Don’t expect GST registration in 3 working days

Important Changes introduced CGST(Fourteenth Amendment) Rules 2020:

Time limit for system-based GST Registration increased

1. The time for system-based registration has been enhanced from 3 days to 7 days. That means, now department shall be required to review and grant registration within 7 days against 3 days as provided earlier from the date of filing of registration application. Where the applicant does not do adhaar authentication or where department feels fit to carry out physical verification the time limit for grant of registration shall be 30 days instead of 7 days.

More Powers to GST department in cancellation of GSTIN

2. Now the officer can proceed for cancellation of GSTIN where a taxpayer avails Input Tax Credit (ITC) exceeding than that permissible in Section 16. Clause (e) has been inserted in Rule 21 of CGST Rules 2017.
3. Now where the liability declared in GSTR 3B is less than that declared in GSTR 1 in a particular month, department may now proceed with cancellation of GSTIN. There might be some practical difficulties in implementing such a provision as there are number of corrections which are made in GSTR 3B which may result in lower tax liability as compared with GSTR 1. The clause (f) newly inserted talks about details of outward supply to which we understand that Taxable value and tax both should be in synchronization between GSTR 1 and GSTR 3B.
4. Now, no opportunity of being heard shall be given to a taxpayer for suspension of GSTIN, where the proper officer (PO) has reasons to believe that the registration of person is liable to be cancelled. The words “opportunity of being heard has been omitted from clause (2) of Rule 21A.
5. Where there are significant deviation/anomalies between details of outward supply between GSTR 3B and GSTR1 or inward supplies (ITC) between GSTR 3B and GSTR 2B which indicate contravention of Act, department shall now serve a notice in FORM GST REG 31 to call explanation as to why GSTIN should not be cancelled. Taxpayer shall be required to submit his reply within 30 days of such notice being served to him.
6. Where a GSTIN is suspended no refund u/s 54 of CGST Act 2017 can be availed by the taxpayer. This means that first GSTIN Suspension proceedings have to be closed before applying refund.

Restriction on claim of ITC as per Rule 36(4)

7. The claim of ITC in respect of invoices not furnished by the corresponding vendors has now been restricted to 5% of the credit available in GSTR 2B. This limit earlier was 10% of ITC available. This would be mean that a taxpayer’s ITC claim shall now be restricted to 105% of the Credit reflected in his GSTR 2B. Any claim exceeding the specified limit shall result in violation of CGST Act read with rules which may result into suspension of GSTIN as described above. The provision shall come into effect from 1st January 2021.