The Central Goods and Services Act, 2017 (CGST Act)

This is the current version of The Central Goods and Services Act 2017 (CGST Act 2017) and includes amendments introduced in The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act. Click here for the original version of the Act.

Section 39 – Furnishing of returns.

CGST ACT 2017

1 (1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor or a non-resident taxable person or a person paying tax under the provisions of section 10 or section 51 or section 52 shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, in such form, manner and within such time as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, of inward and outward supplies of goods or services or both, input tax credit availed, tax payable, tax paid and such other particulars as may be prescribed

Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain classes of registered persons who shall furnish return for every quarter or part thereof, subject to such conditions and safeguards as may be specified therein.

(2) A registered person paying tax under the provisions of section 10 shall, for each quarter or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, of turnover in the State or Union territory, inward supplies of goods or services or both, tax payable and tax paid within eighteen days after the end of such quarter.

1[ (1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor or a non-resident taxable person or a person paying tax under the provisions of section 10 or section 51 or section 52 shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, a return, electronically, of inward and outward supplies of goods or services or both, input tax credit availed, tax payable, tax paid and such other particulars, in such form and manner, and within such time, as may be prescribed:

Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain class of registered persons who shall furnish a return for every quarter or part thereof, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be specified therein.”

(2) A registered person paying tax under the provisions of section 10, shall, for each financial year or part thereof, furnish a return, electronically, of turnover in the State or Union territory, inward supplies of goods or services or both, tax payable, tax paid and such other particulars in such form and manner, and within such time, as may be prescribed.

(3) Every registered person required to deduct tax at source under the provisions of  section 51 shall furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, for the month in which such deductions have been made within ten days after the end of such month.

(4) Every taxable person registered as an Input Service Distributor shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, within thirteen days after the end of such month.

(5) Every registered non-resident taxable person shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, within  2[thirteen]  days after the end of a calendar month or within seven days after the last day of the period of registration specified under sub-section (1) of section 27, whichever is earlier.

(6) The Commissioner may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, by notification, extend the time limit for furnishing the returns under this section for such class of registered persons as may be specified therein:

Provided that any extension of time limit notified by the Commissioner of State tax or Union territory tax shall be deemed to be notified by the Commissioner.

3 (7) Every registered person, who is required to furnish a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (5), shall pay to the Government the tax due as per such return not later than the last date on which he is required to furnish such return.

Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain classes of registered persons who shall pay to the Government the tax due or part thereof as per the return on or before the last date on which he is required to furnish such return, subject to such conditions and safeguards as may be specified therein.

3[ (7) Every registered person who is required to furnish a return under sub-section (1), other than the person referred to in the proviso thereto, or sub-section (3) or sub-section (5), shall pay to the Government the tax due as per such return not later than the last date on which he is required to furnish such return:

4[Provided that every registered person furnishing return under the proviso to sub-section (1) shall pay to the Government, in such form and manner, and within such time, as may be prescribed:

(a) an amount equal to the tax due taking into account inward and outward supplies of goods or services or both, input tax credit availed, tax payable and such other particulars during a month; or

(b) in lieu of the amount referred to in clause (a), an amount determined in such manner and subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribe]

Provided further that every registered person furnishing return under sub-section (2) shall pay to the Government the tax due taking into account turnover in the State or Union territory, inward supplies of goods or services or both, tax payable, and such other particulars during a quarter, in such form and manner, and within such time, as may be prescribed.]

 

(8) Every registered person who is required to furnish a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall furnish a return for every tax period whether or not any supplies of goods or services or both have been made during such tax period.

(9) 5[Where] any registered person after furnishing a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or subsection (4) or sub-section (5) discovers any omission or incorrect particulars therein, other than as a result of scrutiny, audit, inspection or enforcement activity by the tax authorities, he shall rectify such omission or incorrect particulars in the return to be furnished for the month or quarter during which such omission or incorrect particulars 6[in such form and manner as may be prescribed], subject to payment of interest under this Act:

Provided that no such rectification of any omission or incorrect particulars shall be allowed after the 7[thirtieth day of November] following 8[the end of the financial year to which such details pertain], or the actual date of furnishing of relevant annual return, whichever is earlier.

