The Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017

(1) This Act may be called the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. (2) It extends to the whole State of the Chhattisgarh. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint: Provided that different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- (1) "actionable claim" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in Section 3 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882; (2) "address of delivery" means the address of the recipient of goods or services or both indicated on the tax invoice issued by a registered person for delivery of such goods or services or both; (3) "address on record" means the address of the recipient as available in the records of the supplier; (4) "adjudicating authority" means any authority, appointed or authorised to pass any order or decision under this Act, but does not include the Commissioner, Revisional Authority, the Authority for Advance Ruling, the Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling, the Appellate Authority and the Appellate Tribunal; (5) "agent" means a person, including a factor, broker, commission agent, arhatia, del credere agent, an auctioneer or any other mercantile agent, by whatever name called, who carries on the business of supply or receipt of goods or services or both on behalf of another; (6) "aggregate turnover" means the aggregate value of all taxable supplies (excluding the value of inward supplies on which tax is payable by a person on reverse charge basis), exempt supplies, exports of goods or services or both and inter-State supplies of persons having the same Permanent Account Number, to be computed on all India basis but excludes central tax, State tax, Union territory tax, integrated tax and cess; (7) "agriculturist" means an individual or a Hindu Undivided Family who undertakes cultivation of land- (a) by own labour, or (b) by the labour of family, or (c) by servants on wages payable in cash or kind or by hired labour under personal supervision or the personal supervision of any member of the family; (8) "appellate authority" means an authority appointed or authorised to hear appeals as referred to in Section 107; (9) "appellate tribunal" means the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal referred to in Section 109; (10) "appointed day" means the date on which the provisions of this Act shall come into force; (11) "assessment" means determination of tax liability under this Act and includes self-assessment, re-assessment, provisional assessment, summary assessment and best judgement assessment; (12) "associated enterprises" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in Section 92A of the Income-tax Act, 1961; (13) "audit" means the examination of records, returns and other documents maintained or furnished by the registered person under this Act or the rules made thereunder or under any other law for the time being in force to verify the correctness of turnover declared, taxes paid, refund claimed and input tax credit availed, and to assess his compliance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder; (14) "authorised bank" shall mean a bank or a branch of a bank authorised by the Central Government to collect the tax or any other amount payable under this Act; (15) "authorised representative" means the representative as referred to under Section 116; (16) "Board" means the Central Board of Excise and Customs constituted under the Central Boards of Revenue Act, 1963; (17) "business" includes- (a) any trade, commerce, manufacture, profession, vocation, adventure, wager or any other similar activity, whether or not it is for a pecuniary benefit; (b) any activity or transaction in connection with or incidental or ancillary to sub-clause (a); (c) any activity or transaction in the nature of sub-clause (a), whether or not there is volume, frequency, continuity or regularity of such transaction; (d) supply or acquisition of goods including capital goods and services in connection with commencement or closure of business; (e) provision by a club, association, society, or any such body (for a subscription or any other consideration) of the facilities or benefits to its members; (f) admission, for a consideration, of persons to any premises; (g) services supplied by a person as the holder of an office which has been accepted by him in the course or furtherance of his trade, profession or vocation; (h) services provided by a race club by way of totalisator or a licence to book maker in such club; and (i) any activity or transaction undertaken by the Central Government, a State Government or any local authority in which they are engaged as public authorities; (18) "business vertical" means a distinguishable component of an enterprise that is engaged in the supply of individual goods or services or a group of related goods or services which is subject to risks and returns that are different from those of the other business verticals. Explanation.-For the purposes of this clause, factors that should be considered in determining whether goods or services are related include- (a) the nature of the goods or services; (b) the nature of the production processes; (c) the type or class of customers for the goods or services; (d) the methods used to distribute the goods or supply of services; and (e) the nature of regulatory environment (wherever applicable), including banking, insurance or public utilities; (19) "capital goods" means goods, the value of which is capitalised in the books of account of the person claiming the input tax credit and which are used or intended to be used in the course or furtherance of business; (20) "casual taxable person" means a person who occasionally undertakes transactions involving supply of goods or services or both in the course or furtherance of business, whether as principal, agent or in any other capacity, in the taxable territory where he has no fixed place of business; (21) "central tax" means the central goods and services tax levied under Section 9 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act; (22) "cess" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act; (23) "chartered accountant" means a chartered accountant as defined in clause (b) of sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949; (24) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of State tax appointed under Section 3; (25) "Commissioner in the Board" means the Commissioner referred to in Section 168 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act; (26) "common portal" means the common goods and services tax electronic portal referred to in Section 146; (27) "common working days" shall mean such days in succession which are not declared as gazetted holidays by the Central Government or the Government of Chhattisgarh; (28) "company secretary" means a company secretary as defined in clause (c) of sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980; (29) "competent authority" means such authority as may be notified by the Government; (30) "composite supply" means a supply made by a taxable person to a recipient consisting of two or more taxable supplies of goods or services or both, or any combination thereof, which are naturally bundled and supplied in conjunction with each other in the ordinary course of business, one of which is a principal supply; Illustration: Where goods are packed and transported with insurance, the supply of goods, packing materials, transport and insurance is a composite supply and supply of goods is a principal supply. (31) "consideration" in relation to the supply of goods or services or both includes- (a) any payment made or to be made, whether in money or otherwise, in respect of, in response to, or for the inducement of, the supply of goods or services or both, whether by the recipient or by any other person but shall not include any subsidy given by the Central Government or a State Government; (b) the monetary value of any act or forbearance, in respect of, in response to, or for the inducement of, the supply of goods or services or both, whether by the recipient or by any other person but shall not include any subsidy given by the Central Government or a State Government: Provided that a deposit given in respect of the supply of goods or services or both shall not be considered as payment made for such supply unless the supplier applies such deposit as consideration for the said supply; (32) "continuous supply of goods" means a supply of goods which is provided, or agreed to be provided, continuously or on recurrent basis, under a contract, whether or not by means of a wire, cable, pipeline or other conduit, and for which the supplier invoices the recipient on a regular or periodic basis and includes supply of such goods as the Government may, subject to such conditions, as it may, by notification, specify; (33) "continuous supply of services" means a supply of services which is provided, or agreed to be provided, continuously or on recurrent basis, under a contract, for a period exceeding three months with periodic payment obligations and includes supply of such services as the Government may, subject to such conditions, as it may, by notification, specify; (34) "conveyance" includes a vessel, an aircraft and a vehicle; (35) "cost accountant" means a cost accountant as defined in clause (c) of sub-section (1) of Section 2 of the Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959; (36) "Council" means the Goods and Services Tax Council established under article 279A of the Constitution; (37) "credit note" means a document issued by a registered person under sub-section (1) of Section 34; (38) "debit note" means a document issued by a registered person under sub-section (3) of Section 34; (39) "deemed exports" means such supplies of goods as may be notified under Section 147; (40) "designated authority" means such authority as may be notified by the Commissioner; (41) "document" includes written or printed record of any sort and electronic record as defined in clause (t) of Section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000; (42) "drawback" in relation to any goods manufactured in India and exported, means the rebate of duty, tax or cess chargeable on any imported inputs or on any domestic inputs or input services used in the manufacture of such goods; (43) "electronic cash ledger" means the electronic cash ledger referred to in sub-section (1) of Section 49; (44) "electronic commerce" means the supply of goods or services or both, including digital products over digital or electronic network; (45) "electronic commerce operator" means any person who owns, operates or manages digital or electronic facility or platform for electronic commerce; (46) "electronic credit ledger" means the electronic credit ledger referred to in sub-section (2) of Section 49; (47) "exempt supply" means supply of any goods or services or both which attracts nil rate of tax or which may be wholly exempt from tax under Section 11, or under Section 6 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, and includes non-taxable supply; (48) "existing law" means any law, notification, order, rule or regulation relating to levy and collection of duty or tax on goods or services or both passed or made before the commencement of this Act by the Legislature or any Authority or person having the power to make such law, notification, order, rule or regulation; (49) "family" means,- (i) the spouse and children of the person, and (ii) the parents, grand-parents, brothers and sisters of the person if they are wholly or mainly dependent on the said person; (50) "fixed establishment" means a place (other than the registered place of business) which is characterised by a sufficient degree of permanence and suitable structure in terms of human and technical resources to supply services, or to receive and use services for its own needs; (51) "fund" means the Consumer Welfare Fund established under Section 57; (52) "goods" means every kind of movable property other than money and securities but includes actionable claim, growing crops, grass and things attached to or forming part of the land which are agreed to be severed before supply or under a contract of supply; (53) "Government" means the Government of Chhattisgarh; (54) "Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act" means the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act, 2017; (55) "goods and services tax practitioner" means any person who has been approved under Section 48 to act as such practitioner; (56) "India" means the territory of India as referred to in article 1 of the Constitution, its territorial waters, seabed and sub-soil underlying such waters, continental shelf, exclusive economic zone or any other maritime zone as referred to in the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and other Maritime Zones Act, 1976, and the air space above its territory and territorial waters; (57) "Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act" means the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017; (58) "integrated tax" means the integrated goods and services tax levied under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (59) "input" means any goods other than capital goods used or intended to be used by a supplier in the course or furtherance of business; (60) "input service" means any service used or intended to be used by a supplier in the course or furtherance of business; (61) "input service distributor" means an office of the supplier of goods or services or both which receives tax invoices issued under Section 31 towards the receipt of input services and issues a prescribed document for the purposes of distributing the credit of central tax, State tax, integrated tax or Union territory tax paid on the said services to a supplier of taxable goods or services or both having the same Permanent Account Number as that of the said office; (62) "input tax" in relation to a registered person, means the central tax, State tax, integrated tax or Union territory tax charged on any supply of goods or services or both made to him and includes- (a) the integrated goods and services tax charged on import of goods; (b) the tax payable under the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4) of Section 9; (c) the tax payable under the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4) of Section 5 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; or (d) the tax payable under the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4) of Section 9 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act; but does not include the tax paid under the composition levy; (63) "input tax credit" means the credit of input tax; (64) "intra-State supply of goods" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in Section 8 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (65) "intra-State supply of services" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in Section 8 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (66) "invoice" or "tax invoice" means the tax invoice referred to in Section 31; (67) "inward supply" in relation to a person, shall mean receipt of goods or services or both whether by purchase, acquisition or any other means, with or without consideration; (68) "job work" means any treatment or process undertaken by a person on goods belonging to another registered person and the expression "job worker" shall be construed accordingly; (69) "local authority" means- (a) a "Panchayat" as defined in clause (d) of article 243 of the Constitution; (b) a "Municipality" as defined in clause (e) of article 243P of the Constitution; (c) a Municipal Committee, a Zilla Parishad, a District Board, and any other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by the Central Government or any State Government with the control or management of a municipal or local fund; (d) a Cantonment Board as defined in Section 3 of the Cantonments Act, 2006; (e) a Regional Council or a District Council constituted under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution; (f) a Development Board constituted under article 371 of the Constitution; or (g) a Regional Council constituted under article 371A of the Constitution; (70) "location of the recipient of services" means,- (a) where a supply is received at a place of business for which the registration has been obtained, the location of such place of business; (b) where a supply is received at a place other than the place of business for which registration has been obtained (a fixed establishment elsewhere), the location of such fixed establishment; (c) where a supply is received at more than one establishment, whether the place of business or fixed establishment, the location of the establishment most directly concerned with the receipt of the supply; and (d) in absence of such places, the location of the usual place of residence of the recipient; (71) "location of the supplier of services" means,- (a) where a supply is made from a place of business for which the registration has been obtained, the location of such place of business; (b) where a supply is made from a place other than the place of business for which registration has been obtained (a fixed establishment elsewhere), the location of such fixed establishment; (c) where a supply is made from more than one establishment, whether the place of business or fixed establishment, the location of the establishment most directly concerned with the provisions of the supply; and (d) in absence of such places, the location of the usual place of residence of the supplier; (72) "manufacture" means processing of raw material or inputs in any manner that results in emergence of a new product having a distinct name, character and use and the term "manufacturer" shall be construed accordingly; (73) "market value" shall mean the full amount which a recipient of a supply is required to pay in order to obtain the goods or services or both of like kind and quality at or about the same time and at the same commercial level where the recipient and the supplier are not related; (74) "mixed supply" means two or more individual supplies of goods or services, or any combination thereof, made in conjunction with each other by a taxable person for a single price where such supply does not constitute a composite supply. Illustration: A supply of a package consisting of canned foods, sweets, chocolates, cakes, dry fruits, aerated drinks and fruit juices when supplied for a single price is a mixed supply. Each of these items can be supplied separately and is not dependent on any other. It shall not be a mixed supply if these items are supplied separately; (75) "money" means the Indian legal tender or any foreign currency, cheque, promissory note, bill of exchange, letter of credit, draft, pay order, traveller cheque, money order, postal or electronic remittance or any other instrument recognized by the Reserve Bank of India when used as a consideration to settle an obligation or exchange with Indian legal tender of another denomination but shall not include any currency that is held for its numismatic value; (76) "motor vehicle" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (28) of Section 2 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988; (77) "non-resident taxable person" means any person who occasionally undertakes transactions involving supply of goods or services or both, whether as principal or agent or in any other capacity, but who has no fixed place of business or residence in India; (78) "non-taxable supply" means a supply of goods or services or both which is not leviable to tax under this Act or under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (79) "non-taxable territory" means the territory which is outside the taxable territory; (80) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expressions 'notify' and 'notified' shall be construed accordingly; (81) "other territory" includes territories other than those comprising in a State and those referred to in sub-clauses (a) to (e) of clause (114); (82) "output tax" in relation to a taxable person, means the tax chargeable under this Act on taxable supply of goods or services or both made by him or by his agent but excludes tax payable by him on reverse charge basis; (83) "outward supply" in relation to a taxable person, means supply of goods or services or both, whether by sale, transfer, barter, exchange, licence, rental, lease or disposal or any other mode, made or agreed to be made by such person in the course or furtherance of business; (84) "person" includes- (a) an individual; (b) a Hindu Undivided Family; (c) a company; (d) a firm; (e) a Limited Liability Partnership; (f) an association of persons or a body of individuals, whether incorporated or not, in India or outside India; (g) any corporation established by or under any Central Act, State Act or Provincial Act or a Government company as defined in clause (45) of Section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013; (h) any body corporate incorporated by or under the laws of a country outside India; (i) a co-operative society registered under any law relating to co-operative societies; (j) a local authority; (k) Central Government or a State Government; (l) society as defined under the Societies Registration Act, 1860; (m) trust; and (n) every artificial juridical person, not falling within any of the above; (85) "place of business" includes- (a) a place from where the business is ordinarily carried on, and includes a warehouse, a godown or any other place where a taxable person stores his goods, supplies or receives goods or services or both; or (b) a place where a taxable person maintains his books of account; or (c) a place where a taxable person is engaged in business through an agent, by whatever name called; (86) "place of supply" means the place of supply as referred to in Chapter V of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (87) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act on the recommendations of the Council; (88) "principal" means a person on whose behalf an agent carries on the business of supply or receipt of goods or services or both; (89) "principal place of business" means the place of business specified as the principal place of business in the certificate of registration; (90) "principal supply" means the supply of goods or services which constitutes the predominant element of a composite supply and to which any other supply forming part of that composite supply is ancillary; (91) "proper officer" in relation to any function to be performed under this Act, means the Commissioner or the officer of the State tax who is assigned that function by the Commissioner; (92) "quarter" shall mean a period comprising three consecutive calendar months, ending on the last day of March, June, September and December of a calendar year; (93) "recipient" of supply of goods or services or both, means- (a) where a consideration is payable for the supply of goods or services or both, the person who is liable to pay that consideration; (b) where no consideration is payable for the supply of goods, the person to whom the goods are delivered or made available, or to whom possession or use of the goods is given or made available; and (c) where no consideration is payable for the supply of a service, the person to whom the service is rendered, and any reference to a person to whom a supply is made shall be construed as a reference to the recipient of the supply and shall include an agent acting as such on behalf of the recipient in relation to the goods or services or both supplied; (94) "registered person" means a person who is registered under Section 25 but does not include a person having a Unique Identity Number; (95) "regulations" means the regulations made by the Government under this Act on the recommendations of the Council; (96) "removal" in relation to goods, means- (a) despatch of the goods for delivery by the supplier thereof or by any other person acting on behalf of such supplier; or (b) collection of the goods by the recipient thereof or by any other person acting on behalf of such recipient; (97) "return" means any return prescribed or otherwise required to be furnished by or under this Act or the rules made thereunder; (98) "reverse charge" means the liability to pay tax by the recipient of supply of goods or services or both instead of the supplier of such goods or services or both under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of section 9, or under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of Section 5 of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (99) "revisional authority" means an authority appointed or authorised for revision of decision or orders as referred to in Section 108; (100) "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to this Act; (101) "securities" shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (h) of Section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956; (102) "services" means anything other than goods, money and securities but includes activities relating to the use of money or its conversion by cash or by any other mode, from one form, currency or denomination, to another form, currency or denomination for which a separate consideration is charged; (103) "State" means the State of Chhattisgarh; (104) "state tax" means the tax levied under this Act; (105) "supplier" in relation to any goods or services or both, shall mean the person supplying the said goods or services or both and shall include an agent acting as such on behalf of such supplier in relation to the goods or services or both supplied; (106) "tax period" means the period for which the return is required to be furnished; (107) "taxable person" means a person who is registered or liable to be registered under Section 22 or Section 24; (108) "taxable supply" means a supply of goods or services or both which is leviable to tax under this Act; (109) "taxable territory" means the territory to which the provisions of this Act apply; (110) "telecommunication service" means service of any description (including electronic mail, voice mail, data services, audio text services, video text services, radio paging and cellular mobile telephone services) which is made available to users by means of any transmission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature, by wire, radio, visual or other electromagnetic means; (111) "the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act" means the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017; (112) "turnover in State" means the aggregate value of all taxable supplies (excluding the value of inward supplies on which tax is payable by a person on reverse charge basis) and exempt supplies made within a State by a taxable person, exports of goods or services or both and inter-State supplies of goods or services or both made from the State by the said taxable person but excludes central tax, State tax, integrated tax and cess; (113) "usual place of residence" means- (a) in case of an individual, the place where he ordinarily resides; (b) in other cases, the place where the person is incorporated or otherwise legally constituted; (114) "union territory" means the territory of,- (a) the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; (b) Lakshadweep; (c) Dadra and Nagar Haveli; (d) Daman and Diu; (e) Chandigarh; and (f) other territory; Explanation.-For the purposes of this Act, each of the territories specified in sub-clauses (a) to (f) shall be considered to be a separate Union territory. (115) "union territory tax" means the Union territory goods and services tax levied under the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act; (116) "Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act" means the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017; (117) "valid return" means a return furnished under sub-section (1) of Section 39 on which self-assessed tax has been paid in full; (118) "voucher" means an instrument where there is an obligation to accept it as consideration or part consideration for a supply of goods or services or both and where the goods or services or both to be supplied or the identities of their potential suppliers are either indicated on the instrument itself or in related documentation, including the terms and conditions of use of such instrument; (119) "works contract" means a contract for building, construction, fabrication, completion, erection, installation, fitting out, improvement, modification, repair, maintenance, renovation, alteration or commissioning of any immovable property wherein transfer of property in goods (whether as goods or in some other form) is involved in the execution of such contract; (120) words and expressions used and not defined in this Act but defined in the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act, the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act and the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act shall have the same meanings as assigned to them in those Acts.

