reserved before the GST came into force, the service tax would be levied on the ticket even if the ticket was cancelled before 1^st July 2017 as the train journey was after the 1^st July 2017. He further added that in due course, the Government would not levy the tax. Therefore, in 2019 he received a refund of Rs 33 in his bank account with a deduction of Rs 2 as the service tax value was rounded off.

3. Swami continued to fight for the next 3 years to get the 2 rupees. Finally, a senior Railway official sent a letter to Swamy last week informing him that the Railway Board has approved the refund of Rs 35 to all the 2.98 lakh cancelled tickets during that period. The process of depositing the refund is going on and all the passengers would gradually receive their refund.

4. According to the Government sources 2.43 crore would be spent to provide Rs 35 to about 3 lakh citizens.

Editorial viewpoint

• It is another example of slack in Administration due to a lack of decision making. Stringent action should be taken against the guilty officials responsible for slow administrative transactions.
•  Congratulations to Sujeet Swamy for his persistent efforts against the careless management of the Railway Administration. How many citizens act like him ?