Maha tops list of new GST registrations, Gujarat 2nd

So far, 10 lakh applications for new registrations under unified tax regime have been received from across the country

Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as the states from where maximum number of applications for fresh registration under the recently-launched Goods and Services Tax (GST) has been received.

The GST Network (GSTN), which supports the entire IT mechanism for the new tax structure, has so far received about 10 lakh applications for new registrations. Of these, 1,32,448 applications have poured in from Maharashtra, while about 90,000 came from Gujarat and over 87,000 from Uttar Pradesh.

West Bengal and Tamil Nadu made up the top part of the list with more than 75,000 applications each.

“We have received about 10 lakh new registrations. We are receiving about 40-45,000 applications every day,” GSTN chairman Navin Kumar told Hindustan Times.

The number of fresh registrations has been relatively lower in the northeastern states.

Businesses have time until July 30 to register under the GST — touted as the one tax structure for the entire country — which was launched on the midnight of June 30.

Kumar said of the existing 80 lakh taxpayers, who have been paying service tax, central excise or value added tax, about 71 lakh have migrated to GST.

While the window to migrate from the existing structure to the unified tax regime will be open till July-end, Kumar said several may not migrate to the new tax structure as businesses with turnover of up to ₹20 lakh were exempted from GST.

Government sources said the GST Council is set to tweak tax rates of a few items, besides bringing in procedural changes.

Kumar added that a 12-hour helpline — operating from 8am to 8pm — has been set up to assist merchants in uploading their invoices and other data that is relevant for fresh registration under GST.