CBIC has issued Relaxations to tax payers under GST due to COVID-19 as recommended by 43rd GST Council Meeting held on 28-05-2021. The relief measures include the following:
- Where, any time limit for completion or compliance of any action, by any authority or by any person, completion of any proceeding or filing of any appeal etc. which falls during the period from 15-04-2021 to 29-06-2021, then the time limit for completion or compliance of such action, shall be extended up to the 30-06-2021 with some exceptions. However, wherever the timelines for actions have been extended by Hon’ble Supreme Court, the same would apply.
- Tax payers would be able to self-certify the reconciliation statement in Form GSTR-9C from FY 2020-21 instead of certification by Chartered Accountants
- Filing of annual return in Form GSTR-9/9A for FY 2020-21 would be made optional for tax payers having aggregate annual turnover up to Rs 2 crores.
- Filing of reconciliation statement in Form GSTR-9C for FY 2002-21 will be required by tax payers having annual aggregate turnover above Rs 5 crores.
- Payment of interest on net cash basis (on the net tax liability for the period) to be notified with retrospective effect from 01-07-2017.
- Allowing filing of returns by Companies using Electronic Verification Code (EVC) instead of Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) up to 31-08-2021.