Ludhiana: In a big breather for the assessees and the tax practitioners of the city, the
GST amnesty scheme (under which the penalties for filing returns late were waived or reduced as per the case) has been extended for three more months till November 30.
The development is being welcomed in the city as several associations of both businessmen and tax professionals had sent representations to the ministry of finance for extending the deadline, which was earlier August 31. Besides this, the deadline for filing an application for revocation of the cancelled GST numbers has also been extended by one month till September 30.
Stakeholders are of the opinion that the government should also refund the late fee paid by the assessees who defaulted on filing the returns and paid full charges. A notification for extension of the amnesty scheme was issued by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) on Sunday.
Tax professional NK Thamman said, “The assessees who have tax liability but fail to file GSTR-3B by due date, the late fee is Rs 50 for every day of delay. Similarly, the assessees who have no tax liability but fail to file GSTR-3B return by due date, the late fee is Rs 20 for every day of delay and the maximum late fee levied is Rs 10,000 per return. But now under the amnesty scheme, the maximum late fee has been capped at Rs 1,000 per return (where there is a tax liability) and to Rs 500 per return (where there is nil liability) for non-furnishing of monthly or quarterly GSTR-3B by due date for the period July 2017 to April 2021, provided such return is filed between June 1, 2021, and November 30.”
Thamman said, “This decision has been taken to clear pendency by those assessees who have not filed their delayed returns by May 31, 2021. The government is bringing amnesty schemes to improve GST compliance, but the genuine taxpayer will feel cheated, as they had abided by the penal provisions and deposited the late fee for delay in filing of return. There is no notification for refunding of late fee deposited by these genuine taxpayers, but the government must consider giving relief to such assessees too.”
Kulpreet Malhotra, a member of United Cycle and Parts’ Manufacturers’ Association, said, “We had recently written to the ministry of finance to extend the GST amnesty scheme by six months as a big number of assessees were still unable to avail its benefit. Though the scheme has been extended by three months, we are okay with it and will avail the benefit of the waivers in late fee.”
Rajkumar Singla, president of Fasteners’ Suppliers’ Association, Ludhiana, said, “We are thankful to the ministry of finance for accepting our demand. The due date for filing revocation of the cancelled GST numbers has been extended by one month, but the government should also consider refunding the late fee already paid by the taxpayers when the amnesty scheme was not in place.”
Source:thetimesofindia.com