Synopsis of Notifications Issued on 30th July 2021

Synopsis of Notifications Issued on 30^th July 2021

Notification No. 29/2021 – Central Tax

As part of ease of doing business, in the Finance Bill 2021, the GST Audit has been scrapped and Annul Returns are being simplified with self-certification of the taxpayer only.

The same has been made effective from 1^st August 2021.

Notification No. 30/2021 – Central Tax

As per the Finance Bill 2021, changes have been announced for the formats of GSTR – 9 and 9C.

With this notification GSTR -9C is now self-certified but the format will remain the same except for few changes.

Annul Return i.e., GSTR – 9 has to be filed on or before 31st December, which means the due date for filing of Annual Return for the FY 2020- 2021 is 31st Dec 2021.

Sr. No	Form Type	Tax Payer Category	Due Date
1	Form GSTR – 9	Regular Tax payers	31st Dec 2021
2	Form GSTR – 9A	Composition Tax payers
3	Form GSTR – 9B	e-commerce operators	31st Dec 2021
4	Form GSTR – 9C (Reconciliation Statement) (Applicable to taxpayers whose turnover is above ₹ 5 crores	Regular Tax payers	31st Dec 2021

Following are the changes made to Form GSTR – 9

The return is not made applicable to FY 2020-21.

Following are the changes made to Form GSTR – 9C

Certification will be self-certified by the taxpayer and does not require certification of a practicing Cost or a Charted Accountant.

Others Column has been added to the following tables

Table 9 – Reconciliation of rate wise liability and amount payable thereon

Table 11 – Additional amount payable but not paid (due to re

Part V – Additional Liability due to non-reconciliation

Certification Section – Part B has been dropped

Notification No. 31/2021 – Central Tax

 Taxpayers having aggregate turnover below ₹ 2 crores are not exempted from filing of Annual Return i.e., Form GSTR – 9.

The effective date of the Notification is 1st August 2021.

Disclaimer

Any views or opinions represented above are personal and belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people, institutions, or organizations that the author may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Any views or opinions are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual.

Recommendations of 43rd GST Council meeting

The 43 GST Council met under the Chairmanship of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman through video conferencing here today. The meeting was also attended
by Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Shri Anurag Thakur besides Finance
Ministers of States & UTs and senior officers of the Ministry of Finance & States/ UTs.
The GST Council has made the following recommendations relating to changes in GST rates on
supply of goods and services and changes related to GST law and procedure:
COVID-19 RELIEF
As a COVID-19 relief measure, a number of specified COVID-19 related goods such as medical
oxygen, oxygen concentrators and other oxygen storage and transportation equipment, certain
diagnostic markers test kits and COVID-19 vaccines, etc., have been recommended for full
exemption from IGST, even if imported on payment basis, for donating to the government or on
recommendation of state authority to any relief agency. This exemption shall be valid upto
31.08.2021. Hitherto, IGST exemption was applicable only when these goods were imported “free of
cost” for free distribution. The same will also be extended till 31.8.2021. It may be mentioned that
these goods are already exempted from Basic Customs duty. Further in view of rising Black Fungus
cases, the above exemption from IGST has been extended to Amphotericin B.
Further relief in individual item of COVID-19 after Group of Ministers (GoM) submits report on 8 June 2021

As regards individual items, it was decided to constitute a Group of Ministers (GoM) to go into the
need for further relief to COVID-19 related individual items immediately. The GOM shall give its
report by 08.06.2021.

OTHER RELIEFS ON GOODS
To support the LympahticFilarisis (an endemic) elimination programme being conducted in
collaboration with WHO, the GST rate on Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) tablets has been
recommended for reduction to 5% (from 12%).
Certain clarifications/clarificatory amendments have been recommended in relation to GST rates.
Major ones are, –
Leviability of IGST on repair value of goods re-imported after repairs
GST rate of 12% to apply on parts of sprinklers/ drip irrigation systems falling under tariff heading
8424 (nozzle/laterals) to apply even if these goods are sold separately.

