Recent changes in central GST
The government has revised the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Rules for e-way bills, allowed Customs officers to process the refund claims of exporters and restrained advance authorisation holders who import their inputs without payment of Integrated GST (IGST) from exporting their final products on payment of IGST under refund claim. These and many more changes were brought about through notification 3/2018Central Tax, dated January 23, that amends many provisions of the CGST Rules, 2017.
E-way bills are required to be generated where the value of consignment exceeds ~50,000. The value shall now be determined by Section 15 of the CGST Act, declared in an invoice, a bill of supply or a delivery challan as the case may be, issued in respect of the said consignment. It shall also include the central tax, state or Union Territory tax, integrated tax and cess charged, if any, in the document.
Where the goods are transported by rail, air or vessel, the registered person generating the e-way bill, as a supplier or recipient, should furnish on the common portal not only the information in Part B of EWB-01 but also the serial number and date of the railway receipt or air consignment note or bill of lading. The consignor or recipient who has furnished the information in PartA of EWB-01, or the transporter, may assign the e-way bill number to another registered or enrolled transporter for updating the information in Part-B of EWB-01 for further movement of consignment. However, once the details of the conveyance have been updated by the transporter in Part B of EWB-01, the consignor or recipient who has furnished the information in Part-A of EWB-01 shall not be allowed to assign the eway bill number to another transporter.
Henceforth, the unique number generated shall be valid for 72 hours for updating of Part B of EWB-01 but the validity of the eway bill will remain the same as notified earlier. The details of the will be communicated to the supplier and recipient, who have to convey acceptance or rejection. E-way bills will now not be required for exempted goods (except de-oiled cake), non- GST goods and goods transported that are not considered as supplies. The refund claims of many exporters are held up due to mismatches thrown up by computer systems. So, the government has allowed Customs officers to process the claim of refund of IGST paid on export goods. This welcome decision will help clear refund claims of many exporters where the mismatch has no material bearing on the eligibility for refund. Detailed instructions from the Central Board of Excise and Customs should clarify the extent of discretion vested with the officers. It would have been better if the government had ordered refunds based on the shipping bills and later taken up matters relating to mismatch.
Advance authorisation holders and export-oriented units which import their inputs without IGST payment may now export the goodsy without payment of IGST under letter of undertaking or bond. This change is effective from October 23. The status of export already made on payment of IGST is not known. Strangely, the same treatment is given for import made under the Export Promotion Capital Goods scheme.