MM TAX CLUB

Extension of due date for filing FORM GSTR-9 and FORM GSTR-9C for the Financial Year 2022-23 for the persons registered in certain districts of Tamil Nadu.

Notification No. . 02/2024 – CENTRAL TAX Dated 5th January, 2024

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 164 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Central Government, on the recommendations of the Council, hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, namely: —

1. Short title and commencement. -(1) These rules may be called the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Rules, 2024.

(2) They shall come into force on the 31st day of December, 2023.

2. In the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, in rule 80,–

(a) after sub-rule (1A), the following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:-

“(1B) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), for the financial year 2022-2023, the said annual return shall be furnished on or before the tenth day of January, 2024 for the registered persons whose principal place of business is in the districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar in the state of Tamil Nadu.”;

(b) after sub-rule (3A), the following sub-rule shall be inserted, namely:-

“(3B) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (3), for the financial year 2022-2023, the said self-certified reconciliation statement shall be furnished along with the said annual return on or before the tenth day of January, 2024 for the registered persons whose principal place of business is in the districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Virudhunagar in the state of Tamil Nadu.”;

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (6) of section 39 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Commissioner, on the recommendations of the Council, hereby extends the due date for furnishing the return in FORM GSTR-3B for the month of November, 2023 till the tenth day of January, 2024, for the registered persons whose principal place of business is in the districts of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi and Virudhu nagar in the state of Tamil Nadu and are required to furnish return under sub- section (1) of section 39 read with clause (i) of sub-rule (1) of rule 61 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017.

2.            This notification shall come into force with effect from 20^th day of December, 2023.

[F. No. CBIC-20006/1/2024-GST]

The Income-tax Department has recorded a surge in filing of Income-tax Returns (ITRs), resulting in a new record of 8.18 crore ITRs for the A.Y. 2023-2024 filed upto 31.12.2023 as against 7.51 crore ITRs filed upto 31.12.2022. This is 9% more than the total ITRs filed for A.Y. 2022-23. The total number of audit reports and other forms filed during the period is 1.60 crore, as against 1.43 crore audit reports and forms filed in the corresponding period of preceding year.

It is also observed that a large number of taxpayers did their due diligence by comparing data of their financial transactions by viewing their Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). A substantial portion of the data for all ITRs was prefilled with data pertaining to salary, interest, dividend, personal information, tax payment including TDS related information, brought forward losses, MAT credit, etc to further ease compliance by taxpayers. The facility was used extensively, resulting in smoother and faster filing of ITRs. 

Further, during this F.Y. 2023-2024, a digital e-pay tax payment platform - TIN 2.0 was made fully functional on the e-filing portal, replacing the OLTAS payment system. This enabled user-friendly options for e-payment of taxes such as Internet Banking, NEFT/RTGS, OTC, Debit Card, payment gateway and UPI. TIN 2.0 platform has enabled real time credit of taxes to taxpayers which made ITR filing easier and faster.

To encourage taxpayers to file their ITRs and Forms early, over 103.5 crore outreaches were made through targeted e-mail, SMS and other creative campaigns. Such concerted efforts led to fruitful results with 9% more ITRs being filed for A.Y. 2023-24 till 31.12.2023. The e-filing Helpdesk team handled approximately 27.37 lakh queries from taxpayers during the year upto 31.12.2023, supporting the taxpayers proactively during the peak filing periods. Support from the helpdesk was provided to taxpayers through inbound calls, outbound calls, live chats, WebEx and co-browsing sessions. Helpdesk team also supported resolution of queries received on the X(Twitter) handle of the Department through Online Response Management (ORM), by proactively reaching out to the taxpayers/ stakeholders and assisting them for different issues on near real-time basis. 

The IT Department further requests to the taxpayers to verify their unverified ITRs if any, within 30 days of filing the ITR to avoid any consequences.

The Government of India, with the approval of the President of India, has constituted the Sixteenth Finance Commission, in pursuance to Article 280(1) of the Constitution.

Dr Arvind Panagariya, former Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog, and Professor, Columbia University will be the Chairman.  Members of the Sixteenth Finance Commission would be notified separately. Shri Ritvik Ranjanam Pandey has been appointed as Secretary to the Commission.  Detailed terms of reference for Sixteenth Finance Commission have also been spelt out in the notification issued today.

The Sixteenth Finance Commission shall make recommendations as to the following matters, namely: —

(i)        The distribution between the Union and the States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or may be, divided between them under Chapter I, Part XII of the Constitution and the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds;

(ii)       The principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the Consolidated Fund of India and the sums to be paid to the States by way of grants-in-aid of their revenues under article 275 of the Constitution for the purposes other than those specified in the provisos to clause (1) of that article; and

(iii)      The measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats and Municipalities in the State on the basis of the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State.

The Sixteenth Finance Commission may review the present arrangements on financing Disaster Management initiatives, with reference to the funds constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (53 of 2005), and make appropriate recommendations thereon.

The Sixteenth Finance Commission has been requested to make its report available by 31st day of October, 2025 covering a period of five years commencing on the 1st day of April, 2026.