SERVICES
To clarify those services supplied to an educational institution including anganwadi(which provide
pre-school education also), by way of serving of food including mid- day meals under any midday
meals scheme, sponsored by Government is exempt from levy of GST irrespective of funding of
such supplies from government grants or corporate donations.
To clarify these services provided by way of examination including entrance examination, where fee
is charged for such examinations, by National Board of Examination (NBE), or similar Central or
StateEducational Boards, and input services relating thereto are exempt from GST.
To make appropriate changes in the relevant notification for an explicit provision to make it clear that
land owner promoters could utilize credit of GST charged to them by developer promoters in respect
of suchapartments that are subsequently sold by the land promotor and on which GST is paid. The
developer promotor shall be allowed to pay GST relating to such apartments any time before
or at the time of issuance of completion certificate.
To extend the same dispensation as provided to MRO units of aviation sector to MRO units of
ships/vessels so as to provide level playing field to domestic shipping MROs vis a vis foreign MROs
and accordingly, –
GST on MRO services in respect of ships/vessels shall be reduced to 5% (from 18%).
PoS of B2B supply of MRO Services in respect of ships/ vessels would be location of recipient of
service
To clarify that supply of service by way of milling of wheat/paddy into flour (fortified with
minerals etc. by millers or otherwise )/rice to Government/ local authority etc.for distribution of
such flour or rice under PDS is exempt from GST if the value of goods in such composite
supply does not exceed 25%. Otherwise, such services would attract GST at the rate of 5% if
supplied to any person registered in GST, including a person registered for payment of TDS.
To clarify that GST is payable on annuity payments received as deferred payment for
construction of road. Benefit of the exemption is for such annuities which are paid for the service
by way of access to a road or a bridge.

To clarify those services supplied to a Government Entity by way of construction of a rope-way
attract GST at the rate of 18%.
To clarify that services supplied by Govt. to its undertaking/PSU by way of guaranteeing loans taken
by such entity from banks and financial institutions is exempt from GST.

MEASURES FOR TRADE FACILITATION:

1. Amnesty Scheme to provide relief to taxpayers regarding late fee for pending
   returns:
   To provide relief to the taxpayers, late fee for non-furnishing FORM GSTR-3B for the
   tax periods from July, 2017 to April, 2021 has been reduced / waived as under: –
   i. late fee capped to a maximum of Rs 500/- (Rs. 250/- each for CGST & SGST) per return for
   taxpayers, who did not have any tax liability for the said tax periods;
   ii. late fee capped to a maximum of Rs 1000/- (Rs. 500/- each for CGST & SGST) per return
   for other taxpayers;
   The reduced rate of late fee would apply if GSTR-3B returns for these tax periods are
   furnished between 01.06.2021 to 31.08.2021.

2. Rationalization of late fee imposed under section 47 of the CGST Act:

To reduce burden of late fee on smaller taxpayers, the upper cap of late fee is being
rationalized to align late fee with tax liability/ turnover of the taxpayers, as follows

A. The late fee for delay in furnishing of FORM GSTR-3B and FORM GSTR-1 to be
capped, per return, as below:
(i) For taxpayers having nil tax liability in GSTR-3B or nil outward supplies
in GSTR-1, the late fee to be capped at Rs 500 (Rs 250 CGST + Rs 250 SGST)
(ii) For other taxpayers:
a. For taxpayers having Annual Aggregate Turnover (AATO) in
preceding year upto Rs 1.5 crore, late fee to be capped to a maximum
of Rs 2000 (1000 CGST+1000 SGST);
b. For taxpayers having AATO in preceding year between Rs 1.5 crore
to Rs 5 crore, late fee to be capped to a maximum of Rs 5000 (2500
CGST+2500 SGST);
c. For taxpayers having AATO in preceding year above Rs 5 crores, late
fee to be capped to a maximum of Rs 10000 (5000 CGST+5000
SGST).

