GSTR-9/9C: taxpayers and tax professional demand due date extension

GST Annual return is a compilation of all business transactions that took place in a Financial Year. GSTR-9 is required to be filed if your Turnover is more than 2Cr. GST Reconciliation Statement in GSTR-9C along with GST Annual Return is required to be filed if your turnover is more than Rs 5Cr.

Due date for filing GST Annual Return

For Financial Year 2021-22, the Due Date for filing GST Annual Return (GSTR-9) and GST Reconciliation Statement is 31st December 2022.

This year also Professionals have demanded an extension of the due date of this Annual Return form due to the following reasons:

1. Late generation of Table 8A used for Input Tax Credit Reconciliation:

Table 8A got updated very late due to which many taxpayers are finding it difficult to reconcile ITC with their books. In some cases, no Autopopulated GSTR 2A data in table 8 of GSTR 9 is being coming.

2. Complexities due to HSN Reporting:

The Reporting of the HSN Code in the Annual Return has increased complexities for Tax Professionals. They need some more time as it is a new reporting requirement. Also, wrong reporting of HSN can have serious complexities.

Also, many times taxpayers is dealing with many different types of items having different HSN Codes. Sometimes there are more than 500 Entries. This makes filing the Return all the more difficult.

3. Error in uploading the Json files

Many people are finding difficulty in uploading the json generated using the offline utility of GSTN.

What if the GSTR-9 Filing is delayed?

Any registered person who fails to furnish the return required under section 44 by the due date shall be liable to pay a late fee of one hundred rupees for every day during which such failure continues subject to a maximum of an amount calculated at a quarter percent of his turnover in the State or Union territory. [Section 47(2)]

Particulars	CGST	SGST	Total
Late Fees per day	100	100	200
Maximum Late Fees	0.25% of turnover in the state or Union territory.	0.25% of turnover in the state or Union territory.	0.5% of turnover in the state or Union territory.

For GST Audit, there is no specific penalty, however, general penalty of Rs 25,000 under an act can be levied for delay in filing GST Audit Report in Form GSTR-9C.