Trader gets GST notice for 17-pt decimal error
AHMEDABAD: In a case of extreme intolerance for any discrepancy in Good and Services Tax (GST) returns under scrutiny, the proprietor of a city-based engineering company, Sanjay Ghosh (name changed to protect privacy), has received a notice from the state tax department stating there was a discrepancy of Rs 0.77999999999883585 in his tax payment.
The discrepancy was based on the sales (GSTR-1) and purchase (GSTR-3B) return forms submitted by him from October 2017 to December 2017.
The notice left the businessman flummoxed, wondering on how to respond and pay such a minuscule amount as pending dues.
“Please clarify difference between GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B amount of tax for the period Oct-17 to Dec-17. The Amount is Rs 0.77999999999883585 within five days,” stated the notice pointing at the discrepancy of 17 decimals issued last week.
“GST has been well-implemented. But I was both flummoxed and amused at the micoscopic discrepancy raised. I wish the figure was rounded-off,” said Ghosh.
Chartered accountants indicate that several such notices have been issued to citizens over discrepancies.
“Most of these notices have been issued manually and each provides a time frame of two to seven days to the taxpayer for issuing a clarification. As per the GST Act, taxpayers or companies must be provided at least 30 days’ time to respond and submit a clarification for any notice regarding scrutiny of returns,” said Harnish Modh, secretary, Gujarat Sales Tax Bar Association.
