Key features of Monthly Returns
Background: GST Council in its 27th meeting held on 4thMay, 2018 had approved the basic principles of GST return design. Now in its 28th meeting held on 21st July, 2018, GST Council approved the key features and new format of the GST returns. This brief note lists the salient features of the new return format and business process for the information of trade and industry and other stakeholders.
Part A: Key features of the Monthly Return:
1. Monthly Return and due-date: All taxpayers excluding a few exceptions like small taxpayers, composition dealer, Input Service Distributor (ISD), Non resident registered person, persons liable to deduct tax at source under section 51 of CGST Act, 2017, persons liable to collect tax at source under section 52 of CGST Act, 2017, shall file one monthly return. Return filing dates shall be staggered based on the turnover of the taxpayer which shall be calculated based on the reported turnover in the last year i.e. 2017-18, annualized for the full year. It shall be possible for the taxpayer to check on the common portal whether he falls in the category of a small taxpayer. A newly registered taxpayer shall be classified on the basis of self-declaration of the estimated turnover. The due date for filing of return by a large taxpayer shall be 20th of the next month.
2. (i) Nil return: Taxpayers who have no purchases, no output tax liability and no input tax credit to avail in any quarter of the financial year shall file one NIL return for the entire quarter. In month one and two of the quarter, such taxpayer shall report NIL transaction by sending a SMS. Facility for filing quarterly return shall also be available by an SMS.
(ii) Small taxpayers: Taxpayers who have a turnover upto Rs. 5 Cr. in the last financial year shall be considered small calculated in the manner explained in para 1 above. These small taxpayers shall have facility to file quarterly return with monthly payment of taxes on self-declaration basis. However, the facility would be optional and small taxpayer can also file monthly return like a large taxpayer. The scheme of filing of quarterly return is explained later.
3. Continuous uploading and viewing: There would be facility for continuous uploading of invoices by the supplier anytime during the month and such uploaded invoice shall be continuously visible to the recipient. Only uploaded invoice would be a valid document for availing input tax credit. Invoices uploaded by the supplier by 10th of succeeding month shall be auto-populated in the liability table of the main return of the supplier. The screen where it shall be visible to the recipient is hereafter called “viewing facility” (shown as “inward annexure” in the return document). After the due date for the filing of return is over, the recipient shall also be able to see the return filing status of the supplier and thus be aware whether the tax liability on purchases made by him has been discharged by the supplier or not. Viewing facility shall also show the trade name of the supplier.
4. Due date for uploading invoices and action to be taken by the recipient: Invoices uploaded by the supplier by 10th of the next month shall be posted continuously in the viewing facility of the recipient and the taxes payable thereon which can be availed as input tax credit shall be posted in the relevant field of the input tax credit table of the return of the recipient by 11th of the next month. These invoices shall be available for availing input tax credit in the return filed by the recipient. However, invoices uploaded after 10th of next month by the supplier shall get posted in the relevant field of the return of the subsequent month of the recipient though viewing shall be continuous. For example, if invoice no. 1 of April is uploaded on 8th of May and invoice no. 2 of April is uploaded on 15th of May by the supplier, the recipient shall be able to avail input tax credit for invoice no. 1 with the return of April filed on say 20th May and for invoice no. 2 he shall be able to avail input tax credit with the return filed for the month of May, filed on say 20th of June. But both the invoices would be accounted towards the liability payable by the supplier in his return of the tax period of April. Therefore, after the 11th of the next month the recipient shall be able to accept, reject or keep pending a particular invoice but the maximum limit of eligible input tax credit will be based on the invoices uploaded by the supplier upto 10th of the subsequent month. In the transition phase of six months after the new system of return is implemented, the recipient would be able to avail input tax credit on self-declaration basis even on the invoices not uploaded by the supplier by 10th of the next month or thereafter using the facility of availing input tax credit on missing invoices.
5. Invoice uploaded but return not filed: In cases where no return is filed after uploading of the invoices by the supplier, it shall be treated as self-admitted liability by the supplier and recovery proceedings shall be initiated against him after allowing for a reasonable time for filing of the return and payment of tax.
To know more in details, find the enclosed attachment
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