GST Portal Updates – New Functionalities

New Functionality on Interest Calculation

1. Deployment of Interest Calculator in GSTR-3B:-

• This functionality will facilitate & assist the taxpayers in doing self-assessment.
• This functionality arrives at the system computed interest on the basis of the tax liability values declared by the taxpayers, along with the details about the period to which it pertains.
• The interest applicable, if any, will be computed after the filing of the said GSTR-3B and will be auto-populated in Table-5.1 of the GSTR-3B of the next tax period.
• The facility would be similar to the collection of Late fees for GSTR-3B, filed after the Due date, posted in the next period’s GSTR-3B.
• This functionality will inform the taxpayers about the manner of system computed interest for each tax-head and hence will assist the taxpayers in doing correct computation of interest for the tax liability of any past period declared in the GSTR-3B for the current tax period.

2. Registration:-

• Aadhaar authentication made mandatory for filing of Revocation application in Form REG-21 by Normal Taxpayers
• Normal taxpayers will now not be able to file Revocation application in Form REG-21 if they have not got their Aadhaar authentication done/e-KYC verified with Aadhaar enrolment ID.
• Submission of Aadhaar enrolment ID for e- KYC verification for Existing and New registrations
• Existing taxpayers as well as persons/entities applying for new registration, are now mandatorily required to provide Aadhaar enrolment ID no. for e-KYC verification.
• Triggering of alerts to Returns Module in case of change in status/ category of Taxpayer
• Now, an appropriate alert will be displayed in the Returns Module to the taxpayers whenever the status of the taxpayer or taxpayer category is changed due to following actions by tax officer at BO in Registration Module:
  • Registration restoration happens through Restoration of Registration functionality in back-office portal for registration applications, revocation applications and cancellation applications
  • Compulsory withdrawal from composition Levy.

3. Revocation of cancellation of registration:-

• Filing of application for revocation of cancellation of registration
• The taxpayers can file an application for revocation of cancellation of registration done by the Tax Official suo moto, within 30 calendar days from the date on which Cancellation Order was passed.
• Vide Notification No. 15/2021- CT dated 18.05.2021, Rule 23 of CGST Rules was amended. The amended provisions provide for extension of time limit for applying for revocation of cancellation of registration on sufficient cause.
• The taxpayers is now able to file revocation application even after 30 calendar days (but within 90 calendar days) from the date on which Cancellation Order was passed. To do so they require to fill additional fields such as Reason for Condonation for delay and can also add supporting documents. In such cases their application will be forwarded to the Competent Authority for condonation of delay and post approval of the competent authority will get assigned to respective Jurisdictional Authority for processing after condonation of delay.

4. Returns:-

• Reduction in the frequency of filing of statement in Form ITC-04, based on aggregate turnover
• Earlier, the taxpayers sending the goods for job work were required to file details of goods, sent and received back or disposed of from the business place of the job worker, in Form GST ITC-04 on a quarterly basis.
• The Law Committee, in its meeting held on 30-06-2021, decided to make the frequency of filing Form GST ITC-04 either half yearly or annual, based on aggregate turnover of preceding financial year.
• Now the taxpayers having aggregate turnover exceeding Rs. 5 Cr in the preceding year will be required to file Form ITC04 on a half yearly basis whereas all other taxpayers would be required to file it on annual basis.
• Blocking filing of statement of outward supplies in Form GSTR1 in case of non-filing of returns in Form GSTR-3B for the preceding tax period
• Changes have been implemented on the portal in terms of Notification No 35/2021-CT, dated 24th Sept., 2021, amending rule 59 (6) (a) & (b) of the CGST Act.
• Consequently, w.e.f. 1st January 2022, GSTR-1/IFF filing for a particular period will now be allowed for normal taxpayers (including monthly and quarterly filers) only if the taxpayers have filed the return in FORM GSTR-3B for the preceding tax period.

5. Refund:-

• Changes in the messages displayed to the taxpayer after applying for Refund Form RFD-01
• Important changes in messages displayed to taxpayers in the “Track Application Status” utility for Refund applications are:
• For NIL refund filers, the new message reads “No Further processing is required since it is NIL refund application”.
• Once the taxpayer has updated bank account details, the Update Bank account button is disabled. The user receives an error message, “The bank account has already been updated by you. Kindly wait till it is validated”.
• Now, under basic details, the tax period is also shown in pre-login (after Category row), depending on the category of refund; And the GSTIN will also be displayed in both pre and post-login (just before ARN).
• The transmission date on the track page will show timestamp.
• The status of refund order issued in Form RFD-06 will give statuses as ‘Refund Sanctioned in RFD-06’, or ‘Refund Partially Sanctioned in RFD-06’ or ‘RFD-06 issued, Refund rejected’
• Aadhaar authentication made mandatory for filing of refund of IGST paid on export of goods and filing of refund application in Form RFD-01 in other cases
• Now, GST System will transmit the export invoice details of taxpayer to ICEGATE for processing the IGST refund only if Aadhaar authentication or uploading of e-KYC documents have been successfully done. Therefore, system will not transmit export invoice details to ICEGATE if taxpayer has not undergone Aadhaar authentication or uploaded e-KYC documents (to mandatorily include Aadhaar enrolment ID).
• Similarly, the taxpayer will now not be able to file applications for refund in Form RFD-01, in case they have not undergone Aadhaar authentication or uploaded e-KYC documents (to mandatorily include Aadhaar enrolment ID). In case such taxpayers initiate an application for refund, they will be displayed suitable error messages.