Modi Govt Extends Due Date For Filing Of GST Return Forms To March 31st 2020

The Narendra Modi government has extended the due dates of filing of Form GSTR-9 (Annual Return) and Form GSTR-9C (Reconciliation Statement) for Financial Year 2017-18 to 31st December and for Financial Year 2018-19 to 31st March 2020, according to Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. The Centre has also decided to simplify these forms by making various fields of these forms as optional.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) today 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.

The 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. Various representations regarding challenges faced by taxpayers in filing of GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C were received on which by the Government has acted in a very responsive manner.

It may be noted that earlier the last date for filing of GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C for Financial Year 2017-18 was 30th November 2019 while that for Financial Year 2018-19 was 31st December 2019. Notifications implementing the decisions as above have been issued today (14th November 2019).