The Government shall, by notification, appoint the following classes of officers for the purposes of this Act, namely:- (a) Commissioner of State tax, (b) Special Commissioners of State tax, (c) Additional Commissioners of State tax, (d) Joint Commissioners of State tax, (e) Deputy Commissioners of State tax, (f) Assistant Commissioners of State tax, and (g) any other class of officers as it may deem fit: Provided that, the officers appointed under the Chhattisgarh Value Added Tax Act, 2005 shall be deemed to be the officers appointed under the provisions of this Act.

(1) The Government may, in addition to the officers as may be notified under Section 3, appoint such persons as it may think fit to be the officers under this Act. (2) The Commissioner shall have jurisdiction over the whole of the State, the Special Commissioner and an Additional Commissioner in respect of all or any of the functions assigned to them, shall have jurisdiction over the whole of the State or where the State Government so directs, over any local area thereof, and all other officers shall, subject to such conditions as may be specified, have jurisdiction over the whole of the State or over such local areas as the Commissioner may, by order, specify.

(1) Subject to such conditions and limitations as the Commissioner may impose, an officer of State tax may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed on him under this Act. (2) An officer of State tax may exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed under this Act on any other officer of State tax who is subordinate to him. (3) The Commissioner may, subject to such conditions and limitations as may be specified in this behalf by him, delegate his powers to any other officer who is subordinate to him. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, an Appellate Authority shall not exercise the powers and discharge the duties conferred or imposed on any other officer of State tax.

(1) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Act, the officers appointed under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act are authorised to be the proper officers for the purposes of this Act, subject to such conditions as the Government shall, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify. (2) Subject to the conditions specified in the notification issued under sub-section (1),- (a) where any proper officer issues an order under this Act, he shall also issue an order under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, as authorised by the said Act under intimation to the jurisdictional officer of central tax; (b) where a proper officer under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act has initiated any proceedings on a subject matter, no proceedings shall be initiated by the proper officer under this Act on the same subject matter. (3) Any proceedings for rectification, appeal and revision, wherever applicable, of any order passed by an officer appointed under this Act, shall not lie before an officer appointed under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act.

(1) For the purposes of this Act, the expression "supply" includes- (a) all forms of supply of goods or services or both such as sale, transfer, barter, exchange, license, rental, lease or disposal made or agreed to be made for a consideration by a person in the course or furtherance of business; (b) import of services for a consideration whether or not in the course or furtherance of business; (c) the activities specified in Schedule I, made or agreed to be made without a consideration; and (d) the activities to be treated as supply of goods or supply of services as referred to in Schedule II. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1),- (a) activities or transactions specified in Schedule III; or (b) such activities or transactions undertaken by the Central Government, a State Government or any local authority in which they are engaged as public authorities, as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council, shall be treated neither as a supply of goods nor a supply of services. (3) Subject to the provisions of sub-sections (1) and (2), the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, specify, by notification, the transactions that are to be treated as- (a) a supply of goods and not as a supply of services; or (b) a supply of services and not as a supply of goods.

The tax liability on a composite or a mixed supply shall be determined in the following manner, namely:- (a) a composite supply comprising two or more supplies, one of which is a principal supply, shall be treated as a supply of such principal supply; and (b) a mixed supply comprising two or more supplies shall be treated as a supply of that particular supply which attracts the highest rate of tax.

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), there shall be levied a tax called the Chhattisgarh goods and services tax on all intra-State supplies of goods or services or both, except on the supply of alcoholic liquor for human consumption, on the value determined under Section 15 and at such rates, not exceeding twenty per cent., as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council and collected in such manner as may be prescribed and shall be paid by the taxable person. (2) The State tax on the supply of petroleum crude, high speed diesel, motor spirit (commonly known as petrol), natural gas and aviation turbine fuel, shall be levied with effect from such date as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council. (3) The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify categories of supply of goods or services or both, the tax on which shall be paid on reverse charge basis by the recipient of such goods or services or both and all the provisions of this Act shall apply to such recipient as if he is the person liable for paying the tax in relation to the supply of such goods or services or both. (4) The State tax in respect of the supply of taxable goods or services or both by a supplier, who is not registered, to a registered person shall be paid by such person on reverse charge basis as the recipient and all the provisions of this Act shall apply to such recipient as if he is the person liable for paying the tax in relation to the supply of such goods or services or both. (5) The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify categories of services the tax on intra-State supplies of which shall be paid by the electronic commerce operator if such services are supplied through it, and all the provisions of this Act shall apply to such electronic commerce operator as if he is the supplier liable for paying the tax in relation to the supply of such services: Provided that where an electronic commerce operator does not have a physical presence in the taxable territory, any person representing such electronic commerce operator for any purpose in the taxable territory shall be liable to pay tax: Provided further that where an electronic commerce operator does not have a physical presence in the taxable territory and also he does not have a representative in the said territory, such electronic commerce operator shall appoint a person in the taxable territory for the purpose of paying tax and such person shall be liable to pay tax.

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act but subject to the provisions of sub-sections (3) and (4) of Section 9, a registered person, whose aggregate turnover in the preceding financial year did not exceed fifty lakh rupees may opt to pay, in lieu of the tax payable by him, an amount calculated at such rate as may be prescribed, but not exceeding,- (a) one per cent. of the turnover in State in case of a manufacturer, (b) two and a half per cent. of the turnover in State in case of persons engaged in making supplies referred to in clause (b) of paragraph 6 of Schedule II, and (c) half per cent. of the turnover in State in case of other suppliers, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed: Provided that the Government may, by notification, increase the said limit of fifty lakh rupees to such higher amount, not exceeding one crore rupees, as may be recommended by the Council. (2) The registered person shall be eligible to opt under sub-section (1), if- (a) he is not engaged in the supply of services other than supplies referred to in clause (b) of paragraph 6 of Schedule II; (b) he is not engaged in making any supply of goods which are not leviable to tax under this Act; (c) he is not engaged in making any inter-State outward supplies of goods; (d) he is not engaged in making any supply of goods through an electronic commerce operator who is required to collect tax at source under Section 52; and (e) he is not a manufacturer of such goods as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council: Provided that where more than one registered person are having the same Permanent Account Number (issued under the Income-tax Act 1961), the registered person shall not be eligible to opt for the scheme under sub-section (1) unless all such registered persons opt to pay tax under that sub-section. (3) The option availed of by a registered person under sub-section (1) shall lapse with effect from the day on which his aggregate turnover during a financial year exceeds the limit specified under sub-section (1). (4) A taxable person to whom the provisions of sub-section (1) apply shall not collect any tax from the recipient on supplies made by him nor shall he be entitled to any credit of input tax. (5) If the proper officer has reasons to believe that a taxable person has paid tax under sub-section (1) despite not being eligible, such person shall, in addition to any tax that may be payable by him under any other provisions of this Act, be liable to a penalty and the provisions of Section 73 or Section 74 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply for determination of tax and penalty.

(1) Where the Government is satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, it may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, exempt generally, either absolutely or subject to such conditions as may be specified therein, goods or services or both of any specified description from the whole or any part of the tax leviable thereon with effect from such date as may be specified in such notification. (2) Where the Government is satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, it may, on the recommendations of the Council, by special order in each case, under circumstances of an exceptional nature to be stated in such order, exempt from payment of tax any goods or services or both on which tax is leviable. (3) The Government may, if it considers necessary or expedient so to do for the purpose of clarifying the scope or applicability of any notification issued under sub-section (1) or order issued under sub-section (2), insert an explanation in such notification or order, as the case may be, by notification at any time within one year of issue of the notification under sub-section (1) or order under sub-section (2), and every such explanation shall have effect as if it had always been the part of the first such notification or order, as the case may be. (4) Any notification issued by the Central Government, on the recommendations of the Council, under sub-section (1) of Section 11 or order issued under sub-section (2) of the said section of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be a notification or, as the case may be, an order issued under this Act. Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, where an exemption in respect of any goods or services or both from the whole or part of the tax leviable thereon has been granted absolutely, the registered person supplying such goods or services or both shall not collect the tax, in excess of the effective rate, on such supply of goods or services or both.

(1) The liability to pay tax on goods shall arise at the time of supply, as determined in accordance with the provisions of this section. (2) The time of supply of goods shall be the earlier of the following dates, namely:- (a) the date of issue of invoice by the supplier or the last date on which he is required, under sub-section (1) of Section 31, to issue the invoice with respect to the supply; or (b) the date on which the supplier receives the payment with respect to the supply: Provided that where the supplier of taxable goods receives an amount up to one thousand rupees in excess of the amount indicated in the tax invoice, the time of supply to the extent of such excess amount shall, at the option of the said supplier, be the date of issue of invoice in respect of such excess amount. Explanation 1.-For the purposes of clauses (a) and (b), "supply" shall be deemed to have been made to the extent it is covered by the invoice or, as the case may be, the payment. Explanation 2.-For the purposes of clause (b), "the date on which the supplier receives the payment" shall be the date on which the payment is entered in his books of account or the date on which the payment is credited to his bank account, whichever is earlier. (3) In case of supplies in respect of which tax is paid or liable to be paid on reverse charge basis, the time of supply shall be the earliest of the following dates, namely:- (a) the date of the receipt of goods; or (b) the date of payment as entered in the books of account of the recipient or the date on which the payment is debited in his bank account, whichever is earlier; or (c) the date immediately following thirty days from the date of issue of invoice or any other document, by whatever name called, in lieu thereof by the supplier: Provided that where it is not possible to determine the time of supply under clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c), the time of supply shall be the date of entry in the books of account of the recipient of supply. (4) In case of supply of vouchers by a supplier, the time of supply shall be- (a) the date of issue of voucher, if the supply is identifiable at that point; or (b) the date of redemption of voucher, in all other cases. (5) Where it is not possible to determine the time of supply under the provisions of sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (4), the time of supply shall- (a) in a case where a periodical return has to be filed, be the date on which such return is to be filed; or (b) in any other case, be the date on which the tax is paid. (6) The time of supply to the extent it relates to an addition in the value of supply by way of interest, late fee or penalty for delayed payment of any consideration shall be the date on which the supplier receives such addition in value.

(1) The liability to pay tax on services shall arise at the time of supply, as determined in accordance with the provisions of this section. (2) The time of supply of services shall be the earliest of the following dates, namely:- (a) the date of issue of invoice by the supplier, if the invoice is issued within the period prescribed under sub-section (2) of Section 31 or the date of receipt of payment, whichever is earlier; or (b) the date of provision of service, if the invoice is not issued within the period prescribed under sub-section (2) of Section 31 or the date of receipt of payment, whichever is earlier; or (c) the date on which the recipient shows the receipt of services in his books of account, in a case where the provisions of clause (a) or clause (b) do not apply: Provided that where the supplier of taxable service receives an amount upto one thousand rupees in excess of the amount indicated in the tax invoice, the time of supply to the extent of such excess amount shall, at the option of the said supplier, be the date of issue of invoice relating to such excess amount. Explanation.-For the purposes of clauses (a) and (b)- (i) the supply shall be deemed to have been made to the extent it is covered by the invoice or, as the case may be, the payment; (ii) "the date of receipt of payment" shall be the date on which the payment is entered in the books of account of the supplier or the date on which the payment is credited to his bank account, whichever is earlier. (3) In case of supplies in respect of which tax is paid or liable to be paid on reverse charge basis, the time of supply shall be the earlier of the following dates, namely:- (a) the date of payment as entered in the books of account of the recipient or the date on which the payment is debited in his bank account, whichever is earlier; or (b) the date immediately following sixty days from the date of issue of invoice or any other document, by whatever name called, in lieu thereof by the supplier: Provided that where it is not possible to determine the time of supply under clause (a) or clause (b), the time of supply shall be the date of entry in the books of account of the recipient of supply: Provided further that in case of supply by associated enterprises, where the supplier of service is located outside India, the time of supply shall be the date of entry in the books of account of the recipient of supply or the date of payment, whichever is earlier. (4) In case of supply of vouchers by a supplier, the time of supply shall be-- (a) the date of issue of voucher, if the supply is identifiable at that point; or (b) the date of redemption of voucher, in all other cases. (5) Where it is not possible to determine the time of supply under the provisions of sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (4), the time of supply shall- (a) in a case where a periodical return has to be filed, be the date on which such return is to be filed; or (b) in any other case, be the date on which the tax is paid. (6) The time of supply to the extent it relates to an addition in the value of supply by way of interest, late fee or penalty for delayed payment of any consideration shall be the date on which the supplier receives such addition in value.

Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 12 or Section 13, the time of supply, where there is a change in the rate of tax in respect of goods or services or both, shall be determined in the following manner, namely:- (a) in case the goods or services or both have been supplied before the change in rate of tax,- (i) where the invoice for the same has been issued and the payment is also received after the change in rate of tax, the time of supply shall be the date of receipt of payment or the date of issue of invoice, whichever is earlier; or (ii) where the invoice has been issued prior to the change in rate of tax but payment is received after the change in rate of tax, the time of supply shall be the date of issue of invoice; or (iii) where the payment has been received before the change in rate of tax, but the invoice for the same is issued after the change in rate of tax, the time of supply shall be the date of receipt of payment; (b) in case the goods or services or both have been supplied after the change in rate of tax,- (i) where the payment is received after the change in rate of tax but the invoice has been issued prior to the change in rate of tax, the time of supply shall be the date of receipt of payment; or (ii) where the invoice has been issued and payment is received before the change in rate of tax, the time of supply shall be the date of receipt of payment or date of issue of invoice, whichever is earlier; or (iii) where the invoice has been issued after the change in rate of tax but the payment is received before the change in rate of tax, the time of supply shall be the date of issue of invoice: Provided that the date of receipt of payment shall be the date of credit in the bank account if such credit in the bank account is after four working days from the date of change in the rate of tax. Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, "the date of receipt of payment" shall be the date on which the payment is entered in the books of account of the supplier or the date on which the payment is credited to his bank account, whichever is earlier.