B. The late fee for delay in furnishing of FORM GSTR-4 by composition taxpayers to
be capped to Rs 500 (Rs 250 CGST + Rs 250 SGST) per return, if tax liability is nil in
the return, and Rs 2000 (Rs 1000 CGST + Rs 1000 SGST) per return for others.

C. Late fee payable for delayed furnishing of FORM GSTR-7 to be reduced to Rs.50/-
per day (Rs. 25 CGST + Rs 25 SGST) and to be capped to a maximum of Rs 2000/-
(Rs. 1,000 CGST + Rs 1,000 SGST) per return.
All the above proposals to be made applicable for prospective tax periods.

3. COVID-19 related relief measures for taxpayers:

In addition to the relief measures already provided to the taxpayers vide the
notifications issued on 01.05.2021, the following further relaxations are being
provided to the taxpayers:

A. For small taxpayers (aggregate turnover upto Rs. 5 crore)

a. March & April 2021 tax periods:
i. NIL rate of interest for first 15 days from the due date of furnishing the return in FORM
GSTR-3B or filing of PMT-06 Challan, reduced rate of 9% thereafter for further 45 days and
30 days for March,2021 and April, 2021 respectively.
ii. Waiver of late fee for delay in furnishing return in FORM GSTR-3B for the tax periods
March / QE March, 2021 and April 2021 for 60 days and 45 days respectively, from the due
date of furnishing FORM GSTR-3B.
iii. NIL rate of interest for first 15 days from the due date of furnishing the statement in CMP-08
by composition dealers for QE March 2021, and reduced rate of 9% thereafter for further 45
days.

b. For May 2021 tax period:
i. NIL rate of interest for first 15 days from the due date of furnishing the return in FORM
GSTR-3B or filing of PMT-06 Challan, and reduced rate of 9% thereafter for further 15 days.
ii. Waiver of late fee for delay in furnishing returns in FORM GSTR-3B for taxpayers filing
monthly returns for 30 days from the due date of furnishing FORM GSTR-3B

B. For large taxpayers (aggregate turnover more than Rs. 5 crore)

A lower rate of interest @ 9% for first 15 days after the due date of filing return in FORM
GSTR-3B for the tax period May, 2021.
ii. Waiver of late fee for delay in furnishing returns in FORM GSTR-3B for the tax period May,
2021 for 15 days from the due date of furnishing FORM GSTR-3B.

C. Certain other COVID-19 related relaxations to be provided, such as

1. Extension of due date of filing GSTR-1/ IFF for the month of May 2021
   by 15 days.
2. Extension of due date of filing GSTR-4 for FY 2020-21 to 31.07.2021.
3. Extension of due date of filing ITC-04 for QE March 2021 to 30.06.2021.
4. Cumulative application of rule 36(4) for availing ITC for tax periods
   April, May and June, 2021 in the return for the period June, 2021.
5. Allowing filing of returns by companies using Electronic Verification Code
   (EVC), instead of Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) till 31.08.2021.

D. Relaxations under section 168A of the CGST Act: Time limit for completion of
various actions, by any authority or by any person, under the GST Act, which falls
during the period from 15 April, 2021 to 29 June, 2021, to be extended upto 30
June, 2021, subject to some exceptions.
[Wherever the timelines for actions have been extended by the Hon’ble Supreme
Court, the same would apply]

4. Simplification of Annual Return for Financial Year 2020-21:

i. Amendments in section 35 and 44 of CGST Act made through Finance Act, 2021 to be
notified. This would ease the compliance requirement in furnishing reconciliation statement
in FORM GSTR-9C, as taxpayers would be able to self-certify the reconciliation statement,
instead of getting it certified by chartered accountants. This change will apply for Annual
Return for FY 2020-21.
ii. The filing of annual return in FORM GSTR-9 / 9A for FY 2020-21 to be optional for
taxpayers having aggregate annual turnover upto Rs 2 Crore;
iii. The reconciliation statement in FORM GSTR-9C for the FY 2020-21 will be required to be
filed by taxpayers with annual aggregate turnover above Rs 5 Crore.

