POS machines installed at retail outlets: FBR to grant licence for installation, configuration and integration

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has decided to grant licence for installation, configuration and integration of point of sale (POS) machines installed at retail outlets.

The FBR has issued an SRO 1063(1)/2021 to amend Sales Tax Rules, 2006, here on Wednesday.

A licencee shall have the right to install, configure, integrate, operate and maintain the POS on real-time basis in accordance with conditions of the licence issued to him.

The licencee shall be responsible for post-deployment maintenance of POS as detailed below: setting up and maintenance of all information technology equipment connected to POSs; and the licencee shall be authorised to upgrade of the system hardware and software; all bug fixes; and immediate response to trouble shooting of any post deployment problems for uninterrupted working of the system.

The licencee shall be responsible for safe and secure capture of real-time transmission of sales data from the retails outlet to the FBR database at all times.

According to the rules, project director Retail Monitoring Cell shall be the convener of the licencing committee located at the FBR House, Islamabad.

The Board shall provide secretarial and other allied support for functioning of the licencing committee.

The FBR said that no person shall carry out integration of the retailers through software unless he had obtained a licence under these rules.

No licencee under these rules shall maintain or operate system or provide any other service, which is not authorised under these rules.

Every payment counter whether fixed or portable and generates invoices for receipt of payment either in cash or through debit or credit card shall be connected.

Every licencee shall be bound to integrate the payment counter in the prescribed manner, the FBR added.

On receipt of application for grant of licence in the Board, the licencing committee shall scrutinise the document provided and it shall evaluate the eligibility of the applicant within seven days of receipt of application.

The licencing committee may also carry out visits, if necessary for physical inspection to ascertain the eligibility of the applicant for licensing under these rules.

The licensing committee shall send its recommendations to the Member (IR—Operations) and the Director General Retail within 10 days of date of submission of the application, specifying reasons for recommending or rejection of any application under these rules.

In case, the companies meet the criteria under these rules, the licencing committee shall make recommendations for grant of licences.

The licencing committee shall grant the licence to the recommended companies with the prior approval of Member (IR—Operations) and Director General Retail, the FBR added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021