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A Composition taxpayer may now file NIL statement in Form GST CMP-08 for a quarter, through an SMS, apart from filing it through online mode, on GST Portal. 1.To file NIL Form GST CMP-08 through SMS, the taxpayer must fulfil following conditions: Taxpayer must be registered as composition taxable person (by filing Form GST REG-01) or the taxpayer might have opted for composition levy (by filing Form GST CMP-02). Taxpayer must have filed all the applicable statement(s) in Form GST CMP-08 for the previous quarter(s). Authorized signatory and his/ her phone number must be registered on the GST Portal. There must not be any data in save stage, in online version of Form GST CMP-08, on the GST Portal. 2.NIL Form CMP-08 for a tax period must be filed by the taxpayer, if there is no: Outward Supplies; liability due to reverse charge (including import of services); and other tax liability for the quarter, for which the statement is being filed. 3.Steps to File Nil Form GST CMP-08 through SMS ar...

The facility to file GSTR 3B and GSTR-1 with the EVC in lieu of DSC extended to the registered person, who are also registered under the Companies Act, 2013, shall be withdrawn w.e.f. 1st Nov. 2020.  However, facility to file NIL returns through OTP verification, shall be continued for all types of registered persons in view of notification 58/2020- dated 1st July 2020. Source: www.gst.gov.in Disclaimer: TaxAvant is meant purely for the educational purpose of Tax Laws and Regulatory Updates. It contains only general information. It is not professional advice and should not be treated as such. This Blog should not be substituted for professional advice. For Specific Queries, please post in the comments section.

The 42nd GST Council met under the Chairmanship of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman through video conferencing on 5th October 2020. The meeting was also attended by Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs besides Finance Ministers of States & UTs and senior officers of the Ministry of Finance & States/ UTs. The GST Council has made the following recommendations: 1. Levy of Compensation Cess to be extended beyond the transition period of five years i.e. beyond June, 2022, for such period as may be required to meet the revenue gap. Further details to be worked out. 2. Centre is releasing compensation of ₹ 20,000 crore to States today towards loss of revenue during 2020-21 and an amount of about ₹ 25,000 crore towards IGST of 2017-18 by next week. 3. Enhancement in features of return filing:In its 39th Meeting held in March 2020, the Council had recommended an incremental approach to incorporate features of the new return sy...

I.Relief to Composition Taxpayers in late fees for delayed filing of Form GSTR-4 (Quarterly Return): Vide Notification No 67/2020 dated 21.09.2020, the taxpayers who were under Composition Scheme, during any period till 31st March, 2019, have been provided relaxation in payment of late fees, on filing Form GSTR-4 (Quarterly Return). This relaxation is available, if Form GSTR-4 (Quarterly Return) is filed by them, between 22nd Sept., 2020 and 31st Oct., 2020, for any tax period of financial year 2017-18 or 2018-19. The details are as given below: II.Relief in late fees for delayed filing of Final Return in Form GSTR-10 Vide Notification No 68/2020 dated 21.09.2020, the taxpayers who had failed to file final return, in Form GSTR-10, by due date, have been provided relaxation in payment of late fees, on filing of Form GSTR 10 (Final Return). Such taxpayers can now file Form GSTR 10 (Final Return) between 22nd Sept., 2020 and 31st Dec., 2020, by paying a maximum late fee of Rs 500 (Rs 25...

The GSTN Portal has now done away with the mandatory requirement of linking of credit notes with Invoices Nos. issued by the Supplier while filing of GSTR-1, GSTR-6 or Filing of Refunds. Till now, original invoice number was mandatorily required to be quoted by the taxpayers, while reporting a Credit Note or Debit Note in Form GSTR-1 or Form GSTR-6. The taxpayers have now been provided with a facility on the GST Portal to: Report in their Form GSTR-1 or in Form GSTR-6, single credit note or debit note issued in respect of multiple invoices Choose the note supply type as Regular, SEZ, DE, Export etc., to identify the table to which such credit note or debit note pertains Indicate Place of Supply (POS) against each credit note or debit note, to identify the supply type i.e. Intra-State or Inter-State Debit /Credit Notes can be declared with tax amount, but without any taxable value also i.e. if credit note or debit note is issued for difference in tax rate only, then note value can be re...

