NEW DELHI: The Government has to extend the due dates of filing of Form GSTR-9 (Annual Return) and Form GSTR-9C (Reconciliation Statement) for Financial Year 2017-18 to December 31, 2019 and for Financial Year 2018-19 to March 31, 2020.

It has also decided to simplify these forms by making various fields of these forms as optional.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) on Thursday notified the amendments regarding the simplification of GSTR-9 (Annual Return) and GSTR-9C (Reconciliation Statement) which inter-alia allow the taxpayers to not to provide split of input tax credit availed on inputs, input services and capital goods and to not to provide HSN level information of outputs or inputs, etc. for the financial year 2017-18 and 2018-19.

CBIC expects that with these changes and the extension of deadlines, all the GST taxpayers would be able to file their Annual Returns along with Reconciliation Statement for the financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19 in time.

"Since the returns were not simplified, the extension is not a surprise. However, frequent extensions and delay in non-simplification has been a let down for businesses. Our sense is that businesses are ready to comply with GSTR-9 so they can move on and prepare for the new simplified return filing system," said Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO, ClearTax.

Earlier the last date for filing of GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C for Financial Year 2017-18 was November 30, while that for Financial Year 2018-19 was December 31.

Published On : 15-11-2019

Source : Economic Times