Corporate and Professional Updates on 14th January 2019

Indirect Tax Updates:

• Indian businesses may soon be able to amend goods and services tax (GST) return mandated for carrying forward tax credit from the previous regime for non-IT related errors as well. The GST Council has directed a committee for IT grievance Redressal to quickly draw up a solution that will give relief to industry. Thousands of crores of tax credit claimed by businesses have been denied because of errors in the filing of returns, prompting many to approach judiciary.
• In Favour of Consumer the revenue department is planning to make it mandatory for composition dealers and service providers to declare their GST registration status in invoices to ensure that they do not charge any tax from buyers. The measure, once implemented, would check the widespread practice of composition dealers of charging GST from purchasers and not depositing it with the exchequer.
• The Department of Revenue is also planning to launch a campaign to educate consumers that the dealers opting for composition scheme are not required to charge the goods and services tax (GST) from purchasers.
• The GST composition scheme, traders and manufacturers are required to pay only 1per cent GST on goods which otherwise attract a higher levy of 5, 12 or 18%. Such dealers are also not permitted to charge GST from the purchaser Of the 1.17 crore businesses registered under GST, about 20 lakh have opted for composition scheme.
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), businesses will have to mandatorily mention in the invoice generated by them that they are composition dealers and, hence, are not required to charge GST. “Simultaneously, we will educate consumers that they should not pay GST while buying goods from composition scheme dealers,” the official said. To ease compliance burden for small businesses, the GST law provides for composition scheme.
• The GST law does not provide for any appeal on issues related to TRAN1 or TRAN2 and thus many taxpayers filed writs in high court and also secured favorable orders holding the view that bona fide errors should be considered by the government. A number of taxpayers had lobbied the government and the GST Council to allow amendments.
• Businesses looking to claim tax credit of the pre-GST period under GST could file TRAN1. The government had allowed revision of TRAN1 until December 27, 2017. Many businesses missed doing so and ended up losing large transitional credits, even for typographical errors. The GST Council had allowed a liberal scheme for claiming credit in lieu of taxes paid under the previous regime against GST liabilities. Businesses could claim credit even if they did not have proof of payment under the deemed benefit provision.
• “Transition credits have been challenging for all businesses and the IT grievance Redressal committee should ideally be considering all issues for the entire period instead of a sunset period and clarify that all genuine errors, whether arising from the GSTN portal issues or committed by the taxpayers would be condoned unless there is mala fide intent according to MS Mani, partner, at Deloitte India.

RBI Updates:

• Reserve Bank of India is working towards setting a rule that would link the remuneration of bank CEOs to parameters like balance sheet size of a bank, loan delinquency, profits and governance record. The proposed framework is expected to provide a broad template to the board of directors of banks while approving increase in salary, performance bonus and stock options to the senior most executive. The regulatory guidance that exists today is a general directive on the remuneration of senior officials in broad functions like ‘business’, ‘control’ and ‘risk’.
• RBI clears the remuneration of a bank CEO and has the powers to claw back a slice of it in case of non-performance or governance lapses. However, a framework would ensure that the board does not have to shoot in the dark while approving the package for the CEO and referring it to RBI for its clearance,” a person aware of the plan told ET.

Other Updates:

• Fiscal deficit target for 2018-19 likely to be breached.
• Only 22% shareholders exit IDBI Bank following open offer by LIC.
• Govt to construct 44 strategic roads along the India-China border.
• CII calls for agri sector tax sops in Budget 2019.
• FICCI for cut in corporate tax rate in Budget.
• Oil output cut: Saudis say OPEC+ move provided a lifeline to US shale.

FAQ’s INSURANCE SECTOR:

QUES. Will the requirements of Letter of Undertaking or Bond be required to be complied with in the case of Life Insurance Premium where the conditions of export of services are satisfied before or at the time of supply of the Life Insurance Service?

ANS. Yes. As per Section 16(3) of the IGST Act, 2017, read with Rule 96A of the CGST Rules, 2017, an exporter is required to submit a Letter of Undertaking or Bond in case the export of service is made without payment of integrated tax.

QUES. When service tax was paid on or before 30th June, 2017 for the services to be provided, but subsequently not provided, whether refund claim can be made under Section 142(5) of the CGST Act?

ANS. Section 142(5) of the CGST Act, 2017 specifically provides for refund of tax paid under the Finance Act, 1994 in respect of services not provided. The same shall be disposed off in accordance with the provisions of the Chapter V of the Finance Act, 1994.

Key Due Dates:

• TCS return for Dec Quarter for all tax collectors is 15/01/2019.
• E-Payment of PF for the month of December is 15/01/2019.
• Payment of TDS for the purchase of Property for December is 30/01/2019.

Quote of the Day:

A professional who doesn’t deliver as committed is not just lazy, he is a liar.