GST Consulting & Compliance

GST is a single tax collected in parts. On a sale within a state, Central GST (CGST) goes to the central government and State GST (SGST) goes to the state, sharing the rate between them. On a sale between states, a single Integrated GST (IGST) applies, which the centre later passes to the destination state. Union Territory GST (UTGST) takes the place of SGST in union territories. Which one applies follows from the place of supply, so identifying that correctly is the starting point of every invoice.

Registration becomes mandatory once aggregate turnover in a financial year crosses Rs 40 lakh for a supplier of goods or Rs 20 lakh for a supplier of services. These limits are Rs 20 lakh and Rs 10 lakh in certain special category states. Registration is also required irrespective of turnover in specific cases, including inter-state supply of goods, e-commerce operators, and persons liable under reverse charge. We assess your turnover, location and supply pattern to confirm whether, and in which states, you must register.

Registration is applied for online on the GST portal. The common documents are the PAN of the business and promoters, proof of constitution such as the certificate of incorporation or partnership deed, identity and address proof of promoters, proof of the principal place of business, bank account details, and a photograph and authorisation for the signatory. Aadhaar authentication of the promoter or signatory is generally part of the process. The exact set depends on whether you operate as a company, LLP, partnership or proprietorship.

The composition scheme is an optional route for small businesses. A supplier of goods with turnover up to Rs 1.5 crore, or a supplier of services with turnover up to Rs 50 lakh, can opt in and pay GST at a low fixed rate on turnover, filing a quarterly statement (CMP-08) and an annual return rather than monthly returns. The trade-off is that a composition taxpayer cannot charge GST separately to customers, cannot claim input tax credit, and cannot make inter-state outward supplies. We help assess whether the scheme suits your margins and customer base.

Every product carries an HSN code and every service a SAC code, and that code fixes the applicable GST rate. From 22 September 2025, the rate structure was reduced to fewer slabs. The earlier 12% and 28% slabs were removed, leaving main rates of 5% and 18%, a nil rate for many essentials, and a 40% rate for a limited set of luxury and sin goods. Correct classification matters because a wrong code leads to short payment or over-charging, and classification is a frequent source of disputes. We map your goods and services to the current codes and rates.

A regular taxpayer files GSTR-1, reporting outward supplies, and GSTR-3B, the summary return through which tax is paid. Monthly filers submit GSTR-1 by the 11th and GSTR-3B by the 20th of the following month. Smaller taxpayers can file these quarterly under the QRMP scheme while paying tax monthly. An annual return, GSTR-9, follows for the year. Composition taxpayers instead file CMP-08 each quarter. Returns are due even for a period with no activity, filed as a nil return.

The Quarterly Return Monthly Payment (QRMP) scheme is open to taxpayers with aggregate turnover up to Rs 5 crore. Under it, GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B are filed once a quarter rather than every month, while tax is still paid each month through a challan (PMT-06). It reduces the filing load for smaller businesses, with monthly filing continuing for those above the Rs 5 crore turnover. We help decide whether QRMP fits your invoicing and cash-flow pattern.

From the July 2025 tax period, the outward tax liability in GSTR-3B is auto-filled from GSTR-1 and can no longer be edited directly. Any correction to sales data must be routed through GSTR-1A before GSTR-3B is filed. Separately, the Invoice Management System (IMS) now sits between a supplier's filing and your GSTR-2B: each inward invoice can be accepted, rejected, or kept pending. Invoices that are accepted, or left without any action, flow into GSTR-2B and feed your input tax credit, while rejected invoices do not. These changes make accurate, timely data essential, because errors are locked in rather than corrected at the final step. We build reconciliation into the monthly cycle instead of the filing deadline.

Input tax credit (ITC) is the GST you paid on business purchases, set off against the GST you collect on sales, so tax applies only to the value you add. Credit can be claimed only for invoices that appear in your auto-drafted GSTR-2B statement. Reconciliation is the process of matching your purchase records against GSTR-2B, identifying invoices a supplier has not uploaded or has reported with different values, and following up before the credit is lost. We carry out this matching each period and flag supplier-side gaps for resolution.

Input tax credit for a financial year must be claimed by the earlier of two dates: 30 November following the end of that financial year, or the date of filing the annual return for that year. Credit not claimed by then generally lapses. This makes timely reconciliation important, particularly for invoices where a supplier filed late or reported under the wrong period. We track unclaimed and mismatched credit so it is resolved within the available window.

E-invoicing requires notified businesses to report each business-to-business invoice to a government Invoice Registration Portal, which returns a unique Invoice Reference Number (IRN) and a QR code that make the invoice valid. It applies to businesses with aggregate turnover above Rs 5 crore in any year since 2017-18, measured across all GSTINs under one PAN. Businesses with turnover of Rs 10 crore and above must report invoices within 30 days of the invoice date. Pure business-to-consumer invoices are outside the mandate at present. We help set up reporting so invoices are not rejected and buyers' credit is protected.

An e-way bill is an electronic document generated before goods move, generally required when the consignment value exceeds Rs 50,000. It is compulsory for inter-state movement, and within a state above the applicable threshold. Validity depends on distance, broadly one day for every 200 kilometres. From 1 August 2026, the Ship-To GSTIN field becomes mandatory for bill-to/ship-to transactions, so the portal will not generate the bill without it. An incorrect or expired e-way bill can lead to goods being detained in transit. We support correct generation, including the new field requirement.

The annual return, GSTR-9, is mandatory for regular taxpayers whose aggregate turnover exceeds Rs 2 crore in a financial year, and is optional below that level. Taxpayers whose turnover exceeds Rs 5 crore must additionally file GSTR-9C, a self-certified statement reconciling the annual return with the audited financial accounts. Both are generally due by 31 December following the financial year. Composition taxpayers, casual and non-resident taxable persons, and input service distributors are outside GSTR-9. We prepare these from reconciled monthly data rather than rebuilding figures at year-end.

The department may scrutinise returns, raise queries, or open an audit or assessment, often where returns and supplier data do not reconcile. The process runs through notices, written responses supported by records, and hearings. If a demand is confirmed and then upheld at the first appeal, a further appeal lies to the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT), which began hearing cases in February 2026 and requires a pre-deposit of an additional 10% of the disputed tax at the tribunal stage. For older matters where the order was communicated before 1 April 2026, a transitional filing deadline of 30 June 2026 applies. We prepare responses, compile documentation, and attend proceedings alongside you.

Late filing of a return attracts a late fee, currently Rs 50 per day and Rs 20 per day for a nil return, along with interest at 18% per year on tax paid late. Continued non-filing can lead to suspension of the registration. Mismatches can block input tax credit for your buyers and prompt scrutiny notices, and e-way bill errors can cause goods to be held in transit. A return also cannot be filed once three years have passed from its due date. Systematic monthly compliance keeps these consequences from accumulating.