(1) The value of a supply of goods or services or both shall be the transaction value, which is the price actually paid or payable for the said supply of goods or services or both where the supplier and the recipient of the supply are not related and the price is the sole consideration for the supply. (2) The value of supply shall include- (a) any taxes, duties, cesses, fees and charges levied under any law for the time being in force other than this Act, the Central Goods and Services Tax Act and the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act, if charged separately by the supplier; (b) any amount that the supplier is liable to pay in relation to such supply but which has been incurred by the recipient of the supply and not included in the price actually paid or payable for the goods or services or both; (c) incidental expenses, including commission and packing, charged by the supplier to the recipient of a supply and any amount charged for anything done by the supplier in respect of the supply of goods or services or both at the time of, or before delivery of goods or supply of services; (d) interest or late fee or penalty for delayed payment of any consideration for any supply; and (e) subsidies directly linked to the price excluding subsidies provided by the Central Government and State Governments. Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the amount of subsidy shall be included in the value of supply of the supplier who receives the subsidy. (3) The value of the supply shall not include any discount which is given- (a) before or at the time of the supply if such discount has been duly recorded in the invoice issued in respect of such supply; and (b) after the supply has been effected, if- (i) such discount is established in terms of an agreement entered into at or before the time of such supply and specifically linked to relevant invoices; and (ii) input tax credit as is attributable to the discount on the basis of document issued by the

Where the Input Service Distributor distributes the credit in contravention of the provisions contained in section 20 resulting in excess distribution of credit to one or more recipients of credit, the excess credit so distributed shall be recovered from such recipients along with interest, and the provisions of section 73 or section 74 1[or section 74A], as the case may be, shall, mutatis mutandis, apply for determination of amount to be recovered.

Persons not liable for registration. (1) The following persons shall not be liable to registration, namely:— (a) any person engaged exclusively in the business of supplying goods or services or both that are not liable to tax or wholly exempt from tax under this Act or under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act; (b) an agriculturist, to the extent of supply of produce out of cultivation of land. (2) The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify the category of persons who may be exempted from obtaining registration under this Act.

therefore, it does not contain the text for Section 24, "Compulsory registration in certain cases."

Procedure for registration. (1) Every person who is liable to be registered under section 22 or section 24 shall apply for registration in every such State or Union territory in which he is so liable within a period of thirty days from the date on which he becomes liable to registration, in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed: Provided that a casual taxable person or a non-resident taxable person shall apply for registration at least five days prior to the commencement of business. (2) A person seeking registration under this Act shall be granted a single registration in a State or Union territory: Provided that a person having multiple places of business in a State or Union territory may be granted a separate registration for each such place of business, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed. (3) A person, though not liable to be registered under section 22 or section 24, may get himself registered voluntarily, and all provisions of this Act, as are applicable to a registered person, shall apply to such person. (4) A person who has obtained or is required to obtain more than one registration, whether in one State or Union territory or more than one State or Union territory shall, in respect of each such registration, be treated as distinct persons for the purposes of this Act. (5) Where a person who has obtained or is required to obtain registration in a State or Union territory in respect of an establishment, has an establishment in another State or Union territory, then such establishments shall be treated as establishments of distinct persons for the purposes of this Act. (6) Every person shall have a Permanent Account Number issued under the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961) in order to be eligible for grant of registration: Provided that a person required to deduct tax under section 51 may have, in lieu of a Permanent Account Number, a Tax Deduction and Collection Account Number issued under the said Act in order to be eligible for grant of registration. (7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (6), a non-resident taxable person shall be granted registration under sub-section (1) on the basis of such other documents as may be prescribed. (8) Where a person who is liable to be registered under this Act fails to obtain registration, the proper officer may, without prejudice to any action which may be taken under this Act or under any other law for the time being in force, proceed to register such person in such manner as may be prescribed. (9) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1),— (a) any specialised agency of the United Nations Organisation or any Multilateral Financial Institution and Organisation notified under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947, Consulate or Embassy of foreign countries and any other person or class of persons, as may be notified by the Government, shall be granted a Unique Identity Number in such manner and for such purposes, including refund of taxes on the notified supplies of goods or services or both received by them, as may be prescribed; (b) a person or class of persons as may be notified by the Government shall be granted a Unique Identity Number in such manner and for such purposes as may be prescribed. (10) The registration or the Unique Identity Number shall be granted or rejected after due verification in such manner and within such period as may be prescribed. (11) A certificate of registration shall be issued in such form and with effect from such date as may be prescribed. (12) A registration or a Unique Identity Number shall be deemed to have been granted after the expiry of the period prescribed under sub-section (10), if no deficiency has been communicated to the applicant within that period. (13) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (10), any rejection of application for registration or the Unique Identity Number under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be a rejection of application for registration under the State Goods and Services Tax Act. (14) The grant of registration or the Unique Identity Number under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be a grant of registration or the Unique Identity Number under the State Goods and Services Tax Act: Provided that the application for registration or Unique Identity Number has not been rejected under the State Goods and Services Tax Act within the time specified in sub-section (10).

Deemed registration.", but the text of the Act provided in the document ends at Section 7 (Chapter III).

(1) Every registered person and a person to whom a Unique Identity Number has been assigned shall inform the proper officer of any changes in the information furnished at the time of registration or subsequent thereto, in such form and manner and within such period as may be prescribed. (2) The proper officer may, on the basis of information furnished under sub-section (1) or as ascertained by him, approve or reject amendments in the registration particulars in such manner and within such period as may be prescribed: Provided that approval of the proper officer shall not be required in respect of amendment of such particulars as may be prescribed: Provided further that the proper officer shall not reject the application for amendment in the registration particulars without giving the person an opportunity of being heard. (3) Any rejection or approval of amendments under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be a rejection or approval under this Act.

(1) The proper officer may, either on his own motion or on an application filed by the registered person or by his legal heirs, in case of death of such person, cancel the registration, in such manner and within such period as may be prescribed, having regard to the circumstances where,- (a) the business has been discontinued, transferred fully for any reason including death of the proprietor, amalgamated with other legal entity, demerged or otherwise disposed of; or (b) there is any change in the constitution of the business; or (c) the taxable person, other than the person registered under sub-section (3) of Section 25, is no longer liable to be registered under Section 22 or Section 24. (2) The proper officer may cancel the registration of a person from such date, including any retrospective date, as he may deem fit, where,- (a) a registered person has contravened such provisions of the Act or the rules made thereunder as may be prescribed; or (b) a person paying tax under Section 10 has not furnished returns for three consecutive tax periods; or (c) any registered person, other than a person specified in clause (b), has not furnished returns for a continuous period of six months; or (d) any person who has taken voluntary registration under sub-section (3) of Section 25 has not commenced business within six months from the date of registration; or (e) registration has been obtained by means of fraud, wilful misstatement or suppression of facts: Provided that the proper officer shall not cancel the registration without giving the person an opportunity of being heard. (3) The cancellation of registration under this section shall not affect the liability of the person to pay tax and other dues under this Act or to discharge any obligation under this Act or the rules made thereunder for any period prior to the date of cancellation whether or not such tax and other dues are determined before or after the date of cancellation. (4) The cancellation of registration under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be a cancellation of registration under this Act. (5) Every registered person whose registration is cancelled shall pay an amount, by way of debit in the electronic credit ledger or electronic cash ledger, equivalent to the credit of input tax in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock or capital goods or plant and machinery on the day immediately preceding the date of such cancellation or the output tax payable on such goods, whichever is higher, calculated in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that in case of capital goods or plant and machinery, the taxable person shall pay an amount equal to the input tax credit taken on the said capital goods or plant and machinery, reduced by such percentage points as may be prescribed or the tax on the transaction value of such capital goods or plant and machinery under Section 15, whichever is higher. (6) The amount payable under sub-section (5) shall be calculated in such manner as may be prescribed.

(1) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, any registered person, whose registration is cancelled by the proper officer on his own motion, may apply to such officer for revocation of cancellation of the registration in the prescribed manner within thirty days from the date of service of the cancellation order. (2) The proper officer may, in such manner and within such period as may be prescribed, by order, either revoke cancellation of the registration or reject the application: Provided that the application for revocation of cancellation of registration shall not be rejected unless the applicant has been given an opportunity of being heard. (3) The revocation of cancellation of registration under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be a revocation of cancellation of registration under this Act.

(1) A registered person supplying taxable goods shall, before or at the time of,- (a) removal of goods for supply to the recipient, where the supply involves movement of goods; or (b) delivery of goods or making available thereof to the recipient, in any other case, issue a tax invoice showing the description, quantity and value of goods, the tax charged thereon and such other particulars as may be prescribed: Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify the categories of goods or supplies in respect of which a tax invoice shall be issued, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed. (2) A registered person supplying taxable services shall, before or after the provision of service but within a prescribed period, issue a tax invoice, showing the description, value, tax charged thereon and such other particulars as may be prescribed: Provided that the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification and subject to such conditions as may be mentioned therein, specify the categories of services in respect of which- (a) any other document issued in relation to the supply shall be deemed to be a tax invoice; or (b) tax invoice may not be issued. (3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2)-- (a) a registered person may, within one month from the date of issuance of certificate of registration and in such manner as may be prescribed, issue a revised invoice against the invoice already issued during the period beginning with the effective date of registration till the date of issuance of certificate of registration to him; (b) a registered person may not issue a tax invoice if the value of the goods or services or both supplied is less than two hundred rupees subject to such conditions and in such manner as may be prescribed; (c) a registered person supplying exempted goods or services or both or paying tax under the provisions of Section 10 shall issue, instead of a tax invoice, a bill of supply containing such particulars and in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that the registered person may not issue a bill of supply if the value of the goods or services or both supplied is less than two hundred rupees subject to such conditions and in such manner as may be prescribed; (d) a registered person shall, on receipt of advance payment with respect to any supply of goods or services or both, issue a receipt voucher or any other document, containing such particulars as may be prescribed, evidencing receipt of such payment; (e) where, on receipt of advance payment with respect to any supply of goods or services or both the registered person issues a receipt voucher, but subsequently no supply is made and no tax invoice is issued in pursuance thereof, the said registered person may issue to the person who had made the payment, a refund voucher against such payment; (f) a registered person who is liable to pay tax under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of Section 9 shall issue an invoice in respect of goods or services or both received by him from the supplier who is not registered on the date of receipt of goods or services or both; (g) a registered person who is liable to pay tax under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of Section 9 shall issue a payment voucher at the time of making payment to the supplier. (4) In case of continuous supply of goods, where successive statements of accounts or successive payments are involved, the invoice shall be issued before or at the time each such statement is issued or, as the case may be, each such payment is received. (5) Subject to the provisions of clause (d) of sub-section (3), in case of continuous supply of services,- (a) where the due date of payment is ascertainable from the contract, the invoice shall be issued on or before the due date of payment; (b) where the due date of payment is not ascertainable from the contract, the invoice shall be issued before or at the time when the supplier of service receives the payment; (c) where the payment is linked to the completion of an event, the invoice shall be issued on or before the date of completion of that event. (6) In a case where the supply of services ceases under a contract before the completion of the supply, the invoice shall be issued at the time when the supply ceases and such invoice shall be issued to the extent of the supply made before such cessation. (7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where the goods being sent or taken on approval for sale or return are removed before the supply takes place, the invoice shall be issued before or at the time of supply or six months from the date of removal, whichever is earlier. Explanation.-For the purposes of this section, the expression "tax invoice" shall include any revised invoice issued by the supplier in respect of a supply made earlier.

(1) A person who is not a registered person shall not collect in respect of any supply of goods or services or both any amount by way of tax under this Act. (2) No registered person shall collect tax except in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or any other law for the time being in force, where any supply is made for a consideration, every person who is liable to pay tax for such supply shall prominently indicate in all documents relating to assessment, tax invoice and other like documents, the amount of tax which shall form part of the price at which such supply is made.

(1) Where a tax invoice has been issued for supply of any goods or services or both and the taxable value or tax charged in that tax invoice is found to exceed the taxable value or tax payable in respect of such supply, or where the goods supplied are returned by the recipient, or where goods or services or both supplied are found to be deficient, the registered person, who has supplied such goods or services or both, may issue to the recipient a credit note containing such particulars as may be prescribed. (2) Any registered person who issues a credit note in relation to a supply of goods or services or both shall declare the details of such credit note in the return for the month during which such credit note has been issued but not later than September following the end of the financial year in which such supply was made, or the date of furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier, and the tax liability shall be adjusted in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that no reduction in output tax liability of the supplier shall be permitted, if the incidence of tax and interest on such supply has been passed on to any other person. (3) Where a tax invoice has been issued for supply of any goods or services or both and the taxable value or tax charged in that tax invoice is found to be less than the taxable value or tax payable in respect of such supply, the registered person, who has supplied such goods or services or both, shall issue to the recipient a debit note containing such particulars as may be prescribed. (4) Any registered person who issues a debit note in relation to a supply of goods or services or both shall declare the details of such debit note in the return for the month during which such debit note has been issued and the tax liability shall be adjusted in such manner as may be prescribed. Explanation.-For the purposes of this Act, the expression "debit note" shall include a supplementary invoice.

(1) Every registered person shall keep and maintain, at his principal place of business, as mentioned in the certificate of registration, a true and correct account of- (a) production or manufacture of goods; (b) inward and outward supply of goods or services or both; (c) stock of goods; (d) input tax credit availed; (e) output tax payable and paid; and (f) such other particulars as may be prescribed: Provided that where more than one place of business is specified in the certificate of registration, the accounts relating to each place of business shall be kept at such places of business: Provided further that the registered person may keep and maintain such accounts and other particulars in electronic form in such manner as may be prescribed. (2) Every owner or operator of warehouse or godown or any other place used for storage of goods and every transporter, irrespective of whether he is a registered person or not, shall maintain records of the consigner, consignee and other relevant details of the goods in such manner as may be prescribed. (3) The Commissioner may notify a class of taxable persons to maintain additional accounts or documents for such purpose as may be specified therein. (4) Where the Commissioner considers that any class of taxable persons is not in a position to keep and maintain accounts in accordance with the provisions of this section, he may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, permit such class of taxable persons to maintain accounts in such manner as may be prescribed. (5) Every registered person whose turnover during a financial year exceeds the prescribed limit shall get his accounts audited by a chartered accountant or a cost accountant and shall submit a copy of the audited annual accounts, the reconciliation statement under sub-section (2) of Section 44 and such other documents in such form and manner as may be prescribed. (6) Subject to the provisions of clause (h) of sub-section (5) of Section 17, where the registered person fails to account for the goods or services or both in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1), the proper officer shall determine the amount of tax payable on the goods or services or both that are not accounted for, as if such goods or services or both had been supplied by such person and the provisions of Section 73 or Section 74, as the case may be, shall, mutatis mutandis, apply for determination of such tax.

Every registered person required to keep and maintain books of account or other records in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 35 shall retain them until the expiry of seventy two months from the due date of furnishing of annual return for the year pertaining to such accounts and records: Provided that a registered person, who is a party to an appeal or revision or any other proceedings before any Appellate Authority or Revisional Authority or Appellate Tribunal or court, whether filed by him or by the Commissioner, or is under investigation for an offence under Chapter XIX, shall retain the books of account and other records pertaining to the subject matter of such appeal or revision or proceedings or investigation for a period of one year after final disposal of such appeal or revision or proceedings or investigation, or for the period specified above, whichever is later.

(1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor, a non-resident taxable person and a person paying tax under the provisions of Section 10 or Section 51 or Section 52, shall furnish, electronically, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, the details of outward supplies of goods or services or both effected during a tax period on or before the tenth day of the month succeeding the said tax period and such details shall be communicated to the recipient of the said supplies within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that the registered person shall not be allowed to furnish the details of outward supplies during the period from the eleventh day to the fifteenth day of the month succeeding the tax period: Provided further that the Commissioner may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, by notification, extend the time limit for furnishing such details for such class of taxable persons as may be specified therein: Provided also that any extension of time limit notified by the Commissioner of central tax shall be deemed to be notified by the Commissioner. (2) Every registered person who has been communicated the details under sub-section (3) of Section 38 or the details pertaining to inward supplies of Input Service Distributor under sub-section (4) of Section 38, shall either accept or reject the details so communicated, on or before the seventeenth day, but not before the fifteenth day, of the month succeeding the tax period and the details furnished by him under sub-section (1) shall stand amended accordingly. (3) Any registered person, who has furnished the details under sub-section (1) for any tax period and which have remained unmatched under Section 42 or Section 43, shall, upon discovery of any error or omission therein, rectify such error or omission in such manner as may be prescribed, and shall pay the tax and interest, if any, in case there is a short payment of tax on account of such error or omission, in the return to be furnished for such tax period: Provided that no rectification of error or omission in respect of the details furnished under sub-section (1) shall be allowed after furnishing of the return under Section 39 for the month of September following the end of the financial year to which such details pertain, or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier. Explanation.-For the purposes of this Chapter, the expression "details of outward supplies" shall include details of invoices, debit notes, credit notes and revised invoices issued in relation to outward supplies made during any tax period.

