Clipped from: https://taxguru.in/goods-and-service-tax/rcm-liability-gst-purchases-unregistered-persons.html
Though it has been more than 5 years of completion of GST and government has left no stone unturned to celebrate the successful implementation of the same, yet there is a lot of confusions and doubts prevailing in the market not only among the registered dealers but to professional as well and not to say, GST officers as well.
This article has an objective to clarify all the myths and doubts related to REVERSE CHARGE MECHANISM (RCM) Liability on purchase of goods and services from unregistered persons. The guiding section in this matter is Section 9(4) of CGST Act,2017. The section has been elaborated by 6 notifications and the section has been altered altogether once by CGST (Amendment) Act,2018. The list of such notifications have been reproduced at the end of this article.
Our discussion will be summarized as per various timelines to give a better sense of understanding:
1. 01st July,2017 to 12th October,2017
A registered person was liable to pay tax on Reverse Charge Mechanism on each purchase of goods or service from unregistered person.
However, exemption from such RCM was given if total value of such purchases (aggregate from all unregistered persons) in a day is Rs. 5000 or less.
For instance, if total purchases from unregistered persons in a day is Rs. 4999, then no RCM applicable but if such purchases aggregates to Rs. 5001, then RCM applicable on entire Rs. 5001.
(Notification No-08/2017, Central tax (Rate) dated 28th June,2017)
2. 13th October,2017 to 31st January,2019
The exemption from RCM on purchase from unregistered persons was extended without the capping of Rs. 5000. Thus, if a registered dealer purchase goods or services worth Rs. 50,000 (aggregate) from unregistered persons, RCM is not applicable.
This interpretation is drawn from joint reading of following Notifications:
тАУ Notification No.38/2017-Central Tax (Rate) dated 13.10.2017
тАУ Notification No.10/2018-Central Tax (Rate) dated 23.03.2018
тАУ Notification No.12/2018-Central Tax (Rate) dated 29.06.2018
тАУ Notification No.22/2018-Central Tax (Rate) dated 06.08.2018
3. 01st February,2019 till Date (Feb,2023)
The Act was entirely reworded through CGST (Amendment) Act,2018 and was effective w.e.f. 01.02.2019. Accordingly, RCM Provisions on purchases from unregistered persons was applicable only on the class of persons to be notified in the future. Hence the temporary blanket exemption from RCM Provisions on such purchases was made permanent through the amendment.
Only one notification since then have been notified to specify Promoters and Builders under this section.
Notification No.07/2019-Central Tax (Rate) dated 29.03.2019
(Broadly cement and capital goods purchased from unregistered persons in Real Estate Project and shortfall in purchases from registered persons from 80% benchmark- A detailed article will be uploaded in this regard in coming days).
Hence the pandora box on RCM Liability on purchases from unregistered seems to be contained and taxpayers have been provided the big relief. However, a lot of confusion and litigations is expected in coming days for such transactions entered from 01st July,2017 to 12th October,2017.
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