5. Retrospective amendment in section 50 of the CGST Act with effect from 01.07.2017,
   providing for payment of interest on net cash basis, to be notified at the earliest.

OTHER MEASURES
i. GST Council recommended amendments in certain provisions of the Act so as to make the
present system of GSTR-1/3B return filing as the default return filing system in GST.

Note: The recommendations of the GST Council have been presented in this release in simple
language for information of all stakeholders. The same would be given effect through relevant
Circulars/Notifications which alone shall have the force of la

Over Simplified GST Annual Return & GST Audit

Apart from the monthly filing of returns by the taxpayers in GST, all taxpayers have to file GST Annual Return and taxpayer with turn over above Rs 2 Crores have to file GST Audit Report yearly.  Annual Return under GST has to be filed through GSTR – 9 by all the taxpayers who have registered in GST even for a single day during the period 1^st April 2017 to 31^st March 2017.  The data to be reported is very much in detail, and most of the taxpayers have failed to maintain the data in the required manner as they have not reviewed or been guided based on the draft return formats released by the Government before the rollout of GST. The formats for the GSTR – 9 and GSTR – 9C (audit) have been released during Sep 2018; by that time, the financial year has lapsed, and most of the taxpayer was not in a position to get the data. This has resulted in requests from the trade, industry, and professionals for the extension of the due dates and simplification of the formats.

The Government has extended on multiple occasions from 31^st Dec 2018 to finally now to 31^st Dec 2019. Filing of Annual Return has been made optional for taxpayers having up to Rs 2 Crores has been made optional wide Notification No. 47/2019 – Central Tax for the Financial Year 2017-18 and 2018-19. Now, apart from this, the Government has simplified the return filing process for other taxpayers. This is good news for the taxpayers as their pain in collating the data is no longer required as most of them have been made optional for the Financial Year 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Simplifications announced in GSTR – 9

1. Outward supplies can be reported net of Debit / Credit Notes and Adjustments

The outward supplies being reported from Table 4A to 4G now can be reported net of Debit / Credit Noted and adjustments optionally if the taxpayer is having any difficulty in deriving the data. The outward supplies that can be reported are

1. B2B Supplies
2. B2C Supplies
3. Deemed Exports
4. Supplies to SEZ with payment of Duty
5. Exports with payment of duty
6. Advance received but supplies not made
7. Inward supplies on which tax is payable on account of reverse charge

 

2. Consolidated reporting for Exempted, Non-GST, and Nil Rated Supplies

All the supplies related to Exempted, Non-GST, and Nil Rate Supplies, which are to be reported in Table 5D to 5F, can now be reported in Table 5D, i.e., Exempted as a consolidated amount optionally if the taxpayer has any challenges in deriving these amounts individually. These can be reported net of Debit / Credit Notes & Amendments rather than reporting them separately.

3. Outward Supplies Without Payment of Duties

The taxpayers can report the supplies made to SEZ or SEZ Developers, Exports, or Supplies on which the Recipient has to pay taxes can be reported net of Debit / Credit Notes & Amendments. These supplies are falling in table 5A to 5C.

4. Input Tax Credit

Inward supplies from other than imports or from SEZ Units, imports and liable for reverse charge which are to be reported in Table 6B separately for Inputs, Capital Goods & Services can now be reported as a consolidated amount in Table 6B – “Inputs” if the taxpayer is not able to provide the breakup of the same.

Inward supplies received from unregistered suppliers liable for reverse charge are to be reported separately for Inputs, Capital Goods & Services can now be reported as a consolidated amount in Table 6C – “Inputs” if the taxpayer is not able to provide the breakup of the same. The amount to be reported her is only for the taxes paid and eligible amounts.