(1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor or a non-resident taxable person or a person paying tax under the provisions of Section 10 or Section 51 or Section 52, shall verify, validate, modify or delete, if required, the details relating to outward supplies and credit or debit notes communicated under sub-section (1) of Section 37 to prepare the details of his inward supplies and credit or debit notes and may include therein, the details of inward supplies and credit or debit notes received by him in respect of such supplies that have not been declared by the supplier under sub-section (1) of Section 37. (2) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor or a non-resident taxable person or a person paying tax under the provisions of Section 10 or Section 51 or Section 52, shall furnish, electronically, the details of inward supplies of taxable goods or services or both, including inward supplies of goods or services or both on which the tax is payable on reverse charge basis under this Act and inward supplies of goods or services or both taxable under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act or on which integrated goods and services tax is payable under Section 3 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, and credit or debit notes received in respect of such supplies during a tax period after the tenth day but on or before the fifteenth day of the month succeeding the tax period in such form and manner as may be prescribed: Provided that the Commissioner may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, by notification, extend the time limit for furnishing such details for such class of taxable persons as may be specified therein: Provided further that any extension of time limit notified by the Commissioner of central tax shall be deemed to be notified by the Commissioner. (3) The details of supplies modified, deleted or included by the recipient and furnished under sub-section (2) shall be communicated to the supplier concerned in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed. (4) The details of supplies modified, deleted or included by the recipient in the return furnished under sub-section (2) or sub-section (4) of Section 39 shall be communicated to the supplier concerned in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed. (5) Any registered person, who has furnished the details under sub-section (2) for any tax period and which have remained unmatched under Section 42 or Section 43, shall, upon discovery of any error or omission therein, rectify such error or omission in the tax period during which such error or omission is noticed in such manner as may be prescribed, and shall pay the tax and interest, if any, in case there is a short payment of tax on account of such error or omission, in the return to be furnished for such tax period: Provided that no rectification of error or omission in respect of the details furnished under sub-section (2) shall be allowed after furnishing of the return under Section 39 for the month of September following the end of the financial year to which such details pertain, or furnishing of the relevant annual return, whichever is earlier.

(1) Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor or a non-resident taxable person or a person paying tax under the provisions of Section 10 or Section 51 or Section 52 shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, of inward and outward supplies of goods or services or both, input tax credit availed, tax payable, tax paid and such other particulars as may be prescribed on or before the twentieth day of the month succeeding such calendar month or part thereof. (2) A registered person paying tax under the provisions of Section 10 shall, for each quarter or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, of turnover in the State, inward supplies of goods or services or both, tax payable and tax paid within eighteen days after the end of such quarter. (3) Every registered person required to deduct tax at source under the provisions of Section 51 shall furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, for the month in which such deductions have been made within ten days after the end of such month. (4) Every taxable person registered as an Input Service Distributor shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, within thirteen days after the end of such month. (5) Every registered non-resident taxable person shall, for every calendar month or part thereof, furnish, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, a return, electronically, within twenty days after the end of a calendar month or within seven days after the last day of the period of registration specified under sub-section (1) of Section 27, whichever is earlier. (6) The Commissioner may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, by notification, extend the time limit for furnishing the returns under this section for such class of registered persons as may be specified therein: Provided that any extension of time limit notified by the Commissioner of central tax shall be deemed to be notified by the Commissioner. (7) Every registered person, who is required to furnish a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) or sub-section (5), shall pay to the Government the tax due as per such return not later than the last date on which he is required to furnish such return. (8) Every registered person who is required to furnish a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) shall furnish a return for every tax period whether or not any supplies of goods or services or both have been made during such tax period. (9) Subject to the provisions of Sections 37 and 38, if any registered person after furnishing a return under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) discovers any omission or incorrect particulars therein, other than as a result of scrutiny, audit, inspection or enforcement activity by the tax authorities, he shall rectify such omission or incorrect particulars in the return to be furnished for the month or quarter during which such omission or incorrect particulars are noticed, subject to payment of interest under this Act: Provided that no such rectification of any omission or incorrect particulars shall be allowed after the due date for furnishing of return for the month of September or second quarter following the end of the financial year, or the actual date of furnishing of relevant annual return, whichever is earlier. (10) A registered person shall not be allowed to furnish a return for a tax period if the return for any of the previous tax periods has not been furnished by him.

Every registered person who has made outward supplies in the period between the date on which he became liable to registration till the date on which registration has been granted shall declare the same in the first return furnished by him after grant of registration.

41. Claim of input tax credit and provisional acceptance thereof.

42. [Matching, reversal and reclaim of input tax credit].---Omitted by the Finance Act, 2022 (6 of 2022), s. 107 (w.e.f. 1-10-2022).

43. [Matching, reversal and reclaim of reduction in output tax liability].--- Omitted by the Finance Act, 2022 (6 of 2022), s. 107 (w.e.f. 1-10-2022).

Annual return [Section text not available in the official gazette publication.]

The document ends at Section 7(2).

Where a registered person fails to furnish a return under section 39 or section 44 or section 45, a notice shall be issued requiring him to furnish such return within fifteen days in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

Levy of late fee. 47. (I) Any registered person who fails to furnish the details of outward or inward supplies required under Section 37 or Section 38 or returns required under Section 39 or Section 45 by the due date shall pay a late fee of one hundred rupees for every day during which such failure continues subject to a maximum amount of five thousand rupees. (2) Any. registered person who fails to furnish the return required under Section 44 by the due date shall be liable to pay a late fee of one hundred rupees for every day during which such failure continues subject to a maximum of an amount calculated at a quarter per cent. of his turnover in the State.

Interest on delayed payment of tax.

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, the Government may mandate,-- (a) a department or establishment of the Central Government or State Government; or (b) local authority; or (c) Governmental agencies; or (d) such persons or category of persons as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council, (hereafter in this section referred to as "the deductor"), to deduct tax at the rate of one per cent. from the payment made or credited to the supplier (hereafter in this section referred to as "the deductee") of taxable goods or services or both, where the total value of such supply, under a contract, exceeds two lakh and fifty thousand rupees: Provided that no deduction shall be made if the location of the supplier and the place of supply is in a State or Union territory which is different from the State or as the case may be, Union territory of registration of the recipient. Explanation.--- For the purpose of deduction of tax specified above, the value of supply shall be taken as the amount excluding the central tax, State tax, Union territory tax, integrated tax and cess indicated in the invoice. (2) The amount deducted as tax under this section shall be paid to the Government by the deductor within ten days after the end of the month in which such deduction is made, in such manner as may be prescribed. 1[(3) A certificate of tax deduction at source shall be issued in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed.] 2* * * * * (5) The deductee shall claim credit, in his electronic cash ledger, of the tax deducted and reflected in the return of the deductor furnished under sub-section (3) of section 39, in such manner as may be prescribed. (6) If any deductor fails to pay to the Government the amount deducted as tax under sub-section (1), he shall pay interest in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 50, in addition to the amount of tax deducted. (7) The determination of the amount in default under this section shall be made in the manner specified in section 73 or section 74 3[or section 74A]. (8)The refund to the deductor or the deductee arising on account of excess or erroneous deduction shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of section 54: Provided that no refund to the deductor shall be granted, if the amount deducted has been credited to the electronic cash ledger of the deductee.

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, every electronic commerce operator (hereafter in this section referred to as the “operator”), not being an agent, shall collect an amount calculated at such rate not exceeding one per cent., as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council, of the net value of taxable supplies made through it by other suppliers where the consideration with respect to such supplies is to be collected by the operator. (2) The power to collect the amount specified in sub-section (1) shall be without prejudice to any other mode of recovery from the operator. (3) The amount collected under sub-section (1) shall be paid to the Government by the operator within ten days after the end of the month in which such collection is made, in such manner as may be prescribed. (4) Every operator who collects the amount specified in sub-section (1) shall furnish a statement, electronically, containing the details of outward supplies of goods or services or both effected through it, including the supplies of goods or services or both returned through it, and the amount collected under sub-section (1) during a month, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, within ten days after the end of such month: Provided that the Commissioner may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, by notification, extend the time limit for furnishing the statement under this sub-section. (5) Any amount shown in the statement furnished by the operator under sub-section (4) shall be matched with the corresponding details of outward supplies furnished by the concerned supplier registered under this Act in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed. (6) The concerned supplier, in whose outward supplies the amount liable to be matched under sub-section (5) is claimed, shall be reflected in the electronic cash ledger of the said supplier in the manner prescribed. (7) The supplier of goods or services or both shall add the amount collected by the operator under sub-section (1) to the output tax liability of the said supplier in the electronic liability register in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed. (8) If— (i) the details of outward supplies, on which the tax has been collected as notified under sub-section (1), furnished by the operator under sub-section (4) do not match with the outward supplies declared by the supplier in the return furnished under sub-section (1) of section 39; (ii) the details of outward supplies furnished by the operator under sub-section (4) are found to be unmatched with the outward supplies declared by the supplier in the return furnished under sub-section (1) of section 39, the discrepancy shall, after matching, be communicated to the operator and the supplier in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed. (9) The amount in respect of which any discrepancy is communicated under sub-section (8) and which is not rectified by the supplier in his valid return or the operator in his statement for the month in which discrepancy is communicated, shall be added to the output tax liability of the said supplier, where the value of outward supplies furnished by the operator is more than the value of outward supplies declared by the supplier, in his return for the month succeeding the month in which the discrepancy is communicated in such manner as may be prescribed. (10) The concerned supplier, in whose hands the output tax liability is increased under sub-section (9), shall pay the tax payable in respect of such supply along with interest, at the rate specified under sub-section (1) of section 50, on the amount short paid. (11) Any authority not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner may serve a notice, either before or during the course of any proceedings under this Act, requiring the operator to furnish such details relating to— (a) supplies of goods or services or both effected through such operator; or (b) stock of goods held by the suppliers making supplies through such operator in the godowns or warehouses, by whatever name called, managed by such operators and declared as additional places of business by their suppliers, as may be specified in the notice. (12) Every operator on whom a notice has been served under sub-section (11) shall furnish the required information within a period of fifteen working days of the date of service of such notice. (13) Any person who fails to furnish the information required by the notice served under sub-section (11) shall, without prejudice to any action that may be taken under section 122, be liable to a penalty which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees. Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, the expression “concerned supplier” shall mean the supplier of goods or services or both making supplies through the operator.

On utilisation of input tax credit availed under this Act for payment of tax dues under the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (5) of section 49, the amount collected as State tax shall stand reduced by an amount equal to the credit so utilised and the State Government shall transfer an amount equal to the amount so reduced from the State tax account to the integrated tax account in such manner and within such time as may be prescribed.

(1) Any person claiming refund of any tax and interest, if any, paid on such tax or any other amount paid by him, may make an application before the expiry of two years from the relevant date in such form and manner as may be prescribed: Provided that a registered person, claiming refund of any balance in the electronic cash ledger in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (6) of section 49, may claim such refund in the return furnished under section 39. (2) A specialized agency of the United Nations Organization or any Multilateral Financial Institution and Organization notified under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947, Consulate or Embassy of foreign countries or any other person or class of persons, as notified under section 55, entitled to a refund of tax paid by it on inward supplies of goods or services or both, may make an application for such refund, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, before the expiry of six months from the last day of the quarter in which such supply was received. (3) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (10), a registered person may claim refund of any unutilised input tax credit at the end of any tax period: Provided that no refund of unutilised input tax credit shall be allowed in cases other than— (i) zero rated supplies made without payment of tax; (ii) where the credit has accumulated on account of rate of tax on inputs being higher than the rate of tax on output supplies (other than nil rated or fully exempt supplies), except supplies of goods or services or both as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council: Provided further that no refund of unutilised input tax credit shall be allowed in cases where the goods exported out of India are subjected to export duty: Provided also that no refund of input tax credit shall be allowed, if the supplier of goods or services or both avails of drawback in respect of central tax or claims refund of the integrated tax paid on such supplies. (4) The application shall be accompanied by— (a) such documentary evidence as may be prescribed to establish that a refund is due to the applicant; and (b) such documentary or other evidence (including the documents referred to in section 33) as the applicant may furnish to establish that the amount of tax and interest, if any, paid on such tax or any other amount paid in relation to which such refund is claimed was collected from, or paid by, him and the incidence of such tax and interest had not been passed on to any other person: Provided that where the amount claimed as refund is less than two lakh rupees, it shall not be necessary for the applicant to furnish any documentary and other evidences but he may file a declaration, based on the documentary or other evidences available with him, certifying that the incidence of such tax and interest had not been passed on to any other person. (5) If, on receipt of any such application, the proper officer is satisfied that the whole or part of the amount claimed as refund is refundable, he may make an order accordingly and the amount so determined shall be credited to the Consumer Welfare Fund established under section 57. (6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5), the proper officer may, in the case of any claim for refund on account of zero-rated supply of goods or services or both made by registered persons, other than such category of registered persons as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council, refund on a provisional basis, ninety per cent. of the total amount so claimed, excluding the amount of input tax credit provisionally accepted, in such manner and subject to such conditions, limitations and safeguards as may be prescribed and thereafter make an order under sub-section (5) for final settlement of the refund claim after due verification of documents furnished by the applicant. (7) The proper officer shall issue the order under sub-section (5) within sixty days from the date of receipt of application complete in all respects. (8) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5), the refundable amount shall, instead of being credited to the Fund, be paid to the applicant, if such amount is relatable to— (a) refund of tax paid on zero-rated supplies of goods or services or both or on inputs or input services used in making such zero-rated supplies; (b) refund of unutilised input tax credit under sub-section (3); (c) refund of tax paid on a supply which is not provided, either wholly or partially, and for which invoice has not been issued, or where a refund voucher has been issued; (d) refund of tax in pursuance of section 77; (e) the tax and interest, if any, or any other amount paid by the applicant, if he had not passed on the incidence of such tax and interest to any other person; or (f) the tax or interest borne by such other class of applicants as the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify. (9) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any judgment, decree, order or direction of the Appellate Tribunal or any court or in any other provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder or in any other law for the time being in force, no refund shall be made except in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (8). (10) Where any refund is due under sub-section (3) to a registered person who has defaulted in furnishing any return or who is required to pay any tax, interest or penalty, which has not been stayed by any court, tribunal or Appellate Authority by the specified date, the proper officer may— (a) withhold refund and give recovery up to the said amount; (b) allow the refund of amount excess of tax to be refunded. (11) Where an order giving rise to a refund is the subject matter of an appeal or further proceedings or where any other proceedings under this Act is pending and the Commissioner is of the opinion that grant of such refund is likely to adversely affect the revenue in the said appeal or other proceedings on account of malfeasance or fraud committed, he may, after giving the taxable person an opportunity of being heard, withhold the refund till such time as he may determine. (12) Where a refund is withheld under sub-section (11), the taxable person shall, notwithstanding anything contained in section 56, be entitled to interest at such rate not exceeding six per cent. as may be notified on the recommendations of the Council, if as a result of the appeal or further proceedings he becomes entitled to refund. (13) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, the amount of advance tax deposited by a casual taxable person or a non-resident taxable person under sub-section (2) of section 27, shall not be refunded unless such person has, in respect of the entire period for which the certificate of registration granted to him had remained in force, furnished all the returns required under section 39. (14) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, no refund under sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) shall be paid to an applicant, if the amount is less than one thousand rupees.

The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, specify any specialized agency of the United Nations Organization or any Multilateral Financial Institution and Organization notified under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947, Consulate or Embassy of foreign countries and any other person or class of persons as may be specified in this behalf, who shall, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed, be entitled to claim a refund of taxes paid on the notified supplies of goods or services or both received by them.

If any tax ordered to be refunded under sub-section (5) of section 54 to any applicant is not refunded within sixty days from the date of receipt of application under sub-section (1) of that section, interest at such rate not exceeding six per cent. as may be specified in the notification issued by the Government on the recommendations of the Council shall be payable in respect of such refund from the date immediately after the expiry of sixty days from the date of receipt of application under the said sub-section till the date of refund of such tax: Provided that where any claim of refund arises from an order passed by an adjudicating authority or Appellate Authority or Appellate Tribunal or Court which has attained finality and the same is not refunded within sixty days from the date of receipt of application filed consequent to such order, interest at such rate not exceeding nine per cent. as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council shall be payable in respect of such refund from the date immediately after the expiry of sixty days from the date of receipt of application till the date of refund.

The Government shall constitute a Fund, to be called the Consumer Welfare Fund and there shall be credited to the Fund— (a) the amount referred to in sub-section (5) of section 54; (b) any income from investment of the amount credited to the Fund; and (c) such other monies received by it, in such manner as may be prescribed.

(1) All sums credited to the Fund shall be utilised by the Government for the welfare of the consumers in such manner as may be prescribed. (2) The Government or the authority specified by it shall maintain proper and separate account and other relevant records in relation to the Fund and prepare an annual statement of accounts in such form as may be prescribed in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.

Every registered person shall self-assess the taxes payable under this Act and furnish a return for each tax period as specified under section 39.

it does not contain the text of Section 62.

