CLARIFICATION REGARDING TAX PAYMENT MADE FOR SUPPLY OF WAREHOUSED GOODS WHILE BEING DEPOSITED IN A CUSTOMS BONDED WAREHOUSE FOR THE PERIOD JULY, 2017 TO MARCH, 2018

CIRCULAR NO. 91/10/2019-GST [F.NO.CBEC-20/16/04/2018-GST], DATED 18-2-2019

Attention is invited to Circular No. 3/1/2018-IGST dated 25-5-2018 whereby applicability of integrated tax on goods transferred/sold while being deposited in a warehouse (hereinafter referred to as the “warehoused goods”) was clarified. In the said circular, it was enunciated that from 1st of April, 2018 the supply of warehoused goods before their clearance from the warehouse would not be subject to the levy of integrated tax.

2. It has been brought to notice of the Board that during the period from 1st of July, 2017 to 31st of March, 2018 (hereinafter referred to as the “said period”), the common portal did not have the facility to enable the taxpayer to report payment of integrated tax, in the details required to be submitted in FORM GSTR-1, for such supplies especially where the supplier and the recipient were located in the same State or Union territory. Hence taxpayers making such supplies have reported such supplies as intra-State supplies and discharged central tax and state tax instead of integrated tax accordingly. Now, representations have been received from trade to clarify the same.

3. In order to ensure uniformity in the implementation of the provisions of law across the field formations, the Board, in exercise of its powers conferred by section 168 (1) of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, hereby issues the following instructions.

4. Supply of warehoused goods while deposited in custom bonded warehouses had the character of inter-State supply as per the provisions of Integrated Goods and Services tax Act, 2017. But, due to non-availability of the facility on the common portal, suppliers have reported such supplies as intra-State supplies and discharged central tax and state tax on such supplies instead of integrated tax. In view of revenue neutral position of such tax payment and that facility to correctly report the nature of transaction in FORM GSTR-1 furnished on the common portal was not available during the period July, 2017 to March, 2018, it has been decided that, as a one-time exception, suppliers who have paid central tax and state tax on such supplies, during the said period, would be deemed to have complied with the provisions of law as far as payment of tax on such supplies is concerned as long as the amount of tax paid as central tax and state tax is equal to the due amount of integrated tax on such supplies.

5. It is requested that suitable trade notices may be issued to publicize the contents of this Circular.

6. Difficulty, if any, in the implementation of this Circular may be brought to the notice of the Board.