37th GST Council meeting highlights

The GST Council, in its 37th meeting held at Goa, has come up with various proposals to simplify and strengthen the tax filing system and one such decision is aimed at ensuring taxpayers file their GSTR 1 in time.

As per the statement by GSTN, “In order to nudge taxpayers to timely file their statement of outward supplies, imposition of restrictions on availment of input tax credit by the recipients in cases where details of outward supplies are not furnished by the suppliers in the statement under section 37 of the CGST Act, 2017”. This means when taxpayers do not file a GSTR 1, they would not be able to claim input tax credit. This is an important step to ensure validity of ITC claim in the system and sets the stage for the new simplified return filing mechanism

Incidentally the Government on Friday said, the New return system that was to be introduced in October 2019, would now be introduced from April, 2020. This is in order to give ample opportunity to taxpayers as well as the system to adapt and accordingly specifying the due date for furnishing of return in FORM GSTR-3B and details of outward supplies in FORM GSTR-1 for the period October, 2019 – March, 2020.

GST Council provided much-needed relief to MSMEs by allowing them waiver to file GSTR 9 and GSTR-9A. Announcing the relaxation in filing of annual returns for MSMEs for FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19, a statement said waiver of the requirement of filing FORM GSTR-9A for Composition Taxpayers for the said tax periods will be provided. Filing of FORM GSTR-9 for those taxpayers who (are required to file the said return but) have aggregate turnover up to Rs. 2 crores made optional for the said tax periods.

Other important decision taken at the Council meeting include setting a Committee of Officers to examine the simplification of Forms for Annual Return and reconciliation statement and extension of last date for filing of appeals against orders of Appellate Authority before the GST Appellate Tribunal as the Appellate Tribunals are not yet functional.

Source: Central Tax Notification (38/2019-Central Tax , dt. 31-08-2019)
http://www.cbic.gov.in/htdocs-cbec/gst/notfctn-38-central-tax-english-2019.pdf