Summary assessment in certain special cases. (1) The proper officer may, on any evidence showing a tax liability of a person coming to his notice, with the previous permission of Additional Commissioner or Joint Commissioner, proceed to assess the tax liability of such person to protect the interest of revenue and issue an assessment order, if he has sufficient grounds to believe that any delay in doing so may adversely affect the interest of revenue: Provided that where the taxable person to whom the liability pertains is not ascertainable and such liability pertains to supply of goods, the person in charge of such goods shall be deemed to be the taxable person liable to be assessed and liable to pay the tax and any other amount due under this section. (2) On an application made by the taxable person within thirty days from the date of receipt of order passed under sub-section (1) or on his own motion, if the Additional Commissioner or Joint Commissioner considers that such order is erroneous, he may withdraw such order and follow the procedure laid down in section 73 or section 74.

(1) The Commissioner or any officer authorised by him, by a general or specific order, may undertake audit of any registered person for such period, at such frequency and in such manner as may be prescribed. (2) The officers referred to in sub-section (1) may conduct audit at the place of business of the registered person or in their office. (3) The registered person shall be informed by way of a notice sufficiently in advance, not less than fifteen working days, prior to the conduct of audit in such manner as may be prescribed. (4) The audit under sub-section (1) shall be completed within a period of three months from the date of commencement of the audit: Provided that where the Commissioner is satisfied that audit in respect of any registered person cannot be completed within said period, he may, for the reasons to be recorded in writing, extend the period by a further period not exceeding six months. Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression “commencement of audit” shall mean the date on which the records and other documents, called for by the tax authorities, are made available by the registered person or the actual institution of audit at the place of business, whichever is later. (5) During the course of audit, the authorised officer may require the registered person,— (i) to afford him the necessary facility to verify the books of account or other documents as he may require; (ii) to furnish such information as he may require and render assistance for timely completion of the audit. (6) On conclusion of audit, the proper officer shall, within thirty days, inform the registered person, whose records are audited, about the findings, his rights and obligations and the reasons for such findings. (7) Where the audit conducted under sub-section (1) results in detection of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded, or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised, the proper officer may initiate action under section 73 or section 74.

(1) If at any stage of scrutiny, inquiry, investigation or any other proceedings before him, any officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner, having regard to the nature and complexity of the case and the interest of revenue, is of the opinion that the value has not been correctly declared or the credit availed is not within the normal limits, he may, with the prior approval of the Commissioner, direct such registered person by a communication in writing to get his records including books of account examined and audited by a chartered accountant or a cost accountant as may be nominated by the Commissioner. (2) The chartered accountant or cost accountant so nominated shall submit a report of such audit of the records, including books of account, duly signed and certified by him to the said Assistant Commissioner, in such form and within such period, as may be prescribed: Provided that the Assistant Commissioner may, on an application made to him in this behalf by the registered person or the chartered accountant or cost accountant or for any material and sufficient reason, extend the said period by a further period of fifteen days. (3) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall have effect notwithstanding that the accounts of the registered person have been audited under any other provisions of this Act or any other law for the time being in force. (4) The registered person shall be given an opportunity of being heard in respect of any material gathered on the basis of special audit under sub-section (1) which is proposed to be used in any proceedings against him under this Act or the rules made thereunder. (5) The expenses of the examination and audit of records under sub-section (1), including the remuneration of such chartered accountant or cost accountant, shall be determined and paid by the Commissioner and such determination shall be final. (6) Where the special audit conducted under sub-section (1) results in detection of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded, or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised, the proper officer may initiate action under section 73 or section 74.

(1) Where the proper officer, not below the rank of Joint Commissioner, has reasons to believe that— (a) a taxable person has suppressed any transaction relating to supply of goods or services or both or the stock of goods in hand, or has claimed input tax credit in excess of his entitlement under this Act or has indulged in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder to evade tax under this Act; or (b) any person engaged in the business of transporting goods or an owner or operator of a warehouse or a godown or any other place is keeping goods which have escaped payment of tax or has kept his accounts or goods in such a manner as is likely to cause evasion of tax payable under this Act, he may authorise in writing any other officer of State tax to inspect any places of business of the taxable person or the persons engaged in the business of transporting goods or the owner or the operator of warehouse or godown or any other place. (2) Where the proper officer, not below the rank of Joint Commissioner, either pursuant to an inspection carried out under sub-section (1) or otherwise, has reasons to believe that any goods liable to confiscation or any documents or books or things, which in his opinion shall be useful for or relevant to any proceedings under this Act, are secreted in any place, he may authorise in writing any other officer of State tax to search and seize or may himself search and seize such goods, documents, books or things: Provided that where it is not practicable to seize any such goods, the proper officer, or any officer authorised by him, may serve on the owner or the custodian of the goods an order that he shall not remove, part with, or otherwise deal with the goods except with the previous permission of such officer: Provided further that the documents, books or things so seized shall be retained by such officer only for so long as may be necessary for their examination and for any inquiry or proceeding under this Act. (3) The documents, books or things referred to in sub-section (2) or any other documents, books or things produced by a taxable person or any other person, which have not been relied upon for the issue of notice under this Act or the rules made thereunder, shall be returned to such person within a period not exceeding thirty days of the issue of the said notice. (4) The officer authorised under sub-section (2) shall have the power to seal or break open the door of any premises or to break open any almirah, electronic box, box, receptacle in which any goods, accounts, registers or documents of the person are suspected to be concealed, where access to such premises, almirah, electronic box, box or receptacle is denied. (5) The person from whose custody any documents are seized under sub-section (2) shall be entitled to make copies thereof or take extracts therefrom in the presence of an authorised officer at such place and time as such officer may indicate in this behalf except where making such copies or taking such extracts would, in the opinion of the proper officer, prejudicially affect the investigation. (6) The goods so seized under sub-section (2) shall be released, on a provisional basis, upon execution of a bond and furnishing of a security, in such manner and of such quantum, respectively, as may be prescribed or on payment of applicable tax, interest and penalty payable, as the case may be. (7) Where any goods are seized under sub-section (2) and no notice in respect thereof is given within six months of the seizure of the goods, the goods shall be returned to the person from whose possession they were seized: Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the proper officer for a further period not exceeding six months. (8) The Government may, having regard to the perishable or hazardous nature of any goods, depreciation in the value of the goods with the passage of time, constraints of storage space for the goods or any other relevant considerations, by notification, specify the goods or class of goods which shall be disposed of, as soon as may be, after its seizure and pending conclusion of the proceedings. (9) Where any goods, being goods specified under sub-section (8), have been seized by a proper officer, or any officer authorised by him, such officer shall adopt the procedure and the interest of revenue shall be protected in such manner as may be prescribed. (10) The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, relating to search and seizure, shall, so far as may be, apply to search and seizure under this section subject to the modification that sub-section (5) of section 165 of the said Code shall have effect as if for the word “Magistrate”, wherever it occurs, the word “Commissioner” were substituted. (11) Where the proper officer has reasons to believe that any person has evaded or is attempting to evade the payment of tax, he may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, seize the accounts, registers or documents of such person produced before him and shall receipt for the same. (12) The Commissioner or an officer authorised by him may cause purchase of any goods or services or both by any person authorised by him from the business premises of any taxable person, to check the issue of the tax invoices or bills of supply by such taxable person, and on return of goods so purchased by such officer, such taxable person or any person in charge of the business premises shall refund the amount so paid towards the goods after cancelling any tax invoice or bill of supply issued earlier.

(1) The Government may require the person in charge of a conveyance carrying any consignment of goods of value exceeding such amount as may be specified to carry such documents and such devices as may be prescribed. (2) The details of documents required to be carried under sub-section (1) shall be validated in such manner as may be prescribed. (3) Where any conveyance referred to in sub-section (1) is intercepted by the proper officer at any place, he may require the person in charge of the said conveyance to produce the documents prescribed under the said sub-section and devices for verification, and the said person shall be liable to produce the documents and devices and allow the inspection of goods.

Power to arrest.—(1) Where the Commissioner has reasons to believe that a person has committed any offence specified in clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c) or clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 132 which is punishable under clause (i) or (ii) of sub-section (1), or sub-section (2) of the said section, he may, by order, authorise any officer of State tax to arrest such person. (2) Where a person is arrested under sub-section (1) for any offence specified under sub-section (5) of section 132, the officer authorised to arrest the person shall inform such person of the grounds of arrest and produce him

(1) Any officer under this Act, authorised by the proper officer not below the rank of Joint Commissioner, shall have access to any place of business of a registered person to inspect books of account, documents, computers, computer programs, computer software whether installed in a computer or otherwise and such other things as he may require and which may be available at such place, for the purposes of carrying out any audit, scrutiny, verification and checks as may be necessary to safeguard the interest of revenue. (2) Every person in charge of place referred to in sub-section (1) shall, on demand, make available to the officer authorised under sub-section (1) or the audit party deputed by the proper officer or a cost accountant or chartered accountant nominated under Section 66- (i) such records as prepared or maintained by the registered person and declared to the proper officer in such manner as may be prescribed; (ii) trial balance or its equivalent; (iii) statements of annual financial accounts, duly audited, wherever required; (iv) cost audit report, if any, under Section 148 of the Companies Act, 2013; (v) the income-tax audit report, if any, under Section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961; and (vi) any other relevant record, for the scrutiny by the officer or audit party or the chartered accountant or cost accountant within a period not exceeding fifteen working days from the day when such demand is made, or such further period as may be allowed by the said officer or the audit party or the chartered accountant or cost accountant.

(1) All officers of Police, Railways, Customs, and those officers engaged in the collection of land revenue, including village officers, officers of State tax and officers of Union territory tax shall assist the proper officers in the implementation of this Act. (2) The Government may, by notification, empower and require any other class of officers to assist the proper officers in the implementation of this Act when called upon to do so by the Commissioner.

Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised for any reason other than fraud or any wilful misstatement or suppression of facts.

General provisions relating to determination of tax. (1) Where the service of notice or issuance of order is stayed by an order of a court or Appellate Tribunal, the period of such stay shall be excluded in computing the period specified in sub-sections (2) and (10) of section 73 or sub-sections (2) and (10) of section 74, as the case may be. (2) Where any Appellate Authority or Appellate Tribunal or court concludes that the notice issued under sub-section (1) of section 74 is not sustainable for the reason that the charge of fraud or any wilful misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax has not been established against the person to whom the notice was issued, the proper officer shall determine the tax payable by such person, deeming as if the notice were issued under sub-section (1) of section 73. (3) Where any order is required to be issued in pursuance of the direction of the Appellate Authority or Appellate Tribunal or a court, such order shall be issued within two years from the date of communication of the said direction. (4) An opportunity of hearing shall be granted where a request is received in writing from the person chargeable with tax or penalty, or where any adverse decision is contemplated against such person. (5) The proper officer shall, if sufficient cause is shown by the person chargeable with tax, grant time to the said person and adjourn the hearing for reasons to be recorded in writing: Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted for more than three times to a person during the proceedings. (6) The proper officer, in his order, shall set out the relevant facts and the basis of his decision. (7) The amount of tax, interest and penalty demanded in the order shall not be in excess of the amount specified in the notice and no demand shall be confirmed on the grounds other than the grounds specified in the notice. (8) Where the Appellate Authority or Appellate Tribunal or court modifies the amount of tax determined by the proper officer, the amount of tax, interest and penalty shall stand modified accordingly. (9) The interest on the tax short paid or not paid shall be payable whether or not specified in the order determining the tax liability. (10) The adjudication proceedings shall be deemed to be concluded, if the order is not issued within three years as provided for in sub-section (10) of section 73 or within five years as provided for in sub-section (10) of section 74. (11) An issue on which the Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal or the High Court has given its decision which is prejudicial to the interest of revenue in some other proceedings and an appeal to the Supreme Court or the High Court against such decision of the Appellate Tribunal or High Court is pending, the period spent between the date of the decision of the Appellate Tribunal and the date of the decision of the Supreme Court or the High Court shall be excluded in computing the time period for issuance of order under sub-section (2) and sub-section (10) of section 73 or section 74. (12) The interest on tax specified in sub-section (9) shall be calculated in such manner as may be prescribed.

Tax collected but not paid to Government." in the Table of Clauses;

Tax wrongfully collected and paid to Central Government or State Government. (1) A registered person who has paid the Central tax and State tax or, as the case may be, the Central tax and the Union territory tax on a transaction considered by him to be an intra-State supply, but which is subsequently held to be an inter-State supply, shall be refunded the amount of taxes so paid in such manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed. (2) A registered person who has paid integrated tax on a transaction considered by him to be an inter-State supply, but which is subsequently held to be an intra-State supply, shall not be required to pay any interest on the amount of Central tax and State tax or, as the case may be, the Central tax and the Union territory tax payable.

Initiation of recovery proceedings. Any amount payable by a taxable person in pursuance of an order passed under this Act shall be paid by such person within a period of three months from the date of service of such order failing which recovery proceedings shall be initiated: Provided that where the proper officer considers it expedient in the interest of revenue, he may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, require the said taxable person to make such payment within such period less than a period of three months as may be specified by him.

Recovery of tax. (1) Where any amount payable by a person to the Government under any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder is not paid, the proper officer shall proceed to recover the amount by one or more of the following modes, namely:— (a) the proper officer may deduct or may require any other specified officer to deduct the amount so payable from any money owing to such person which may be under the control of the proper officer or such other specified officer; (b) (i) the proper officer may, by notice in writing, require any other person from whom money is due or may become due to such person or who holds or may subsequently hold money for or on account of such person, to pay to the credit of the said Government either forthwith upon the money becoming due or is held or at or within the time specified in the notice not being before the money becomes due or is held, so much of the money as is sufficient to pay the amount due from such person or the whole of the money when it is equal to or less than that amount; (ii) every person to whom the notice is issued under sub-clause (i) shall be bound to comply with such notice, and in particular, where any such notice is issued to a post office, banking company or an insurer, it shall not be necessary to produce any passbook, deposit receipt, policy or any other document for the purpose of any entry, endorsement or the like being made before payment is made, notwithstanding any rule, practice or requirement to the contrary; (iii) in case the person to whom a notice under sub-clause (i) has been issued, fails to make the payment in pursuance thereof to the Government, he shall be deemed to be a defaulter in respect of the amount specified in the notice and all the consequences of this Act or the rules made thereunder shall follow; (iv) the officer issuing a notice under sub-clause (i) may, at any time, amend, revoke or extend the time for the payment of the amount in such notice; (v) any person making any payment in compliance with a notice issued under sub-clause (i) shall be deemed to have made the payment under the authority of the person in default and such payment credited to the Government shall be deemed to constitute a good and sufficient discharge of the liability of such person to the person in default to the extent of the amount specified in the receipt; (vi) any person discharging any liability to the person in default after service on him of the notice issued under sub-clause (i) shall be personally liable to the Government to the extent of the liability discharged or to the extent of the liability of the person in default, whichever is less; (c) the proper officer may, on an authorisation by the concerned Commissioner in accordance with the rules made in this behalf, distrain any movable or immovable property belonging to or under the control of such person, and detain the same until the amount payable is paid; and in case, any part of the said amount payable or of the cost of the distress or keeping of the property, remains unpaid for a period of thirty days next after any such distress, may cause the said property to be sold and with the proceeds of such sale, may satisfy the amount payable and the costs including cost of sale remaining unpaid and shall render the surplus amount, if any, to such person; (d) the proper officer may prepare a certificate signed by him specifying the amount due from such person and send it to the Collector of the district in which such person owns any property or resides or carries on his business or to any officer authorised by the Government for this purpose, and the said Collector or the said officer, on receipt of such certificate, shall proceed to recover from such person the said amount as if it were an arrear of land revenue; (e) notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the proper officer may file an application to the appropriate Magistrate and such Magistrate shall proceed to recover from such person the amount specified as if it were a fine imposed by him. (2) Where the terms of any bond or other instrument executed under this Act or any rules or regulations made thereunder provide that any amount due under such instrument may be recovered in the manner laid down in sub-section (1), the amount may, without prejudice to any other mode of recovery, be recovered in accordance with the provisions of that sub-section.

Payment of tax and other amount in instalments. On an application filed by a taxable person, the Commissioner may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, extend the time for payment or allow payment of any amount due under this Act, other than the amount due as per the liability self-assessed in any return, in monthly instalments not exceeding twenty-four, subject to payment of interest under Section 50 and subject to such conditions and limitations as may be prescribed: Provided that where there is default in payment of any one instalment on its due date, the whole outstanding balance payable on such date shall become due and payable forthwith and shall be recovered without any further notice being served on the said person.

Transfer of property to be void in certain cases. Where a person, after any amount has become due from him, creates a charge on or parts with the property by way of sale, mortgage, exchange, or any other mode of transfer whatsoever of any of his properties in favour of any other person with the intention of defrauding the Government revenue, such charge or transfer shall be void as against any claim in respect of any tax or any other sum payable by the said person: Provided that such charge or transfer shall not be void if it is made for adequate consideration, in good faith and without notice of the pendency of such proceedings under this Act or without notice of such tax or other sum payable by the said person.

Tax to be first charge on property. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law for the time being in force, save as otherwise provided in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, any amount payable by a taxable person or any other person on account of tax, interest or penalty which he is liable to pay to the Government shall be a first charge on the property of such taxable person or such person.

