GSTR-9 is the GST Annual return that has to be filed under the GST laws every year. It must be filed by the GST registered taxpayers (including those registered under composition levy scheme). It consists of details regarding the outward and inward supplies made/received during the relevant previous year under different tax heads i.e. CGST, SGST & IGST and HSN codes. Basically, it is a consolidation of all the monthly/quarterly returns (GSTR-1, GSTR-2A, GSTR-3B) filed during the year. Though complex, GSTR-9 return aims in extensive reconciliation of data for 100% transparent disclosures.
There are 4 types of annual returns:
- GSTR 9: GSTR 9 should be filed by the regular taxpayers who are filing GSTR 1 and GSTR 3B.
- GSTR 9A: GSTR 9A should be filed by the persons registered under the composition scheme of GST.
- GSTR 9B: GSTR 9B should be filed by the e-commerce operators who have filed GSTR 8 during the financial year.
- GSTR 9C: Every person registered under GST, whose aggregate turnover during a financial year exceeds two crore rupees is required to get his accounts audited as specified under sub-section (5) of section 35 of the GST Act. A copy of the audited annual accounts and a reconciliation statement, duly certified by a Chartered Accountant, should be furnished in form GSTR 9C.
Although, all registered persons under GST are required to file the Annual Return (in Form GSTR9), the following are not required to file GSTR-9:
- Taxpayers opting composition scheme (They must file GSTR-9A)
- Casual Taxable Person
- Input service distributors
- Non-resident taxable persons
- Persons paying TDS under section 51 of CGST Act.
DBC Chartered Accountants, have further highlighted certain aspects of the GST Annual Return:
- Transactions which are not reported in the filed GST returns will affect the tax liability at the end of the year.
- Any additional ITC cannot be claimed in GSTR-9. Further, additional liability identified at the stage of filing GSTR-9 can be deposited with Government using DRC-03 Form.
- Payments made through FORM DRC 03 pertaining to the period between July 2017 to March 2018 will not be accounted for in FORM GSTR-9 but shall be reported during reconciliation in FORM GSTR-9C.
- The Ministry of Finance has clarified that the auto-population of data is a service provided to the taxpayers for easy filing. However, the taxpayers have to report the data as per their books of accounts or GST returns filed during the financial year.