GST application: Hasty ends up nasty:–LRB- Anticipations from over a decade were laid to rest on July 1, 2017 when India’s most significant tax reform because self-reliance, ” Goods and Services Tax“( GST) was launched. With an attempt to produce historic mark, the Government although claims to have actually succeeded in this “ smooth shift” from the earlier tax program to the new tax program, however the situations after 75 days of its execution does not justify the very same.
GST– ” A Goods & Simple Tax” as christened by our Hon’ ble Prime Minister to make it look easy, but it didn’t really change the difficult truths faced by the public. Even after numerous representations from different sectors to postpone the date of the execution of this ” historic reform”, GST was implemented as planned by the Government albeit after 3 months from the scheduled date of 1st April2017 Was the “ timeliness” really productive?
Various instances of the difficulties being faced by the large number of signed up assesses, the majority of whom wished to be tax compliant, reveal that had actually the application been postponed for some more time, the general public along with the Government would have remained in a better position than what it is today.
If I remember comfortably, a couple of Notifications were issued on 28 th June’17 and 30 th June’17, however GST was currently scheduled to get started from 1st July’17 In 2-3 days just, the public was anticipated to check out and understand the numerous notifications and inspect its importance in their organization. Whether their materials fell within the excused classification or the 5% or 12% or 18% or 28% piece were all a matter of guess work (trial & mistake)! Whether the assesses are entitled to charge settlement cess from their clients from 1st July, or not? Whether they should pay tax under reverse charge or forward charge was another mystery? With all such concerns inhabiting the mind of tax payers, the urge to study and comprehend ” as soon as possible” began. No grievances still, people began handling and memorising all they could to endure in the brand-new regime with the common Indian attitude of ‘ Jugaad’
But … Just as they began understanding and implementing whatever they had actually discovered, ” changes” to the alerts began flowing in! Ah, Forget and Re-learn– The law of survival. A growing number of alerts were provided after 1st July which kept modifying what was alerted at an earlier date. When the government itself was unsure how things should be positioned, with the GST Council also not being clear on the methods (in spite of so many conferences at the cost of the public cash), the general public is expected to adjust to the brand-new system. No grievances still, individuals continued the procedure of forgetting and relearning.
With a method to reducing tax evasion, regular monthly return filing system was adopted in GST. As quickly as the very first due date approached, the Government appearing unready with their own infrastructure, brought in a “ Short-cut” return called GSTR– 3B. This was absolutely nothing but an increase to the number of returns from 3 to 4 per month! In the garb of ‘offering public a long time to adapt’ to the new tax system, Government required time for itself to develop and test the “ System”(GSTN) which entirely let down the Government.
Months after months are passing, however as the next due date techniques to file the returns, screen buzzes with notices specifying “last date to file the return extended”. Although the taxpayer lets out a sigh of relief on the extension as he gets short-term relief of the strenuous tasks in trying compliance by burning midnight oil, however the cause for extension is not the sweat on the head of taxpayers, it’s the failure of the Government to make the system prepared even 75 days after the execution. The worst is that the extension of dates likewise is not preplanned however intimated only in the eleventh hour with the assesses left in the stumble and frantically attempting to find out if the GSTN works and records data.
My grievance is that if the system is not able to handle so many users together, if the bandwith is so weak, if the ASP/GSP are not effectively trained, if the forms are not all set for usage, then why is the monthly system of filing not being gotten rid of! Is the extension in deadlines a smart service to this disease of “ system error“? Or is it the manner in which time is offered to the developer of the GSTN to put its house in order (both internally and externally)!
Its due time the Government, more particularly the Hon’ ble Prime Minister intervene and wield its power to ensure the GSTN is up and running with the expectancy of more than 80 lakh users all at one time. The Government needs to likewise reconsider its choice and alter the monthly system of filing go back to quarterly or half annual. This will give the Government more time to put develop a reliable network and enable the Government to revert to regular monthly compliance with the FY 2018-19 Alternatively, the Government needs to develop such an infrastructure that the general public do not get a chance to put the blame on the government for any failures.
Now, do you still believe that GST application has been a success? The ego of the Government to stick at its decision of ‘ rash‘ application has made the economy lose crores of income. Had actually the Government taken some more time to make the “ system” all set, ‘ taarik pe taarik’ circumstance would not have occurred today. After 75 days of experiencing the turmoil brought in by GST and the Government experimenting with the tolerant tax compliant assesses, it simply seems a hasty and nasty choice to me!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this short article are strictly personal
Author— CA Swati Kharkia ([email protected])
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