A PDF statement has been made available to taxpayers, filing monthly GSTR-1 statement, with system computed values of Table 3 of Form GSTR-3B. This PDF will be prepared on the basis of the values reported by them, in their GSTR-1 statement, for the said tax period. Note: This facility will also be provided to quarterly GSTR-1 filers in due course of time. This PDF will be available on their GSTR-3B dashboard, from tax period of August 2020 onwards, containing the information of GSTR-1 filed by them on or after 4th September 2020. This will make filing of their Form GSTR-3B easier for them. This facility is provided to all taxpayers registered as a Normal taxpayer, SEZ Developer, SEZ unit and casual taxpayer. Tables of Form GSTR 3B will be Auto-Drafted in PDF statement : Following Tables of Form GSTR-3B will be auto drafted, on basis of values reported in GSTR-1 statement, for the said period: 3.1(a) - Outward taxable supplies (other than zero rated, nil rated and exempted) 3.1(b) - Ou...

The Goods & Services Tax Network (GSTN) Portal has recently released Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to filing of "Nil" GSTR-1 through Simple Messaging Service (SMS) Facility. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) via Notification No.44/2020-CT dated 8th June 2020  amended Rule "67A" of CGST Rules,2017 by prescribing that a Taxpayer can File "Nil" Return in Form GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B through SMS Facility. "Nil" Return was explained as a Return under Section 37 for a tax period that has nil or no entry in all Tables in Form GSTR-1. However, The Manner of Filing Return through SMS was not provided by CBIC. Thus, with these FAQs GSTN Portal has now prescribed the manner of filing of GSTR-1. Some of the Important FAQs which a taxpayer should be aware of in order to file "Nil" GSTR-1 return are: 1. When can Form GSTR-1 be filed as Nil? Ans. Form GSTR-1 can be filed as a nil return if there are no outward suppli...

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) waived off late fees payable under Section 47 of CGST Act,2017 for the delay in furnishing of Form GSTR-1 i.e. Details of Outward Supplies under Section 37 of CGST Act,2017 for the period March 2020 to June 2020. CBIC in its Notification no.53/2020-CT dated 24th June 2020 prescribed that the amount of late fee payable under Section 47 of CGST Act,2017 shall stand waived for registered persons who fail to furnish the details of outward supplies in Form GSTR-1 by the due date but files his return on or before the dates mentioned in the table below. For Taxpayers required to furnish GSTR-1 on a monthly basis: For Taxpayers required to furnish GSTR-1 on a quarterly basis: This Notification amends the earlier Notification issued on 3rd April 2020 wherein late fee was waived for the period March 2020 to May 2020 if GSTR-1 was filed till 30th June 2020.Issuance of the above notification scraps off the earlier notification. Earlier on ...

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) vide its Notification no.58/2020-CT dated 1st July 2020 has enabled to file returns under form GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B through Short Messaging Service (SMS) facility. CBIC has substituted Rule 67A of CGST Rules, 2017 namely “67A. Manner of furnishing of return or details of outward supplies by short messaging service facility."  which prescribes that A Registered Person who is required to furnish a "Nil Return" under Section 39 in Form GSTR-3B or a "Nil details of Outward Supplies" under Section 37 in Form GSTR-1 through an SMS using the registered mobile number and such return shall be verified by the registered mobile number through One Time Password (OTP) facility. Earlier, CBIC had allowed the filing of "Nil" GSTR-3B through SMS facility. This Notification amends the CGST Rules, 2017 by bringing in the Eighth Amendment and shall come in force from 1st July 2020. With this Amendment, filing of ...

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) has extended the due date for filing of GSTR-4 required to be filed by registered persons opting for composition scheme under GST vide its Notification no.59/2020-Central Tax dated 13th July 2020  for FY:2019-20. This Notification seeks to amend the Notification No.21/2019-CT dated 23rd April 2020 by substituting the due date from 15th July 2020 to 31st August 2020. A Taxpayer opting for Composition Scheme under GST is required to file GSTR-4 for a financial year on or before 30th April following the end of such financial year. Such Taxpayers are required to furnish only 1 return i.e. GSTR-4.  Such Taxpayers are also required to pay self-assessed tax under Form CMP-08 for every quarter or part thereof as the case may be till 18th of the month succeeding such quarter which. This form has in turn replaced GSTR-4 from FY:2019-20 (which was required to be file every quarter earlier) to make the tax compliance for Compositio...