Provisional attachment to protect revenue in certain cases. (1) Where, during the pendency of any proceedings under section 62 or section 63 or section 64 or section 67 or section 73 or section 74, the Commissioner is of the opinion that for the purpose of protecting the interest of the Government revenue, it is necessary so to do, he may, by order in writing, attach provisionally any property, including bank account, belonging to the taxable person in such manner as may be prescribed. (2) Every such provisional attachment shall cease to have effect after the expiry of a period of one year from the date of the order made under sub-section (1).

Where an agent supplies or receives any taxable goods on behalf of his principal, such agent and his principal shall, jointly and severally, be liable to pay the tax payable on such goods under this Act.

Below is the text of Section 87 from the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: 87. Liability in case of amalgamation or merger of companies.—(1) When two or more companies are amalgamated or merged in pursuance of an order of court or of Tribunal or of otherwise and the order is to take effect from a date earlier to the date of the order and any two or more of such companies have supplied or received any goods or services or both to or from each other during the period commencing on the date from which the order takes effect till the date of the order, then such transactions of supply and receipt shall be included in the turnover of supply or receipt of the respective companies and they shall be liable to pay tax accordingly. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the said order, all the services, goods or both supplied or received during the said period shall be treated as included in the supply and receipt of the respective companies and shall be liable to tax.

Liability of directors of private company. Notwithstanding anything contained in the Companies Act, 2013, where any private company is wound up after the commencement of this Act, and any tax, interest or penalty due from the private company in respect of any supply of goods or services or both for any period before its liquidation cannot be recovered, then, every person who was a director of the said private company at any time during the period for which the tax was due shall, jointly and severally, be liable for the payment of such tax, interest or penalty, unless he proves to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that such non-recovery cannot be attributed to any gross neglect, misfeasance or breach of duty on his part in relation to the affairs of the company.

Liability of partners of firm to pay tax.—Notwithstanding any contract to the contrary and any other law for the time being in force, where any firm is liable to pay any tax, interest or penalty under this Act, the firm and each of the partners of the firm shall, jointly and severally, be liable for such payment: Provided that where any partner retires from the firm, he or the firm, shall intimate the date of retirement of the said partner to the Commissioner by a notice in that behalf in writing and such partner shall be liable to pay tax, interest or penalty due up to the date of his retirement whether determined or not, on that date: Provided further that if no such intimation is furnished within one month from the date of retirement, the liability of such partner shall continue until the date on which such intimation is furnished to the Commissioner.

Liability of guardians, trustees etc.

(1) Save as otherwise provided in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, where a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, dies, then— (a) if a business carried on by the person is continued after his death by his legal representative or any other person, such legal representative or other person, shall be liable to pay tax, interest or penalty due from such person under this Act; and (b) if the business carried on by the person is discontinued, whether by his death or otherwise, his legal representative shall be liable to pay, out of the estate of the deceased, to the extent to which the estate is capable of meeting the charge, the tax, interest or penalty due from such person under this Act: Provided that such liability shall be limited to the extent to which the estate is capable of meeting the charge. (2) Where a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, is succeeded by any other person on account of transfer of his business for any reason, including death or retirement or otherwise, then the successor shall be liable to pay tax, interest or penalty due from such person under this Act. (3) Where a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, is a firm or an association of persons and such firm or association is partitioned or dissolved, then— (a) the tax, interest or penalty payable under this Act by such firm or association of persons for the period up to the date of such partition or dissolution shall be payable by every person who was a partner or member of the firm or association of persons immediately before such partition or dissolution; and (b) every partner or member of such firm or association of persons shall, notwithstanding such disassociation, be liable severally and jointly for the payment of the tax, interest or penalty due in respect of such firm or association of persons, whether or not such tax, interest or penalty was determined before such partition or dissolution. (4) Where a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, is a family and the Hindu Undivided Family is partitioned, then— (a) the tax, interest or penalty payable under this Act by such family for the period up to the date of such partition shall be payable by every member of such family; and (b) every member of such family shall, notwithstanding such partition, be liable severally and jointly for the payment of the tax, interest or penalty due in respect of such family, whether or not such tax, interest or penalty was determined before such partition. (5) Where a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, is a guardian or trustee, and the business of such guardian or trustee is carried on by another person, then the provisions of sub-sections (1) to (4) shall apply in relation to such other person as they apply in relation to the guardian or trustee. (6) The provisions of this section shall apply even if the tax, interest or penalty due from a person, liable to pay tax, interest or penalty under this Act, was determined before his death or retirement or otherwise but has remained unpaid at the time of his death or retirement or otherwise.

The full text of Section 94 and its associated sub-clauses are not contained within the provided material.

Constitution of Authority for Advance Ruling. Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, the Authority for Advance Ruling constituted under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be the Authority for Advance Ruling in respect of that State or Union territory.

Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, for the purposes of this Act, the Appellate Authority for Advance Ruling constituted under the provisions of a State Goods and Services Tax Act or a Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be the Appellate Authority in respect of that State or Union territory.

(1) The concerned officer, the jurisdictional officer or an applicant aggrieved by any advance ruling pronounced under sub-section (4) of section 98, may appeal to the Appellate Authority. (2) Every appeal under this section shall be filed within a period of thirty days from the date on which the ruling sought to be appealed against is communicated to the concerned officer, the jurisdictional officer and the applicant: Provided that the Appellate Authority may, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by a sufficient cause from presenting the appeal within the said period of thirty days, allow it to be presented within a further period not exceeding thirty days. (3) Every appeal under this section shall be in such form, accompanied by such fee and verified in such manner as may be prescribed.

(1) The Appellate Tribunal may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass such orders thereon as it thinks fit, confirming, modifying or annulling the decision or order appealed against or may refer the case back to the Appellate Authority, or the Revisional Authority or to the original adjudicating authority, with such directions as it may think fit, for a fresh adjudication or decision after taking additional evidence, if necessary. (2) The Appellate Tribunal may, if sufficient cause is shown, at any stage of hearing of an appeal, grant time to the parties or any of them and adjourn the hearing of the appeal for reasons to be recorded in writing: Provided that no such adjournment shall be granted more than three times to a party during hearing of the appeal. (3) The Appellate Tribunal may amend any order passed by it under sub-section (1) so as to rectify any error apparent on the face of the record, if such error is noticed by it on its own accord, or is brought to its notice by the Commissioner or the Commissioner of central tax or the other party to the appeal within a period of three months from the date of the order: Provided that no amendment which has the effect of enhancing an assessment or reducing a refund or input tax credit or otherwise increasing the liability of the other party, shall be made under this sub-section, unless the party has been given an opportunity of being heard. (4) The Appellate Tribunal shall, as far as possible, hear and decide every appeal within a period of one year from the date on which it is filed. (5) The Appellate Tribunal shall send a copy of every order passed under this section to the Appellate Authority or the Revisional Authority, or the original adjudicating authority, as the case may be, the appellant and the Commissioner or the jurisdictional Commissioner of central tax. (6) Save as provided in Section 117 or Section 118, orders passed by the Appellate Tribunal on an appeal shall be final and binding on the parties.

The State President shall exercise such financial and administrative powers over the State Bench and Area Benches of the Appellate Tribunal in a State, as may be prescribed: Provided that the State President shall have the authority to delegate such of his financial and administrative powers as he may think fit to any other Member or any officer of the State Bench or Area Benches, subject to the condition that such Member or officer shall, while exercising such delegated powers, continue to act under the direction, control and supervision of the State President.

Where an amount paid by the appellant under sub-section (6) of Section 107 or sub-section (8) of Section 112 is required to be refunded consequent to any order of the Appellate Authority or of the Appellate Tribunal, interest at the rate specified under Section 56 shall be payable in respect of such refund from the date of payment of the amount till the date of refund of such amount.

(1) Any person who is entitled or required to appear before an officer appointed under this Act, or the Appellate Authority or the Appellate Tribunal in connection with any proceedings under this Act, may, otherwise than when required under this Act to appear personally for examination on oath or affirmation, subject to the other provisions of this section, appear by an authorised representative. (2) For the purposes of this Act, the expression "authorised representative" shall mean a person authorised by the person referred to in sub-section (1) to appear on his behalf, being- (a) his relative or regular employee; or (b) an advocate who is entitled to practice in any court in India, and who has not been debarred from practicing before any court in India; or (c) any chartered accountant, a cost accountant or a company secretary, who holds a certificate of practice and who has not been debarred from practice; or (d) a retired officer of the Commercial Tax Department of any State Government or Union territory or of the Board who, during his service under the Government, had worked in a post not below the rank than that of a Group-B Gazetted officer for a period of not less than two years: Provided that such officer shall not be entitled to appear before any proceedings under this Act for a period of one year from the date of his retirement or resignation; or (e) any person who has been authorised to act as a goods and services tax practitioner on behalf of the concerned registered person. (3) No person,- (a) who has been dismissed or removed from Government service; or (b) who is convicted of an offence connected with any proceedings under this Act, the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act, or under the existing law or under any of the Acts passed by a State Legislature dealing with the imposition of taxes on sale of goods or supply of goods or services or both; or (c) who is found guilty of misconduct by the prescribed authority; (d) who has been adjudged as an insolvent, shall be qualified to represent any person under sub-section (1)- (i) for all times in case of persons referred to in clauses (a),(b) and (c); and (ii) for the period during which the insolvency continues in the case of a person referred to in clause (d). (4) Any person who has been disqualified under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act or the Goods and Services Tax Act of any other State or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act shall be deemed to be disqualified under this Act.

(1) Any person aggrieved by any order passed by the State Bench or Area Benches of the Appellate Tribunal may file an appeal to the High Court and the High Court may admit such appeal, if it is satisfied that the case involves a substantial question of law. (2) An appeal under sub-section (1) shall be filed within a period of one hundred and eighty days from the date on which the order appealed against is received by the aggrieved person and it shall be in such form, verified in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that the High Court may entertain an appeal after the expiry of the said period if it is satisfied that there was sufficient cause for not filing it within such period. (3) Where the High Court is satisfied that a substantial question of law is involved in any case, it shall formulate that question and the appeal shall be heard only on the question so formulated, and the respondents shall, at the hearing of the appeal, be allowed to argue that the case does not involve such question: Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall be deemed to take away or abridge the power of the court to hear, for reasons to be recorded, the appeal on any other substantial question of law not formulated by it, if it is satisfied that the case involves such question. (4) The High Court shall decide the question of law so formulated and deliver such judgment thereon containing the grounds on which such decision is founded and may award such cost as it deems fit. (5) The High Court may determine any issue which- (a) has not been determined by the State Bench or Area Benches; or (b) has been wrongly determined by the State Bench or Area Benches, by reason of a decision on such question of law as herein referred to in sub-section (3). (6) Where an appeal has been filed before the High Court, it shall be heard by a Bench of not less than two Judges of the High Court, and shall be decided in accordance with the opinion of such Judges or of the majority, if any, of such Judges. (7) Where there is no such majority, the Judges shall state the point of law upon which they differ and the case shall, then, be heard upon that point only, by one or more of the other Judges of the High Court and such point shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority of the Judges who have heard the case including those who first heard it. (8) Where the High Court delivers a judgment in an appeal filed before it under this section, effect shall be given to such judgment by either side on the basis of a certified copy of the judgment. (9) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, relating to appeals to the High Court shall, as far as may be, apply in the case of appeals under this section.

(1) An appeal shall lie to the Supreme Court- (a) from any order passed by the National Bench or Regional Benches of the Appellate Tribunal; or (b) from any judgment or order passed by the High Court in an appeal made under Section 117 in any case which, on its own motion or on an application made by or on behalf of the party aggrieved, immediately after passing of the judgment or order, the High Court certifies to be a fit one for appeal to the Supreme Court. (2) The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, relating to appeals to the Supreme Court shall, so far as may be, apply in the case of appeals under this section as they apply in the case of appeals from decrees of a High Court. (3) Where the judgment of the High Court is varied or reversed in the appeal, effect shall be given to the order of the Supreme Court in the manner provided in Section 117 in the case of a judgment of the High Court.

Notwithstanding that an appeal has been preferred to the High Court or the Supreme Court, sums due to the Government as a result of an order passed by the National or Regional Benches of the Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1) of Section 113 or an order passed by the State Bench or Area Benches of the Appellate Tribunal under sub-section (1) of Section 113 or an order passed by the High Court under Section 117, as the case may be, shall be payable in accordance with the order so passed.

(1) The Commissioner may, on the recommendations of the Council, from time to time, issue orders or instructions or directions fixing such monetary limits, as he may deem fit, for the purposes of regulating the filing of appeal or application by the officer of the State tax under the provisions of this Chapter. (2) Where, in pursuance of the orders or instructions or directions issued under sub-section (1), the officer of the State tax has not filed an appeal or application against any decision or order passed under the provisions of this Act, it shall not preclude such officer of the State tax from filing appeal or application in any other case involving the same or similar issues or questions of law. (3) Notwithstanding the fact that no appeal or application has been filed by the officer of the State tax pursuant to the orders or instructions or directions issued under sub-section (1), no person, being a party in appeal or application shall contend that the officer of the State tax has acquiesced in the decision on the disputed issue by not filing an appeal or application. (4) The Appellate Tribunal or court hearing such appeal or application shall have regard to the circumstances under which appeal or application was not filed by the officer of the State tax in pursuance of the orders or instructions or directions issued under sub-section (1).

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any provisions of this Act, no appeal shall lie against any decision taken or order passed by an officer of State tax if such decision taken or order passed relates to any one or more of the following matters, namely:- (a) an order of the Commissioner or other authority empowered to direct transfer of proceedings from one officer to another officer; or (b) an order pertaining to the seizure or retention of books of account, register and other documents; or (c) an order sanctioning prosecution under this Act; or (d) an order passed under Section 80.

(1) Where a taxable person who- (i) supplies any goods or services or both without issue of any invoice or issues an incorrect or false invoice with regard to any such supply; (ii) issues any invoice or bill without supply of goods or services or both in violation of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder; (iii) collects any amount as tax but fails to pay the same to the Government beyond a period of three months from the date on which such payment becomes due; (iv) collects any tax in contravention of the provisions of this Act but fails to pay the same to the Government beyond a period of three months from the date on which such payment becomes due; (v) fails to deduct the tax in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 51, or deducts an amount which is less than the amount required to be deducted under the said sub-section, or where he fails to pay to the Government under sub-section (2) thereof, the amount deducted as tax; (vi) fails to collect tax in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1) of Section 52, or collects an amount which is less than the amount required to be collected under the said sub-section or where he fails to pay to the Government the amount collected as tax under sub-section (3) of Section 52; (vii) takes or utilises input tax credit without actual receipt of goods or services or both either fully or partially, in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder; (viii) fraudulently obtains refund of tax under this Act; (ix) takes or distributes input tax credit in contravention of Section 20, or the rules made there under; (x) falsifies or substitutes financial records or produces fake accounts or documents or furnishes any false information or return with an intention to evade payment of tax due under this Act; (xi) is liable to be registered under this Act but fails to obtain registration; (xii) furnishes any false information with regard to registration particulars, either at the time of applying for registration, or subsequently; (xiii) obstructs or prevents any officer in discharge of his duties under this Act; (xiv) transports any taxable goods without the cover of documents as may be specified in this behalf; (xv) suppresses his turnover leading to evasion of tax under this Act; (xvi) fails to keep, maintain or retain books of account and other documents in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder; (xvii) fails to furnish information or documents called for by an officer in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder or furnishes false information or documents during any proceedings under this Act; (xviii) supplies, transports or stores any goods which he has reasons to believe are liable to confiscation under this Act; (xix) issues any invoice or document by using the registration number of another registered person; (xx) tampers with, or destroys any material evidence or documents; (xxi) disposes off or tampers with any goods that have been detained, seized, or attached under this Act, he shall be liable to pay a penalty of ten thousand rupees or an amount equivalent to the tax evaded or the tax not deducted under Section 51 or short deducted or deducted but not paid to the Government or tax not collected under Section 52 or short collected or collected but not paid to the Government or input tax credit availed of or passed on or distributed irregularly, or the refund claimed fraudulently, whichever is higher. (2) Any registered person who supplies any goods or services or both on which any tax has not been paid or short-paid or erroneously refunded, or where the input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilized,- (a) for any reason, other than the reason of fraud or any wilful misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, shall be liable to a penalty of ten thousand rupees or ten per cent. of the tax due from such person, whichever is higher; (b) for reason of fraud or any wilful misstatement or suppression of facts to evade tax, shall be liable to a penalty equal to ten thousand rupees or the tax due from such person, whichever is higher. (3) Any person who- (a) aids or abets any of the offences specified in clauses (i) to (xxi) of sub-section (1); (b) acquires possession of, or in any way concerns himself in transporting, removing, depositing, keeping, concealing, supplying, or purchasing or in any other manner deals with any goods which he knows or has reasons to believe are liable to confiscation under this Act or the rules made thereunder; (c) receives or is in any way concerned with the supply of, or in any other manner deals with any supply of services which he knows or has reasons to believe are in contravention of any provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder; (d) fails to appear before the officer of State tax, when issued with a summon for appearance to give evidence or produce a document in an inquiry; (e) fails to issue invoice in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder or fails to account for an invoice in his books of account, shall be liable to a penalty which may extend to twenty five thousand rupees.

