GST RETURNS

The term “return” ordinarily means statement of information (facts) furnished by the taxpayer, to tax administrators, at regular intervals. “filing of returns” constitutes the most important compliance procedure which enables the Government/ tax administrator to estimate the tax collection for a particular period and determine the correctness of the tax compliance of the taxpayers.

Return	Periodicity/description	Who Files?	Date for filing
GSTR-1	Monthly Statement of Outward supplies of goods and/or services	Registered person with annual aggregate turnover greater than ₹ 1.5 crore (Compulsory). Others has an option to file monthly/quarterly where option to be made on yearly basis.	11th of the next month
	Quarterly Statement of Outward supplies of goods and/or services	Registered person with annual aggregate turnover up to ₹ 1.5 crore	11th of the month succeeding the quarter
GSTR-3B	Monthly return for a normal taxpayer	Registered person	20th of the next month
GSTR-4	Return for a financial year	Registered person paying tax under composition scheme/ Notification No.2/2019 CT (R) dated 07.03.2019	30th April of the next financial year
GSTR-5	Monthly return	Non-resident Taxpayer	20th of the next month or within 7 days after expiry of registration, whichever is earlier
GSTR-9	Annual return	Registered person other than an ISD, tax deductor/tax collector,casual taxable person and a non-resident taxpayer	31st December of the next financial year
GSTR-10	Final return	Taxable person whose registration has been Surrendered or cancelled	Within three months of the date of Cancellation or date of order of cancellation, whichever is later

When a person becomes liable to registration after his turnover crosses the threshold limit, he may apply for registration within 30 days of so becoming liable. Thus, there might be a time lag between a person becoming liable to registration and grant of registration certificate. First Return is for declaring supplies between this time limit.

Who is required to furnish annual return and what is the due date for the same?

All registered persons are required to file an annual return. However, following persons are not required to file the annual return:

1. Casual taxable persons.
2. Non- resident taxable person.
3. Input service distributors.
4. Persons authorized to deduct/collect tax at source under section 51/52.

Every registered person who is required to get his accounts audited under section 35(5) shall also furnish electronically a copy of audited annual accounts and a certified reconciliation statement in the prescribed form along with the annual return.

The annual return is to be filed electronically in Form GSTR-9 through the common portal.

A person paying tax under composition scheme is required to file the annual return in Form GSTR-9A. Filing of annual return (GSTR- 9) under section 44(1) of CGST Act read with rule 80(1) of CGST Rules, in respect of financial years 2017-18 and 2018-19, has been made voluntary for the registered persons whose turnover is less than Rs. 2 crore and who have not furnished the said annual return before the due date. The annual return shall be deemed to be furnished on the due date if it has not been furnished before the due date.

Every registered person who is required to furnish return u/s 39(1) and whose registration has been surrendered or cancelled is required to file a final return electronically in Form GSTR-10 through the common portal.

The final return has to be filed within 3 months of the

• date of cancellation
•  date of order of cancellation

whichever is later.