GST return filing dates extended; these are the new deadlines

As taxpayers are taking time to get used to new tax regime Goods and Service Tax (GST), the government is taking all steps to make filing return easy. Every year, the taxpayers are required to file 37 returns under the new tax system. 

Ministry of Finance on Monday extended the return filing dates for three forms which was scheduled for submission in this week. 

Now sales return or GSTR-1 for July will have to be filed by September 10 instead of September 5 earlier and purchase returns or GSTR-2 would be filed by September 25 instead of September 10 earlier.

GSTR-3, which is the match of GSTR-1 and GSTR-2, will have to be filed by September 30, in place of September 15.

With this extension, for the month of August, the date for filing GSTR-1, GSTR-2 and GSTR-3 has been extended to October 5, October 10 and October 15 from earlier September 20, September 25 and September 30, respectively.

While, the Ministry has extended the deadline, the experts feel that more time should have given to file these returns. 

Archit Gupta, Founder & CEO ClearTax said, "With the extension in deadline for submitting GSTR-1 for the month of July by 5 days, taxpayers will have more time to upload their data and submit return. However, given the issues being faced by taxpayers, more extension may be required than just 5 days."

"Since this is the first time of filing GST returns taxpayers are struggling with how to report information under different sections of the GSTR-1. Businesses are still unclear about understanding of the return form and by allowing more time, these issues will be duly addressed," Gupta added. 

To make the deadlines more simple, here's the chart you need to keep in mind:

If you look at the above chart, the nearest deadline is of GSTR-6 form. GSTR 6 is a monthly return that has to be filed by an Input Service Distributor. 

GSTR 6 contains details of all the documents issued for distribution of Input Tax Credit and the manner of distribution of credit and tax invoice on which credit is received.