“GST Officer Asked Me to Visit Office After Field Inspection”: Redditors Condemn Bribe Culture in Registration

A Redditor recently recounted his experience dealing with an officer of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department who had conducted a field inspection, following the redditor’s request to attain GST registration.

The Reddit post was made on r/IndiaTax by u/usergreedyxharp, who claimed to be an independent contractor working for a US-based company. OP explained that he had a turnover above ₹20 Lakh and sought to attain GST registration for the same. However, his applications were rejected multiple times without clear reasons.

Following a fourth application in September, the case was marked for field verification. During the inspection, the officer visited the applicant’s parents’ ancestral home, out of where he used to work. The officer apparently took photographs of OP at his desk and besides the flex board of his firm and further queried about his business activities. Following the visit, the officer requested that OP appear at the GST office with self-attested copies of his Aadhaar and PAN cards, an electricity bill, a no-objection certificate from his mother and the registry documents of the ancestral property.

The post quickly gained traction on the forum, drawing concern from other users who viewed the request as unusual and potentially improper. Several commenters on the thread advised the applicant to record any bribe solicitations and procure evidence of the same, some even suggesting that he post proof on X (formerly Twitter) if money was demanded.

Others, however, cautioned against recording and attempting any such sting actions, warning that such actions could lead to lengthy legal proceedings. The discussion revealed growing frustration among taxpayers who fear unwarranted delays or pressure tactics during the GST registration process and are thus hesitant to face the matter through legal recourse.

What are the Rules?

Under the GST rules, registration is intended to be an exclusively online process that is enabled by the portal, where there is no requirement for the applicant to physically appear at a tax office.

Applicants file Form GST REG-01 on the common portal and officers must seek clarifications through prescribed portal forms (REG-03 with reply in REG-04); rejections must be reasoned and communicated through the portal. Physical verification of premises is permitted only in specified circumstances and is governed by Rule 25 of the CGST Rules, 2017. When a field visit is conducted, the officer must upload a verification report in FORM GST REG-30 and certain timelines must be respected.

What Should You Do in a Similar Situation?

In a real world scenario, if an officer visits a place of business, applicants should insist on portal-based communication and request that any notices or communication be served in writing or via the GST portal reference number. Applicants should also retain copies of all documents and timestamps.

It may be noted that where Aadhaar authentication fails or other hitches exist, the officer may lawfully verify premises in the presence of the person, but a blanket demand for a personal office appearance without portal notice or RFN is in contravention with the procedures set out by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

The Reddit thread reflects two recurring concerns: registrants’ vulnerability to informal demands and the temptation to pay a small bribe to avoid other issues in registration.

For applicants facing repeated rejections, the safe course is to respond via the portal within prescribed timeframes, ask for formal reasons for rejection, and, if any demands for money is made, preserve evidence and raise the matter with supervisory authorities or through cyber complaint channels rather than acquiescing to such demands.

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