Clarifying the issues regarding implementation of provisions of sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) in section 16 of CGST Act, 2017- Circular No. 237/31/2024-GST.
Reference is invited to sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) of section 16 of the Central Goods & Services Tax Act, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as the “CGST Act”) inserted in section 16 of the CGST Act, with effect from the 1st day of July, 2017, vide section 118 of the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024, whereby the time limit to avail input tax credit under provisions of sub-section (4) of section 16 of CGST Act has been retrospectively extended in certain specified cases.
1.2 Sub-section (4), sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) of section 16 of the CGST Act are reproduced below for ready reference:
“(4) A registered person shall not be entitled to take input tax credit in respect of any invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both after the thirtieth day of November following the end of financial year to which such invoice or debit note pertains or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier.
Provided that the registered person shall be entitled to take input tax credit after the due date of furnishing of the return under section 39 for the month of September, 2018 till the due date of furnishing of the return under the said section for the month of March, 2019 in respect of any invoice or invoice relating to such debit note for supply of goods or services or both made during the financial year 2017-18, the details of which have been uploaded by the supplier under subsection (1) of section 37 till the due date for furnishing the details under sub-section (1) of said section for the month of March, 2019.
(5)Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (4), in respect of an invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both pertaining to the Financial Years 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21, the registered personshall be entitled to take input tax credit in any return under section 39 which is filed upto the thirtieth day of November, 2021.
(6)Where registration of a registered person is cancelled under section 29 and subsequently the cancellation of registration is revoked by any order, either under section 30 or pursuant to any order made by the Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or court and where availment of input tax credit in respect of an invoice or debit note was not restricted under sub-section (4) on the date of order of cancellation of registration, the said person shall be entitled to take the input tax credit in respect of such invoice or debit note for supply of goods or services or both, in a return under section 39,––
(i) filed upto thirtieth day of November following the financial year to which such invoice or debit note pertains or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier; or
(ii) for the period from the date of cancellation of registration or the effective date of cancellation of registration, as the case may be, till the date of order of revocation of cancellation of registration, where such return is filed within thirty days from the date of order of revocation of cancellation of registration, whichever is later.”
1.3Further, it has been provided in section 150 of the Finance (No.2) Act, 2024 (reproduced below), that no refund of any tax paid or the input tax credit reversed shall be granted on account of the said retrospective insertion of sub-section (5) and sub-section (6) of section 16 of the CGST Act.
“150.No refund shall be made of all the tax paid or the input tax credit reversed, which would not have been so paid, or not reversed, had section 118 been in force at all material times.”
1.4Besides, vide Notification No. 22/2024 –Central taxdated08.10.2024, a special procedure for rectification of orders has been notified under section 148 of the CGST Act, to be followed by the class of taxable persons, against whom orders under section 73 or section 74 or section 107 or section 108 of the CGST Act have been issued confirming demand for wrong availment of input tax credit on account of contravention of provisions of sub-section (4) of section 16 of the CGST Act, but where such input tax credit is now available as per the provisions of sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) of section 16 of the CGST Act, and where appeal against the said order has not been filed.
1.5Representations have been received from trade and industry requesting for clarification in respect of various issues pertaining to availment of benefit of the said amendments in section 16 of CGST Act to the taxpayers against whom demands have been issued alleging wrong availment of input tax credit in contravention of provisions of sub-section (4) of section 16 of CGST Act, who are now entitled to avail the said input tax credit as per the retrospectively inserted provisions of sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) of section 16 ofthe CGST Act.
2.In order to ensure uniformity in the implementation of the provisions of law across the field formations, the Board, in exercise of its powers conferred by section 168 (1) of the CGST Act, hereby clarifies the issues as below.
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