Dr. D.K. Srinivas, a distinguished officer of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise), has been appointed as a Member (Technical) of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT).
With an illustrious career spanning over three decades in Indirect Taxes and Customs, his appointment is expected to bring deep institutional knowledge and operational expertise to the GSTAT.
Dr. Srinivas, born on July 1, 1963, in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, holds an M.V.Sc. (Dairy) degree in Veterinary Science from Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University. A meritorious student, he was awarded four Gold Medals for academic excellence, including being the overall university topper.
Before joining the civil services, Dr. Srinivas worked as a Specialist Officer at NABARD. He entered the IRS in 1989 and served across a wide range of roles and regions, including in Anti-Smuggling, Custom Houses, Audit Commissionerates, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), and various international airports.
In his last posting, he served as the Chief Commissioner of GST & Central Excise, Mumbai Zone, overseeing 11 CGST Commissionerates and 5 Audit Commissionerates. He also held additional charge as the Director General (In-charge) of the West Zone, GST Intelligence, until his retirement on June 30, 2023.
Dr. Srinivas has represented India on numerous global platforms. Notably, he received the “Best Participant Award” at the WTO Workshop on Customs Modernization in Taiwan (2004) and took part in WCO workshops in China. He also contributed to the Indo–Sri Lankan Free Trade Agreement negotiations in Colombo and led training programs for Customs officers in Male and New Delhi.
Recognized for his service excellence, Dr. Srinivas was awarded the Presidential Certificate of Distinguished Service in 2006.
His appointment to GSTAT comes at a crucial time as the tribunal begins to expand its functioning across India. His vast experience in customs enforcement, trade facilitation, and GST intelligence is expected to significantly strengthen adjudication and appellate processes under the GST framework.
