The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has clarified that the the cases where the payment of tax has been made through FORM GSTR 3B prior to the issuance of demand notice and/or adjudication order before the date 1st November 2024, shall also be eligible for benefit of the GST Amnesty Scheme under section 128A of the CGST Act, subject to verification by the proper officer.
The Board has receive various representations seeking clarification as to whether cases where payment has been made through FORM GSTR 3B, before coming into force of section 128A into force, i.e. 1st November 2024, are eligible for benefit.
The matter has been examined. Vide circular No. 238/32/2024-GST dated 15th October, 2024, it was clarified that any amount paid towards the said demand prior to the date notified under sub-section (1) of section 128A i.e. 1st November 2024, shall be considered as payment made towards the amount payable under sub- section (1) of Section 128A, as long as the said amount has been paid prior to 1st November 2024 and was intended to be paid towards the said demand.
Further, rule 164 (1) provides that in order to avail the benefit under section 128A, payments are to be made in FORM GST DRC-03 towards the tax demanded in respect of a notice or a statement mentioned in section 128A (1) (a) and rule 164(2) provides that tax payment shall mandatorily be made only by crediting the amount in the electronic liability register against the debit entry created in respect of orders mentioned in clauses (b) and (c) of sub-section (1) of section 128A. The said sub-rule also provides the procedure to be followed for cases where payment has already been made through FORM GST DRC-03.
From the examination of the above provisions, it is clarified that a taxpayer who has made the payment through FORM GSTR-3B before the date of coming into force of section 128A i.e. 01st November 2024, shall also be eligible to avail the benefit under the said section.
However, any taxpayer who intends to avail the benefit of the said provision on or after the said section comes into force, i.e.1st November 2024 shall be required to make payments necessarily through the modes as prescribed under rule 164 of the CGST Rules.
Notification Details
Notification No. Circular No. 248/05/2025-GST
Date: 27/03/2025
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