Furnishing of Returns under GST

Under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in India, every registered taxpayer is required to file returns. These returns help the government track your business’s sales, purchases, tax collected, and tax paid. The type, frequency, and content of the return depends on the nature of your registration (e.g., regular, composition, TDS deductor, ISD, etc.).

Who Must File GST Returns?
Filing of returns under Section 39 of the CGST Act is mandatory for most registered persons. However, the type of return and filing frequency depends on the taxpayer category.

🔹 1. Regular Taxpayers (Section 39(1))
Who is covered: Most businesses registered under GST except composition taxpayers, ISDs, TDS deductors, and non-resident taxable persons.
What is required:
File a monthly return (or quarterly under QRMP scheme) that includes:
Inward & outward supplies
Tax liability & payments
ITC claimed
Other prescribed details
Note: Small taxpayers may opt for quarterly filing with monthly payments under the QRMP scheme.

🔹 2. Composition Scheme Taxpayers (Section 39(2))
Who is covered: Businesses under the Composition Scheme (Sec 10).
Filing requirement:
File an annual return electronically
Report turnover, inward supplies, tax payable and paid

🔹 3. TDS Deductors (Section 39(3))
Who is covered: Entities required to deduct TDS under Section 51 (e.g., government bodies).
Filing timeline:
File a monthly return within 10 days of month-end

🔹 4. Input Service Distributors (ISD) (Section 39(4))
Filing timeline:
File a monthly return within 13 days after month-end
5. Non-Resident Taxable Persons (Section 39(5))
Filing timeline:
File a monthly return within:
13 days after month-end, or
7 days from end of registration period – whichever is earlier

📆 Tax Payment Along with Return (Section 39(7))
Regular taxpayers:
Must pay tax before filing the return
QRMP filers may pay based on:
Actual tax due, or
Fixed sum method (e.g., 35% of last quarter)
Composition taxpayers:
Pay tax quarterly along with return

❌ Even If No Business? File Nil Return! (Section 39(8))
Even if you did not make any sale or purchase in a tax period, you must file a NIL return.

🔧 Corrections & Rectification (Section 39(9))
If you discover a mistake or omission, you can correct it before:
30th November of the following financial year, or
The date of filing the annual return — whichever is earlier
👉 Corrections must not arise from audit, inspection, or enforcement.

⛔ Restrictions on Filing Returns (Section 39(10))
If you have not filed previous returns or not furnished outward supply details (GSTR-1), you cannot file the current return – unless specially permitted.