GSTR-9, GSTR-9C simplified with last dates of submission extended

The government on Thursday decided to extend dates of filing Form GSTR-9 (annual return) and Form GSTR-9C (reconciliation statement) for 2017-18 to December 31 and for 2018-19 to March 31 next year.

Earlier, the last dates were November 30 and December 31. These forms have also been simplified by making various fields of these forms as optional.

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) notified amendments regarding the simplification of GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C which allow taxpayers to not provide a split of input tax credit availed on inputs, input services and capital goods besides HSN level information of outputs or inputs for 2017-18 and 2018-19.

"CBIC expects that with these changes and the extension of deadlines, all the GST taxpayers will be able to file their annual returns along with reconciliation statement in time. Various representations regarding challenges faced by taxpayers in filing of GSTR-9 and GSTR-9C were received on which the government acted in a very responsive manner," according to an official statement.