If a person who is required to furnish an information return under Section 150 fails to do so within the period specified in the notice issued under sub-section (3) thereof, the proper officer may direct, that such person shall be liable to pay a penalty of one hundred rupees for each day of the period during which the failure to furnish such return continues: Provided that the penalty imposed under this section shall not exceed five thousand rupees.

If any person required to furnish any information or return under Section 151,- (a) without reasonable cause fails to furnish such information or return as may be required under that section, or (b) wilfully furnishes or causes to furnish any information or return which he knows to be false, he shall be punishable with a fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees and in case of a continuing offence to a further fine which may extend to one hundred rupees for each day after the first day during which the offence continues subject to a maximum limit of twenty five thousand rupees.

(1) No officer under this Act shall impose any penalty for minor breaches of tax regulations or procedural requirements and in particular, any omission or mistake in documentation which is easily rectifiable and made without fraudulent intent or gross negligence. Explanation.--- For the purpose of this sub-section,--- (a) a breach shall be considered a 'minor breach' if the amount of tax involved is less than five thousand rupees; (b) an omission or mistake in documentation shall be considered to be easily rectifiable if the same is an error apparent on the face of record. (2) The penalty imposed under this Act shall depend on the facts and circumstances of each case and shall be commensurate with the degree and severity of the breach. (3) No penalty shall be imposed on any person without giving him an opportunity of being heard. (4) The officer under this Act shall while imposing penalty in an order for a breach of any law, regulation or procedural requirement, specify the nature of the breach and the applicable law, regulation or procedure under which the amount of penalty for the breach has been specified. (5) When a person voluntarily discloses to an officer under this Act the circumstances of a breach of the tax law, regulation or procedural requirement prior to the discovery of the breach by the officer under this Act, the proper officer may consider this fact as a mitigating factor when quantifying a penalty for that person. (6) The provisions of this section shall not apply in such cases where the penalty specified under this Act is either a fixed sum or expressed as a fixed percentage.

Power to impose penalty in certain cases. Where the proper officer is of the view that a person is liable to a penalty and the same is not covered under any proceedings under Section 62 or Section 63 or Section 64 or Section 73 or Section 74 or Section 129 or Section 130, he may issue an order levying such penalty after giving a reasonable opportunity of being heard to such person.

Power to waive penalty or fee or both

Detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, where any person transports any goods or stores any goods while they are in transit in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, all such goods and conveyance used as a means of transport for carrying the said goods and documents relating to such goods and conveyance shall be liable to detention or seizure and after detention or seizure, shall be released,— (a) on payment of the applicable tax and penalty equal to one hundred per cent. of the tax payable on such goods and, in case of exempted goods, on payment of an amount equal to two per cent. of the value of goods or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less, where the owner of the goods comes forward for payment of such tax and penalty; (b) on payment of the applicable tax and penalty equal to the penalty leviable under sub-section (1) of section 129 subject to the condition that such amount is paid and, in case of exempted goods, on payment of an amount equal to five per cent. of the value of goods or twenty-five thousand rupees, whichever is less, where the owner of the goods does not come forward for payment of such tax and penalty; (c) upon furnishing a security equivalent to the amount payable under clause (a) or clause (b) in such form and manner as may be prescribed: Provided that no such goods or conveyance shall be detained or seized without serving an order of detention or seizure on the person transporting the goods. (2) The provisions of sub-section (2) of section 67 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply for detention and seizure of goods and conveyances. (3) The proper officer detaining or seizing goods or conveyances shall issue a notice specifying the tax and penalty payable and thereafter, pass an order for payment of tax and penalty under clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c). (4) No tax, interest or penalty shall be determined under sub-section (3) without giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard. (5) On payment of amount referred to in sub-section (1), all proceedings in respect of the notice specified in sub-section (3) shall be deemed to be concluded. (6) Where the person transporting any goods or the owner of the goods fails to pay the amount of tax and penalty as provided in sub-section (1) within seven days of such detention or seizure, further proceedings shall be initiated in accordance with the provisions of section 130: Provided that where the detained or seized goods are perishable or hazardous in nature or are likely to depreciate in value with passage of time, the said period of seven days may be reduced by the proper officer.

Confiscation of goods or conveyances and levy of penalty.— (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, if any person— (i) supplies or receives any goods in contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder with intent to evade payment of tax; or (ii) does not account for any goods on which he is liable to pay tax under this Act; or (iii) supplies any goods liable to tax under this Act without having applied for registration; or (iv) contravenes any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder with intent to evade payment of tax; or (v) uses any conveyance as a means of transport for carriage of goods in contravention of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder unless the owner of the conveyance proves that it was so used without the knowledge or connivance of the owner himself, his agent, if any, and the person in charge of the conveyance, then, all such goods or conveyances shall be liable to confiscation and the person shall be liable to penalty under section 122. (2) Whenever confiscation of any goods or conveyance is authorised by this Act, the officer adjudging it shall give to the owner of the goods or conveyance an option to pay in lieu of confiscation, such fine as the said officer thinks fit: Provided that such fine leviable shall not exceed the market value of the goods or conveyance, less the tax chargeable thereon: Provided further that the aggregate of such fine and penalty leviable shall not be less than the amount of penalty leviable under sub-section (1) of section 129: Provided also that where any such conveyance is used for the carriage of the goods or passengers for hire, the owner of the conveyance shall be given an option to pay in lieu of the confiscation of the conveyance a fine equal to the tax payable on the goods being transported thereon. (3) Where any fine in lieu of confiscation of goods or conveyance is imposed under sub-section (2), the owner of such goods or conveyance or the person referred to in sub-section (1), shall, in addition, be liable to any tax, penalty and charges payable in respect of such goods or conveyance.

(1) 1[Whoever commits, or causes to commit and retain the benefits arising out of, any of the following offences], namely:--- (a) supplies any goods or services or both without issue of any invoice, in violation of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, with the intention to evade tax; (b) issues any invoice or bill without supply of goods or services or both in violation of the provisions of this Act, or the rules made thereunder leading to wrongful availment or utilisation of input tax credit or refund of tax; 2[(c) avails input tax credit using the invoice or bill referred to in clause (b) or fraudulently avails input tax credit without any invoice or bill;] (d) collects any amount as tax but fails to pay the same to the Government beyond a period of three months from the date on which such payment becomes due; (e) evades tax 3*** or fraudulently obtains refund and where such offence is not covered under clauses (a) to (d); (f) falsifies or substitutes financial records or produces fake accounts or documents or furnishes any false information with an intention to evade payment of tax due under this Act; 4* * * * * (h) acquires possession of, or in any way concerns himself in transporting, removing, depositing, keeping, concealing, supplying, or purchasing or in any other manner deals with, any goods which he knows or has reasons to believe are liable to confiscation under this Act or the rules made thereunder; (i) receives or is in any way concerned with the supply of, or in any other manner deals with any supply of services which he knows or has reasons to believe are in contravention of any provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder; 4* * * * * 4* * * * * (l) attempts to commit, or abets the commission of any of the offences mentioned in 5[clauses (a) to (f) and clauses (h) and (i)] of this section, shall be punishable--- (i) in cases where the amount of tax evaded or the amount of input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised or the amount of refund wrongly taken exceeds five hundred lakh rupees, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine; (ii) in cases where the amount of tax evaded or the amount of input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised or the amount of refund wrongly taken exceeds two hundred lakh rupees but does not exceed five hundred lakh rupees, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine; (iii) in the case of 6[an offence specified in clause (b),] where the amount of tax evaded or the amount of input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised or the amount of refund wrongly taken exceeds one hundred lakh rupees but does not exceed two hundred lakh rupees, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year and with fine; (iv) in cases where he commits or abets the commission of an offence specified in clause (f) 7***, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine or with both. (2) Where any person convicted of an offence under this section is again convicted of an offence under this section, then, he shall be punishable for the second and for every subsequent offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine. (3) The imprisonment referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) shall, in the absence of special and adequate reasons to the contrary to be recorded in the judgment of the Court, be for a term not less than six months. (4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), all offences under this Act, except the offences referred to in sub-section (5) shall be non-cognizable and bailable. (5) The offences specified in clause (a) or clause (b) or clause (c) or clause (d) of sub-section (1) and punishable under clause (i) of that sub-section shall be cognizable and non-bailable. (6) A person shall not be prosecuted for any offence under this section except with the previous sanction of the Commissioner. Explanation.--- For the purposes of this section, the term "tax" shall include the amount of tax evaded or the amount of input tax credit wrongly availed or utilised or refund wrongly taken under the provisions of this Act, the State Goods and Services Tax Act, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act or the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act and cess levied under the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act.

Liability of officers and certain other persons.—(1) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the President, Co-President, Members, officers and other employees of the Appellate Tribunal or any other person authorised by the said Appellate Tribunal for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of the provisions of this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder. (2) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any officer appointed or authorised under this Act for anything which is done or intended to be done in good faith under this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder.

No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this Act or the rules made thereunder except with the previous sanction of the Commissioner, and no court inferior to that of a Magistrate of the First Class, shall try any such offence.

A statement made and signed by a person on appearance in response to any summons issued under section 70 during the course of any inquiry or proceedings under this Act shall be relevant, for the purpose of proving, in any prosecution for an offence under this Act, the truth of the facts which it contains,-- (a) when the person who made the statement is dead or cannot be found, or is incapable of giving evidence, or is kept out of the way by the adverse party, or whose presence cannot be obtained without an amount of delay or expense which, under the circumstances of the case, the court considers unreasonable; or (b) when the person who made the statement is examined as a witness in the case before the court and the court is of the opinion that, having regard to the circumstances of the case, the statement should be admitted in evidence in the interest of justice.

(1) Where an offence committed by a person under this Act is a company, every person who, at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsible to, the company for the conduct of business of the company, as well as the company, shall be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence under this Act has been committed by a company and it is proved that the offence has been committed with the consent or connivance of, or is attributable to any negligence on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or other officer shall also be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. (3) Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a taxable person being a partnership firm or a Limited Liability Partnership or a Hindu Undivided Family or a trust, the partner or karta or managing trustee shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly and the provisions of sub-section (2) shall mutatis mutandis apply to such persons. (4) Nothing contained in this section shall render any such person liable to any punishment provided in this Act, if he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or that he had exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence. Explanation-For the purposes of this section,- (i) "company" means a body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals; and (ii) "director", in relation to a firm, means a partner in the firm.

(1) Any offence under this Act may, either before or after the institution of prosecution, be compounded by the Commissioner on payment, by the person accused of the offence, to the Central Government or the State Government, as the case may be, of such compounding amount in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that nothing contained in this section shall apply to- (a) a person who has been allowed to compound once in respect of any of the offences specified in clauses (a) to (f) of sub-section (1) of section 132; (b) a person who has been convicted for an offence under this Act by a court; (c) a person who has been accused of committing an offence under this Act which is also an offence under any other law for the time being in force; (d) any other class of persons or offences as may be prescribed: Provided further that any compounding allowed under the provisions of this section shall not affect the proceedings, if any, instituted under any other law: Provided also that compounding shall be allowed only after making payment of tax, interest and penalty involved in such offences. (2) The amount for compounding of offences under this section shall be such as may be prescribed, subject to the minimum amount not being less than ten thousand rupees or fifty per cent. of the tax involved, whichever is higher, and the maximum amount not being more than thirty thousand rupees or one hundred and fifty per cent. of the tax, whichever is higher. (3) On payment of such amount as ordered by the Commissioner, no further proceedings shall be initiated under this Act against the accused person in respect of the same offence and any criminal proceedings, if already initiated in respect of the said offence, shall stand abated.

(1) On and from the appointed day, every person registered under any of the existing laws and having a Permanent Account Number issued under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (Act No. 43 of 1961) shall be enrolled electronically on the Common Portal and shall be issued a certificate of registration on provisional basis. (2) The certificate of registration issued under sub-section (1) shall be valid for such period as may be notified by the Government: Provided that in respect of those persons who have been granted provisional registration, the period of validity of such registration may be extended by the Government on the recommendation of the Council. (3) The certificate of registration issued under sub-section (1) shall be cancelled if the conditions prescribed in this behalf are not fulfilled. (4) Every person to whom a certificate of registration has been issued under sub-section (1) shall, within such period as may be prescribed, furnish such information as may be prescribed on the Common Portal. (5) The certificate of registration issued under sub-section (1) shall be deemed to have not been issued if the said registration is cancelled in pursuance of an application filed by such person who was not liable to registration under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) of section 22 or clause (b) of section 24: Provided that the cancellation so performed shall be deemed to have been effective from the appointed day. (6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), any person having a provisional registration shall be granted final registration if he complies with the conditions as may be prescribed. (7) The supplier of goods or services or both who is not liable to be registered under this Act and who is registered under any of the existing laws shall be issued the provisional certificate of registration on the Common Portal and shall be liable to furnish such information as may be prescribed. (8) The registration or the enrolment of any person as a taxpayer or as a tax deductor or as an Operator under the existing laws shall not be cancelled under this Act, if the person who is liable to be registered under this Act fails to furnish the prescribed information required under this section.

(1) A registered person, other than a person opting to pay tax under section 10, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, the amount of CENVAT credit [of the eligible duties] carried forward in the return relating to the period ending with the day immediately preceding the appointed day, furnished by him under the existing law in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that the registered person shall not be allowed to take credit in the following circumstances, namely:— (i) where the said amount of credit is not admissible as input tax credit under this Act; or (ii) where he has not furnished all the returns required under the existing law for the period of six months immediately preceding the appointed day; or (iii) where the said amount of credit relates to goods manufactured and cleared under such exemption notifications as are notified by the Government. (2) A registered person, other than a person opting to pay tax under section 10, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of the unavailed CENVAT credit in respect of capital goods, not carried forward in a return, furnished under the existing law by him, for the period ending with the day immediately preceding the appointed day in such manner as may be prescribed: Provided that the registered person shall not be allowed to take credit unless the said credit was admissible as CENVAT credit under the existing law and is also admissible as input tax credit under this Act. Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression "unavailed CENVAT credit" means the amount that remains after subtracting the amount of CENVAT credit already availed in respect of capital goods by the registered person under the existing law from the aggregate amount of CENVAT credit to which the said person was entitled in respect of the said capital goods under the existing law. (3) A registered person, who was not liable to be registered under the existing law, or who was engaged in the manufacture of exempted goods or goods which are wholly exempt from tax or who was providing services which are not liable to tax or was carrying on the business as the works contractor, or any other registered person, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of the eligible duties in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock on the appointed day subject to the following conditions, namely:— (i) such inputs or goods are used or intended to be used for making taxable supplies under this Act; (ii) the said registered person is eligible for input tax credit on such inputs under this Act; (iii) the said registered person is in possession of invoice or other prescribed documents evidencing payment of duty under the existing law in respect of such inputs; (iv) such invoices or other prescribed documents were issued not earlier than twelve months immediately preceding the appointed day; and (v) the supplier of services is not eligible for the abatement under this Act: Provided that where a registered person, other than a manufacturer or a provider of output services, is not in possession of an invoice or any other document evidencing payment of duty in respect of inputs, then, such registered person shall, subject to such conditions, limitations and safeguards as may be prescribed, including that the said taxable person shall pass on the benefit of such credit by way of reduced prices to the recipient, be allowed to take credit at such rate and in such manner as may be prescribed. (4) A registered person, who was engaged in the manufacture of taxable as well as exempted goods under the Central Excise Act, 1944 or engaged in the provision of taxable as well as exempted services, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger,- (a) the amount of CENVAT credit carried forward in a return furnished under the existing law by him in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1); and (b) the amount of CENVAT credit of eligible duties in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock on the appointed day, relating to such exempted goods or services, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3). (5) A registered person shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of eligible duties and taxes in respect of inputs or input services received on or after the appointed day but the duty or tax in respect of which has been paid by the supplier under the existing law, subject to the condition that the invoice or any other duty or tax paying document of the same was recorded in the books of account of such person within a period of thirty days from the appointed day: Provided that the period of thirty days may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding thirty days: Provided further that the said registered person shall furnish a statement, in such manner as may be prescribed, in respect of credit that has been taken under this sub-section. (6) A registered person, who was either paying tax at a fixed rate or paying a fixed amount in lieu of the tax payable under the existing law, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of eligible duties in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock on the appointed day subject to the following conditions, namely:— (i) such inputs or goods are used or intended to be used for making taxable supplies under this Act; (ii) the said registered person is not paying tax under section 10; (iii) the said registered person is eligible for input tax credit on such inputs under this Act; (iv) the said registered person is in possession of invoice or other prescribed documents evidencing payment of duty under the existing law in respect of such inputs; and (v) such invoices or other prescribed documents were issued not earlier than twelve months immediately preceding the appointed day. (7) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, the amount of credit under sub-sections (3), (4) and (6) shall be calculated in such manner as may be prescribed. (8) A registered person, who was engaged in the manufacture of taxable as well as exempted goods under the Central Excise Act, 1944 or engaged in the provision of taxable as well as exempted services, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger,- (a) the amount of CENVAT credit carried forward in a return furnished under the existing law by him in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1); and (b) the amount of CENVAT credit of eligible duties in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock on the appointed day, relating to such exempted goods or services, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3). (9) The amount of credit under sub-sections (3), (4) and (6) shall be calculated in such manner as may be prescribed. (10) The amount of credit under any of the sub-sections of this section shall be calculated in such manner as may be prescribed.