(10) A registered person shall not be allowed to furnish a return for a tax period if the return for any of the previous tax periods 9[or the details of outward supplies under sub-section (1) of section 37 for the said tax period has not been furnished by him:

(11)  A registered person shall not be allowed to furnish a return for a tax period after the expiry of a period of three years from the due date of furnishing the said return:

Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be specified therein, allow a registered person or a class of registered persons to furnish the return for a tax period, even after the expiry of the said period of three years from the due date of furnishing the said return.”.

Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be specified therein, allow a registered person or a class of registered persons to furnish the return, even if he has not furnished the returns for one or more previous tax periods or has not furnished the details of outward supplies under sub-section (1) of section 37 for the said tax period]

 

This is the current version of The Central Goods and Services Act 2017 (CGST Act 2017) and includes amendments introduced in The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act. Click here for the original version of the Act.

​* Enforced w. e. f. 22nd June, 2017.

1.   Substituted by s 97 of The Finance (No. 2) Act, 2019 (No. 23 of 2019) – Brought into force w. e. f. 10th November, 2020 vide Notification No. 81 /2020-C.T., dated 10-11-2020. for

“(1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor or a non-resident taxable person or a person paying tax under the provision of section 10 or section 51 or section 52 shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, [in such form, manner and within such time as may be prescribed], a return, electronically, of inward and outward supplies of goods or services or both, input tax credit availed, tax payable, tax paid and such other particulars, in such form and manner, and within such time, as may be prescribed, [****]

[Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain classes of registered persons who shall furnish return for every quarter or part thereof, subject to such conditions and safeguards as may be specified therein.]

(2) A registered person paying tax under the provisions of section 10 shall, for each quarter or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, of turnover in the State or Union territory, inward supplies of goods or services or both, tax payable and tax paid within eighteen days after the end of such quarter.”

2.  Substituted (w. e. f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022- CT dated 28.09.2022.) by s. 105 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022) for “twenty”.

3.  Substituted by s. 97 of The Finance (No. 2) Act, 2019 (No. 23 of 2019) – Brought into force w. e. f. 10th November, 2020 vide Notification No. 81/2020-C. T., dated 10-11-2020 for

“(7) Every registered person, who is required to furnish a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (5), shall pay to the Government the tax due as per such return not later than the last date on which he is required to furnish such return.

[Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain classes of registered persons who shall pay to the Government the tax due or part thereof as per the return on of before the last date on which he is required to furnish such return, subject to such conditions and safeguards as may be specified therein.]”

4.  Substituted (w. e. f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022.) by s. 105 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022) for “Provided that every registered persons furnishing return under the proviso to sub-section (1) shall pay to the Government, the tax due taking in to account inward and outward supplies of goods of services or both, input tax credit availed, tax payable and such other particulars during a month, in such form and manner, and within such time, as may be prescribed”.

5.  Substituted (w. e. f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022.) by s. 105 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022) for “Subject to the provisions of sections 37 and 38, if”.

6.  Substituted by s.17 of The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act, 2018 for “in the return to be furnished for the month or quarter during which such omission or incorrect particulars are noticed”. This amendment, not yet enforced.

7.  Substituted (w. e. f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022.) by s.105 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022) for “the due date for furnishing of return for the month of September or second quarter”.

8. Substituted by s.17 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Act, 2018 for “the end of the financial year”. This amendment, not yet enforced.

9.  Substituted (w. e. f. 1st October, 2022 vide Notification No. 18/2022 – CT dated 28.09.2022.) by s. 105 of The Finance Act 2022 (No. 6 of 2022) for “has not been furnished by him”.