Diwali Clean Up of P.Y Sales Invoices in GST before 31st October !

Arjuna (Fictional Character): Krishna, Festival of Diwali is coming and everybody is busy in cleaning up, renovating and decorating their Homes. Businessmen are also busy with their work. This Diwali what about the cleanup of the mess of p.y 17-18 in the Tax Invoices in GST?

Krishna (Fictional Character):  Arjuna, Everybody is excited to welcome the festival of Diwali especially the professionals, after a long and tiresome fight against the recent due Dates. Now the final due date before a short break i.e  31st October which is the due date to file GSTR-1 for the month of September 2018 is there. Also,  it is the last GSTR-1 return in which amendment to the invoices relating to the financial year 2017-18 can be made. So taxpayers should check for mistakes beforehand and file the return so as to enjoy the festival.

Arjuna: Krishna, after filing GSTR-1 return what things the taxpayer would not be able to do?

Krishna:  Arjuna, September month’s GSTR-1 would be the last chance to amend the invoices relating to period July 2017 to March 2018. After filing this return taxpayer would not be able to amend any details of invoices like date, invoice number, GSTIN, rate of tax, invoice value, taxable value etc.

Arjuna: Krishna, what if the invoices for the period July 2017 to March 2018, were left out to be uploaded in earlier returns?

Krishna: Arjuna, after filing GSTR-1 of September 2018, taxpayers would not be able to amend the details of invoices provided earlier but it is hoped that they would be able to add the invoices left out to be uploaded in the returns of July 2017- March 2018.

Arjuna: Krishna, but how the invoices of the period July 2017- March 2018 which are uploaded in the returns filed after September 2018 GSTR-1 would be reflected in annual return?

Krishna:  Arjuna, absolutely correct, the details uploaded for the financial year would be auto-populated in the annual return. In Annual return’s table 9, the details of the amendment relating to returns of July 2017-March 2018 which were made in returns of April 2018 to September 2018 needs to be given. God knows how the invoices for the period July 2017- March 2018 which are uploaded in the returns filed after September 2018 GSTR-1 would be reflected in annual return.

Arjuna: What one should learn from this?

Krishna: Arjuna, remember Goddess Lakshmi resides for a long time where there is cleanliness. On Diwali, people clean up not only their homes but also their minds thereby making space for the new things in the home as well as in life. Similarly, the old mistakes made in past in GST need to be rectified, so that one can welcome prosperity in business while abiding law.