(1) A registered person shall not be liable to pay any tax under this Act on goods supplied to a job worker before the appointed day and returned to him after the appointed day if such goods are returned within a period of six months, or any extension thereof, from the appointed day: Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding two months: Provided further that if such goods are not returned within the period specified in this sub-section, the input tax credit shall be liable to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (8) of section 142. (2) The manufacturer, in accordance with the provisions of the existing law, shall not be liable to pay any tax under this Act on goods removed to a job worker for the purposes of test or any other process before the appointed day and returned to him after the appointed day if such goods are returned within a period of six months, or any extension thereof, from the appointed day: Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding two months: Provided further that if such goods are not returned within the period specified in this sub-section, the input tax credit shall be liable to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (8) of section 142. (3) The goods removed for the purposes of the job work shall be deemed to have been supplied by the principal on the day when the job worker removes the goods after completing the job work or receives the goods back, if they are not returned within the period specified in this section. (4) In case of goods produced under the existing law and removed for the purpose of job work before the appointed day and returned after the appointed day, no tax shall be payable if the job worker, after completion of the job work, returns the goods within the period specified in this section: Provided that if the goods are not returned within the prescribed period, the input tax credit shall be liable to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (8) of section 142.

(1) Where any goods on which duty, if any, had been paid under the existing law at the time of removal thereof, are returned to any place of business on or after the appointed day, the person returning the goods shall be eligible for refund of the duty paid under the existing law if such goods are returned by a person, other than a registered person, within a period of six months from the appointed day and such goods are identifiable to the satisfaction of the proper officer: Provided that if the said goods are returned by a registered person, the return of such goods shall be deemed to be a supply. (2) (a) Where, in pursuance of a contract entered into before the appointed day, the price of any goods or services or both is revised upwards on or after the appointed day, the registered person who had removed or provided such goods or services or both shall issue to the recipient a supplementary invoice or debit note, containing such particulars as may be prescribed, within thirty days of such price revision and such supplementary invoice or debit note shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have been issued in respect of an outward supply made under this Act. (b) Where, in pursuance of a contract entered into before the appointed day, the price of any goods or services or both is revised downwards on or after the appointed day, the registered person who had removed or provided such goods or services or both may issue to the recipient a credit note, containing such particulars as may be prescribed, within thirty days of such price revision and such credit note shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have been issued in respect of an outward supply made under this Act: Provided that the registered person shall be allowed to reduce his tax liability on account of any credit note issued by him under this sub-section if the recipient of the credit note has reduced his input tax credit corresponding to such reduction of tax liability. (3) Every claim for refund filed by any person before, on or after the appointed day for refund of any amount of CENVAT credit, duty, tax, interest or any other amount paid under the existing law, shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of existing law and any amount eventually accruing to him shall be paid in cash, notwithstanding anything contained under the provisions of any law other than the Finance Act, 1994: Provided that where any claim for refund of CENVAT credit is fully or partially rejected, the amount so rejected shall lapse: Provided further that no refund shall be allowed of any amount of CENVAT credit where the balance of the said amount as on the appointed day has been carried forward under this Act. (4) Every claim for refund filed after the appointed day for refund of any duty or tax paid under existing law in respect of the goods or services exported before or after the appointed day shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the existing law: Provided that where any claim for refund of CENVAT credit is fully or partially rejected, the amount so rejected shall lapse: Provided further that no refund shall be allowed of any amount of CENVAT credit where the balance of the said amount as on the appointed day has been carried forward under this Act. (5) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, any amount that becomes recoverable as a result of an adjudication or other proceedings held under the existing law, whether before, on or after the appointed day, shall, unless recovered under this Act, be recovered as an arrear of tax under this Act and the amount so recovered shall not be admissible as input tax credit under this Act. (6) (a) Every proceeding of appeal, review or reference relating to a claim for CENVAT credit initiated whether before, on or after the appointed day under the existing law shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the existing law, and any refund amount of CENVAT credit shall be paid in cash, notwithstanding anything contained in the provisions of any law other than the Finance Act, 1994 and the provisions of any other law relating to the recovery of arrears of tax: Provided that where any claim for refund of CENVAT credit is fully or partially rejected, the amount so rejected shall lapse: Provided further that no refund shall be allowed of any amount of CENVAT credit where the balance of the said amount as on the appointed day has been carried forward under this Act. (b) Every proceeding of appeal, review or reference relating to recovery of CENVAT credit initiated whether before, on or after the appointed day under the existing law shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the existing law and any amount of credit found to be recoverable shall be recovered as an arrear of tax under this Act and the amount so recovered shall not be admissible as input tax credit under this Act. (7) (a) Every proceeding of appeal, review or reference relating to any output duty or tax liability initiated whether before, on or after the appointed day under the existing law, shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the existing law, and any amount found to be admissible to the claimant shall be refunded to him in cash, notwithstanding anything contained in the provisions of any law other than the Finance Act, 1994: (b) Every proceeding of appeal, review or reference relating to any output duty or tax liability initiated whether before, on or after the appointed day under the existing law, shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the existing law, and any amount found to be recoverable shall be recovered as an arrear of tax under this Act and the amount so recovered shall not be admissible as input tax credit under this Act. (8) (a) Where in pursuance of an assessment or adjudication proceeding instituted, whether before, on or after the appointed day under the existing law, any amount of tax, interest, fine or penalty becomes recoverable from the person, the same shall, unless recovered under the existing law, be recovered as an arrear of tax under this Act and the amount so recovered shall not be admissible as input tax credit under this Act; (b) Where in pursuance of an assessment or adjudication proceeding instituted, whether before, on or after the appointed day under the existing law, any amount of tax, interest, fine or penalty becomes refundable to the taxable person, the same shall be refunded to him in cash under the said law, notwithstanding anything contained in the provision of any law other than the Finance Act, 1994. (9) (a) Where any return, furnished under the existing law, is revised after the appointed day and if, pursuant to such revision, any amount is found to be recoverable or any amount of CENVAT credit is found to be inadmissible, the same shall, unless recovered under the existing law, be recovered as an arrear of tax under this Act and the amount so recovered shall not be admissible as input tax credit under this Act; (b) Where any return, furnished under the existing law, is revised after the appointed day but within the time limit specified for such revision under the existing law and if, pursuant to such revision, any amount is found to be refundable or CENVAT credit is found to be admissible to any taxable person, the same shall be refunded to him in cash under the existing law, notwithstanding anything contained in the provision of any law other than the Finance Act, 1994. (10) Save as otherwise provided in this Chapter, the goods or services or both supplied on or after the appointed day in pursuance of a contract entered into prior to the appointed day shall be liable to tax under the provisions of this Act. (11) (a) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 12, no tax shall be payable on goods under this Act to the extent the tax was leviable on the said goods under the Value Added Tax Act of the State; (b) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 13, no tax shall be payable on services under this Act to the extent the tax was leviable on the said services under Chapter V of the Finance Act, 1994; (c) Where tax was paid on any supply both under the Value Added Tax Act and under Chapter V of the Finance Act, 1994, tax shall be leviable under this Act and the taxable person shall be entitled to take credit of Value Added Tax or service tax paid, if any, as admissible under the provisions of this Act: Provided that such credit shall be adjusted first against the output tax liability under this Act, and the balance, if any, shall be refunded in cash. (12) Where any goods sent on an approval basis, not being earlier than six months before the appointed day, are rejected or not approved by the buyer and returned to the seller on or after the appointed day, no tax shall be payable thereon if such goods are returned within six months from the appointed day: Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding two months: Provided further that the tax shall be payable by the person returning the goods if such goods are liable to tax under this Act, and are returned after the period specified in this sub-section: Provided also that tax shall be payable by the person who has sent the goods on approval basis if such goods are liable to tax under this Act, and are not returned within the period specified in this sub-section. (13) Where a supplier has made any sale of goods in respect of which tax was required to be deducted at source under any law of a State or Union territory as in force before the appointed day and has also issued an invoice for the same before the appointed day, no deduction of tax at source under section 51 shall be made by the deductor on the said payment.

(1) A registered person (hereafter in this section referred to as the "principal") may, under intimation and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, send any inputs or capital goods, without payment of tax, to a job worker for job work and from there subsequently send to another job worker and likewise, and shall,- (a) bring back inputs, after completion of job work or otherwise, or capital goods, other than moulds and dies, jigs and fixtures, or tools, within one year and three years, respectively, of their being sent out, to any of his place of business, without payment of tax; (b) supply such inputs, after completion of job work or otherwise, or capital goods, other than moulds and dies, jigs and fixtures, or tools, within one year and three years, respectively, of their being sent out from the place of business of a job worker on payment of tax within India, or with or without payment of tax for export, as the case may be: Provided that the principal shall not supply the goods from the place of business of a job worker in accordance with the provisions of this clause unless the said principal declares the place of business of the job worker as his additional place of business except in a case— (i) where the job worker is registered under section 25; or (ii) where the principal is engaged in the supply of such goods as may be notified by the Commissioner. (2) The responsibility for keeping proper accounts for the inputs or capital goods shall lie with the principal. (3) Where the inputs sent for job work are not received back by the principal after completion of job work or otherwise within one year of their being sent out, it shall be deemed that such inputs had been supplied by the principal to the job worker on the day when the said inputs were sent out. (4) Where the capital goods sent for job work are not received back by the principal within a period of three years of their being sent out, it shall be deemed that such capital goods had been supplied by the principal to the job worker on the day when the said capital goods were sent out. (5) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), any waste and scrap generated during the job work may be supplied by the job worker directly from his place of business on payment of tax, if such job worker is registered, or by the principal, if the job worker is not registered. Explanation.-For the purposes of job work, input includes intermediate goods arising from any treatment or process carried out on the inputs by the job worker or the principal.

Where any document— (i) is produced by any person under this Act or any other law for the time being in force; or (ii) has been seized from the custody or control of any person under this Act or any other law for the time being in force; or (iii) has been received from any place in such custody or control under this Act or any other law for the time being in force, and such document is tendered by the prosecution in evidence against him or any other person who is tried jointly with him, the court shall (a) unless the contrary is proved by such person, presume— (i) the truth of the contents of such document; (ii) that the signature and every other part of such document which purports to be in the handwriting of any particular person or which the court may reasonably assume to have been signed by, or to be in the handwriting of, any particular person, is in that person's handwriting, and in the case of a document executed or attested, that it was executed or attested by the person by whom it purports to have been so executed or attested; (b) admit the document in evidence, notwithstanding that it is not duly stamped, if such document is otherwise admissible in evidence.

(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force,— (a) a micro film of a document or the reproduction of the image or images embodied in such micro film (whether enlarged or not); or (b) a facsimile copy of a document; or (c) a statement contained in a document and included in a printed material produced by a computer, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed; or (d) any information stored electronically in any device or media, including any hard copies made of such information, shall be deemed to be a document for the purposes of this Act and the rules made thereunder and shall be admissible in any proceedings thereunder, without further proof or production of the original, as evidence of any contents of the original or of any fact stated therein of which direct evidence would be admissible. (2) In any proceedings under this Act, where it is desired to give a statement in evidence by virtue of this section, a certificate— (a) identifying the document containing the statement and describing the manner in which it was produced; (b) giving such particulars of any device involved in the production of that statement as may be appropriate for the purpose of showing that the document was produced by a computer, shall be evidence of any matter stated in the certificate and such certificate shall be sufficient for the purposes of this section if it purports to be signed by a person occupying a responsible official position in relation to the operation of the relevant device.

The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify the Common Goods and Services Tax Electronic Portal for facilitating registration, payment of tax, furnishing of returns, computation and settlement of integrated tax, electronic way bill and for carrying out such other functions and for such purposes as may be prescribed.

The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain supplies of goods as "deemed exports", where goods supplied do not leave India, and payment for such supplies is received either in Indian rupees or in convertible foreign exchange, if such goods are manufactured in India.

The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, and subject to such conditions and safeguards as may be prescribed, notify certain classes of registered persons, and the special procedures to be followed by such persons including those with regard to registration, furnishing of return, payment of tax and administration of such persons.

Goods and services tax compliance rating.

Obligation to furnish information return.

Power to collect statistics.

Bar on disclosure of information.

Taking assistance from an expert.

Power to take samples.

Burden of proof.

Persons deemed to be public servants.

Protection of action taken under this Act.

Disclosure of information by a public servant.

Publication of information in respect of persons in certain cases.

Assessment proceedings, etc. not to be invalid on certain grounds.

Rectification of errors apparent on the face of record.

Bar on jurisdiction of civil courts.

Levy offee.

Power of Government to make rules.

Power to make regulations.

Laying of rules, regulations and notifications.

Delegation of powers.

Power lo issue instructions or directions.

I 69. Service of notice in certain circumstances.

Rounding off of tax etc.

Anti-profiteering Measure.

Removal of difficulties.

SCHEDULE II.

SCHEDULE III [See section 7] ACTIVITIES OR TRANSACTIONS WHICH SHALL BE TREATED NEITHER AS A SUPPLY OF GOODS NOR A SUPPLY OF SERVICES 1. Services by an employee to the employer in the course of or in relation to his employment. 2. Services by any court or Tribunal established under any law for the time being in force. 3. (a) the functions performed by the Members of Parliament, Members of State Legislature, Members of Panchayats, Members of Municipalities and Members of other local authorities; (b) the duties performed by any person who holds any post in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution in that capacity; or (c) the duties performed by any person as a Chairperson or a Member or a Director in a body established by the Central Government or a State Government or local authority and who is not deemed as an employee before the commencement of this clause. 4. Services of funeral, burial, crematorium or mortuary including transportation of the deceased. 5. Sale of land and, subject to clause (b) of paragraph 5 of Schedule II, sale of building. 6. Actionable claims, other than 1[specified actionable claims]. 2[7. Supply of goods from a place in the non-taxable territory to another place in the non-taxable territory without such goods entering into India. 8. (a) Supply of warehoused goods to any person before clearance for home consumption; 3[(aa) Supply of goods warehoused in a Special Economic Zone or in a Free Trade Warehousing Zone to any person before clearance for exports or to the Domestic Tariff Area;] (b) Supply of goods by the consignee to any other person, by endorsement of documents of title to the goods, after the goods have been dispatched from the port of origin located outside India but before clearance for home consumption.] 4[9. Activity of apportionment of co-insurance premium by the lead insurer to the co-insurer for the insurance services jointly supplied by the lead insurer and the co-insurer to the insured in co-insurance agreements, subject to the condition that the lead insurer pays the central tax, the State tax, the Union territory tax and the integrated tax on the entire amount of premium paid by the insured. 10. Services by insurer to the reinsurer for which ceding commission or the reinsurance commission is deducted from reinsurance premium paid by the insurer to the reinsurer, subject to the condition that the central tax, the State tax, the Union territory tax and the integrated tax is paid by the reinsurer on the gross reinsurance premium payable by the insurer to the reinsurer, inclusive of the said ceding commission or the reinsurance commission.] Explanation 5[1.]—For the purposes of paragraph 2, the term “court” includes District Court, High Court and Supreme Court. 5[Explanation 2.––For the purposes of 3[clause (a) of] paragraph 8, the expression “warehoused goods” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962).] 1[Explanation 3.—For the purposes of clause (aa) of paragraph 8, the expressions “Special Economic Zone”, “Free Trade Warehousing Zone” and “Domestic Tariff Area” shall have the same meanings respectively as assigned to them in section 2 of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005).] 1. Subs. by Act 30 of 2023, s. 4, for “lottery, betting and gambling” (w.e.f. 1-10-2023). 2. Ins. by Act 31 of 2018, s. 32 (w.e.f. 1-7-2017). 3. Ins. by Act 7 of 2025, s. 133 (w.e.f. 1-7-2017). 4. Ins. by Act 15 of 2024, s. 149 (w.e.f. 1-11-2024). 5. Numbered and- ins by Act 31 of 2018, s. 32 (w.e.f. 1-2-2019). 1. Ins. by Act 7 of 2025, s. 133 (w.e.f. 1-7-2017).