Inward supplies received from registered suppliers liable for reverse charge are to be reported separately for Inputs, Capital Goods & Services can now be reported as a consolidated amount in Table 6D – “Inputs” if the taxpayer is not able to provide the breakup of the same. The amount to be reported her is only for the taxes paid and eligible amounts.

Inward supplies from SEZ Units are to be reported separately for Inputs & Capital Goods can now be reported as a consolidated amount in Table 6E – “Inputs” if the taxpayer is not able to provide the breakup of the same. The amount to be reported her is only for the taxes paid and eligible amounts.

5. Reversal of Input Tax Credit

Taxpayers are required to reverse the input tax credit if the supplier is not paid in 180 days as per provisions of Rule 37, Input Service Distributor as per provisions of Rule 39, reversal in cases where the goods or services or both used partially for taxable supplies and partially for non-business purpose or exempted supplies as per provisions of Rule 42 and for transfer or sale of capital goods as per provisions of Rule 43, Blocked input tax credit under Provisions of Section 17(5) of the CGST Act 2017  were supposed to be reported separately in Tables 7A to 7E can now be reported as a single amount in Table 7H.

6. Refunds

The taxpayers are required to fill the amount for Refund Claimed, Refund Sectioned, Refund Rejected & Refund Pending are to be reported in Table 15A to 15D, now the taxpayers have the option of not reporting the same.

7. Demands

Taxpayers are required to fill the amount of Demand raised, Amount of Demand Paid, and Pending amounts in Table 15E to 15G, now the taxpayers have the option of not reporting the same.

8. Reporting of other Supplies

Taxpayers were required to report the supplies from Composition Tax Payers, Total amount  of material not received from job work, which is considered as deemed supplies and goods shipped on approval basis but received within specified period are not returned are required to report in Table 16A to 16C and now the taxpayers have an option of not reporting the same.

9. HSN Summary for Inward & Outward Supplies

Taxpayers were required to provide the HSN Summary for the Inward Supplies and Outward Supplies in Table 17 & Table 18, and now the taxpayers have the option of not reporting the same.

10. Applicability of the optional reporting

In almost all the sections where details are required to be reported, but now the same has been made optional. The flexibility applies only from 1^st July 2017 to March 2018 and from 1^st April 2018 to 2019. Thereby meaning that the taxpayers have to file the detailed amounts for the year 2019-20.

Simplifications announced in GSTR – 9C

GSTR – 9C is a reconciliation statement between the GST Returns and the Financial Statements. As part of the reconciliation statement, there is also a requirement to the return certified by a practicing Cost Accountant or Charted Accountant, the wording used in the same are also modified to shift the onus form the GST Auditor to the Taxpayer.

Simplifications announced in GSTR – 9C

1. Revenue Reconciliation

Taxpayers have to reconcile the revenue between the GST Returns and the Financial Statements. The tax payment is based on the Time of Supply for the GST Returns, and for the Financial Statements, they are based on the Accounting Standards; as a result, there will be a difference between both the revenues and the same is required to be reconciled and reported in GSTR – 9C. The reconciliation is the GSTR – 9C is required to classify under the following sections

1. Unbilled Revenue at the end of the Financial year
2. Unbilled Revenue at the beginning of the Financial year
3. Supplies treated as Deemed Supplies as per Schedule – 1
4. Credit Notes issued for the supplies in the next financial year, not reflected in the GST Returns
5. Trade Discounts accounted in the Financial Statements, but they are ineligible as per GST and not reflected in the GST Returns
6. Turnover from 1^st April to 30^th June 2017
7. Credit Notes accounted in the Financial Statements, but they are ineligible as per GST and not reflected in the GST Returns
8. Adjustments on account of supply of goods by SEZ units to DTA Units
9. Turnover for the period under composition scheme
10. Adjustments in the turnover under section 15 and rules thereunder
11. Adjustments in turnover due to foreign exchange fluctuations

All these are required to be reported in Table 5A to 5N of the GSTR – 9C, now the taxpayers have an option to report the same separately as a consolidated amount in Table 5O.

