The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs ( CBIC ) has laid down the norms for processing of applications for cancellation of the GST registrations under the CGST Act.
The CGST Act provide that a taxpayer can apply for cancellation of registration in FORM GST REG-16 in certain circumstances.
Today, the last date for furnishing of FORM GSTR-10 by those taxpayers whose registration has been cancelled on or before 30.09.2018 has been extended by the Board till 31.12.2018.
Under the Act, the taxpayer seeking cancellation of registration shall have to pay, by way of debiting either the electronic credit or cash ledger, the input tax contained in the stock of inputs, semi-finished goods, finished goods and capital goods or the output tax payable on such goods, whichever is higher. For the purpose of this calculation, the stock of inputs, semi-finished goods, finished goods and capital goods shall be taken as on the day immediately preceding the date with effect from which the cancellation has been ordered by the proper officer i.e. the date of cancellation of registration.
The circular, however, clarified that this requirement to debit the electronic credit and/or cash ledger by suitable amounts should not be a prerequisite for applying for cancellation of registration. This can also be done at the time of submission of final return in FORM GSTR-10. In any case, once the taxpayer submits the application for cancellation of his/her registration from a specified date, he/she will not be able to utilize any remaining balances in his/her electronic credit/cash ledgers from the said date except for discharging liabilities under GST Act upto the date of filing of final return in FORM GSTR-10.
The circular said that, as stated in sub-section (3) of section 29 of the CGST Act, the cancellation of registration does not, in any way, affect the liability of the taxpayer to pay any dues under the GST law, irrespective of whether such dues have been determined before or after the date of cancellation.
In case the final return in FORM GSTR-10 is not filed within the stipulated date, then notice in FORM GSTR-3A has to be issued to the taxpayer. If the taxpayer still fails to file the final return within 15 days, of the receipt of notice, proceedings may be initiated. However, if he files final return within 30 days, then the said order shall be deemed to have been withdrawn.
“However, the liability for payment of interest and late fee shall continue,” the circular said.
It was further clarified that issuance of notice would not be required for registered persons who have not made any taxable supplies during the intervening period (i.e. from the date of registration to the date of application for cancellation of registration) and has furnished an undertaking to this effect.
“It is pertinent to mention here that section 29 of the CGST Act has been amended by the CGST (Amendment) Act, 2018 to provide for “Suspension” of registration. The intent of the said amendment is to ensure that a taxpayer is freed from the routine compliances, including filing returns, under GST Act during the pendency of the proceedings related to cancellation. Although the provisions of CGST (Amendment) Act, 2018 have not yet been brought into force, it will be prudent for the field formations not to issue notices for non-filing of return for taxpayers who have already filed an application for cancellation of registration under section 29 of the CGST Act. However, the requirement of filing a final return, as under section 45 of the CGST Act, remains unchanged,” the circular said.
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