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs(CBIC) has extended the due date for filing of Return under Form GSTR-3B for Taxpayers having turnover up to Rs.5 Crores for the month of August 2020 vide it Notification no.54/2020-CT dated 24th June 2020. Earlier CBIC had waived off/lowered interest rates for taxpayers having turnover up to Rs.5 Crores for the period February to July 2020 as part of Covid-19 relief measures. Now, CBIC has gone a step ahead and has prescribed a revised due date for Taxpayers having Turnover in previous FY up to Rs.5 Crores depending upon their place of registered business. For Taxpayers having turnover up to Rs.5 Crores in previous F.Y. having registered place of business in the States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, the Union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands or Lakshadweep, shall furnish return under Fo...

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC) vide  Notification No.51/2019-CT  dated 24th June 2020 provided relief to Taxpayers by reducing/waiving off interest for taxpayers.CBIC has categorised the taxpayers according to the revenue generated by them in the previous financial year i.e. FY:2019-20. CBIC has categorised the taxpayers into two categories- Taxpayers with Revenue exceeding Rs.5 Crores in FY:19-20 and Taxpayers with Revenue up to Rs.5 Crores in FY:19-20. Taxpayers having revenue up to Rs.5 Crores have been further categorised depending upon their Registered Place of Business.  Relief has been given accordingly as per the category under Taxpayer falls in the table given below: Note:  If Return in Form GSTR-3B is filed after the extended date prescribed by CBIC in this notification then the interest rate would be applicable under Section 50(1) of CGST Act, 2017 at 18% per annum from the extended date as prescribed by CBIC in this notification. For E.g. , If...

Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs ( CBIC ) vide its Notification no.48/2020-Central Tax dated 19th June 2020 has prescribed that a registered person under GST who is registered under Companies Act, 2013 shall be allowed to furnish his return in Form GSTR-3B and GSTR-1 through Electronic Verification Code ( EVC ) Mode. CBIC has amended sub-rule(1) in Rule 26 of Central Goods & Services Tax Rule, 2017 by substituting the second proviso and prescribing that Registered Person under GST having registration under Companies Act,2013 (Section 18 of Companies Act,2013) shall be allowed to furnish return under Section 39 in Form GSTR-3B during the period from 21st April 2020 to 30th September 2020 through EVC Mode. With this Notification, CBIC has also allowed furnishing the details of outward supplies under section 37 in Form GSTR-1 during the period from 27th May 2020 to 30th September 2020 through EVC mode by such registered persons. What is EVC Mode?-Electronic Verification ...

The 40th GST Council met under the Chairmanship of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman through video conferencing on12th June 2020. This was the first GST Council meet after the successive lockdowns due to Covid-19 pandemic. The following recommendations were made related to changes in Law & Procedure: 1. Reduction of Late Fees for Past Returns As a measure to clean up pendency in return filing, late fees for non-furnishing FORM GSTR-3B for the tax period from July 2017 to January 2020 has been reduced/waived as under:  a)'NIL’ late fee if there is no tax liability. b)Maximum late fee capped at Rs. 500/- per return if there is any tax liability. The Reduced Late Fees would apply for all the GSTR-3B returns furnished between 1 July 2017 to 30 September 2020. 2. Further relief for small taxpayers for late filing of returns for February, March & April 2020 Tax periods: For small taxpayers (aggregate turnover up to Rs.5 Crores), for the supplie...

In a significant move towards taxpayer facilitation, the Government has today onwards allowed the filing of " NIL " GST monthly Return in FORM GSTR-3B through SMS. Earlier, The Govt. has come up with such relief measures in the form of allowing Return filing through EVC for Taxpayers of all categories. This latest move will substantially improve ease of GST compliance for over 22 lakh registered taxpayers who had to otherwise log into their account on the common portal and then file their returns every month. Now, taxpayers with NIL liability need not log on to the GST Portal and may file their NIL returns through an SMS. For this purpose, the functionality of filing Nil FORM GSTR-3B through SMS has been made available on the GSTN portal with immediate effect. The status of the returns so filed can be tracked on the GST Portal by logging in to GSTIN account and navigating to Services > Returns > Track Return Status . The procedure to file Nil returns by SMS is as follow...