2. Input Tax Credit Reconciliation

Input tax credit reconciliation is required to be provided in Table 12, and as a part of it in 12 B, ITC booked in earlier Financial Year claimed in current Financial Year is not mandatorily required to be reported. Taxpayers have the option of not reporting it also.

In table 12 C, ITC availed as per audited financial statements or books of accounts, taxpayers have an option of not reporting it also.

3. Expense wise reporting of Input Tax Credit

In Table 14 of GSTR – 9C, taxpayers are required to report the input tax credit based on various accounting/expense heads mandatorily, now taxpayers have the option of reporting the same.

4. Certification from GST Auditor

GST Audit has to be certified by GST, a practicing Cost Accountant or Charted Accountant, who is certifying the audit. The format and the content of the Certificate are the same except for the change of wordings from “true and correct” to “true and correct.” This gives a lot of breather for the practicing members as they are not coming forward to come and certify that the information provided by them is correct.

The simplification of the GSTR – 9 and GSTR – 9C is applicable only for the FY 2017-18 & 2018-19, and the extension of the due dates have been notified through the Removal of Difficulties Order No. 08/2019-Central Tax dated 14^th Nov 2019.

From the above, it makes it clear that the Government wants all the eligible taxpayers to file the GST Annual and Audit returns. Once the filing is completed, the Government may be taking up the assessment of the same to ascertain the correctness of the data being furnished from time to time by the taxpayers and also detect any tax evasion which might have taken place. After the rollout of GST, to date, the taxpayers have not completed at least one audit or assessment.

 

Disclaimer

Any views or opinions represented above are personal and belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the author may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated. Any views or opinions are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual.

FAQ – 18

In From GSTR – 9C, what is “Adjustments in turnover due to foreign exchange fluctuations” and in which cases do i need to fill it?

It has to be filled by all taxpayers who have outward supplies in foreign currency and where they issue a tax invoice as well as a commercial invoice. It can be in case of exporters or supplies to SEZ’s where they issue a tax invoice with payment of duty i.e as per the GST at the time of removal of goods and for the foreign customer, a commercial invoice is issued on a subsequent date. The different dates can some time result in different exchange rates being used. This could cause a difference reported in the financial statements and in the GST Returns, for this reason, it has to be mentioned in the Form GSTR – 9C.

For previous FAQ’s click here

 

FAQ-13

Do I need to prepare the Annual Return before starting my GST Audit and filling of Form GSTR – 9C?

Yes, the Annual Return has filled /to be taken as a base for preparing the reconciliation statement as it will give the final input tax credit availed, output tax liability for the period July 2017 to March 2018.

FAQ – 6

What is Form GSTR – 9C?

Form GSTR – 9C is a reconciliation certificate to be filed by the taxpayers whose aggregate turnover in a financial year crosses two crores have to get their books audited by a Certified Cost Accountant or Charted Accountant.

GST Tip – 143

In Annex – 11 of GSTR – 9b, the taxpayer has to furnish a reconciliation statement between the financial results and the GST Returns for the Balances as on date of financial statements (Input Tax Credit along with the reasons if there are any differences for all the taxes applicable under GST.

GST Tip – 142

In Annex – 10 of GSTR – 9b, the taxpayer has to furnish a reconciliation statement between the financial results and the GST Returns for the Balances as on date of financial statements (GST payable) along with the reasons for all the taxes applicable under GST.

GST Tip – 141

In Annex – 9 of GSTR – 9b, the taxpayer has to furnish a reconciliation statement between the financial results and the GST Returns for the  Amounts paid under protest/ as pre-deposit against demand along with the reasons for all the taxes applicable under GST.

GST Tip – 140

In Annex 8 of GSTR – 9b, a reconciliation statement for the refunds has to be provided between the financial statements and GSTR Returns. It has to show the opening balance of refunds to be received, refund claimed during the year, refund claim received during the years and refund claims to be received at end of the year.