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REFUNDS

48. Refund of tax

  1. Any person claiming refund of any tax and interest, if any, paid on such tax or any other amount paid by him, may make an application in that regard to the proper officer of IGST/CGST/SGST before the expiry of two years from the relevant date in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed:
    2. PROVIDED that a registered taxable person, claiming refund of any balance in the electronic cash ledger as per sub-section (6) of section 44, may claim such refund in the return furnished under section 34 in such manner as may be prescribed.
  2. A specialized agency of the United Nations Organization or any Multilateral Financial Institution and Organization notified under the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947 (46 of 1947), Consulate or Embassy of foreign countries or any other person or class of persons as notified under section 49, entitled to a refund of IGST/CGST/SGST paid by it/him on inward supplies of goods and/or services, may make an application for such refund to the proper officer, in the form and manner prescribed, before the expiry of sixth months from the last day of the month in which such supply was received.
  3. Subject to the provisions of sub-section (10), a taxable person may claim refund of any unutilized input tax credit at the end of any tax period:

    4. PROVIDEDthat no refund of unutilized input tax credit shall be allowed in cases other than exports including zero rated supplies or in cases where the credit has accumulated on account of rate of tax on inputs being higher than the rate of tax on output supplies, other than nil rated or fully exempt supplies:
    PROVIDED FURTHER that no refund of unutilized input tax credit shall be allowed in cases where the goods exported out of India are subjected to export duty:
    PROVIDED ALSO that no refund of input tax credit shall be allowed if the supplier of goods or services claims refund of output tax paid under the IGST Act, 2016.
  4. The application shall be accompanied by—
    1. such documentary evidence as may be prescribed to establish that a refund is due to the applicant, and
    2. Joint Commissioners of CGST or Joint Directors of CGST,
    3. such documentary or other evidence (including the documents referred to in section 30) as the applicant may furnish to establish that the amount of tax and interest, if any, paid on such tax or any other amount paid in relation to which such refund is claimed was collected from, or paid by, him and the incidence of such tax and interest had not been passed on to any other person:

    5. PROVIDED that where the amount claimed as refund is less than five lac rupees, it shall not be necessary for the applicant to furnish any documentary and other evidences and instead, he may file a declaration, based on the documentary or other evidences available with him, certifying that the incidence of such tax and interest had not been passed on to any other person.
  5. If, on receipt of any such application, the proper officer is satisfied that the whole or part of the amount claimed as refund is refundable, he may make an order accordingly and the amount so determined shall be credited to the Fund.
  6. Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5), the proper officer may, in the case of any claim for refund on account of export of goods and/or services made by registered taxable persons, other than such category of registered taxable persons as may be notified in this behalf, refund on a provisional basis, ninety percent. of the total amount so claimed, excluding the amount of input tax credit provisionally accepted, in the manner and subject to such conditions, limitations and safeguards as may be prescribed and thereafter make an order under sub-section (5) for final settlement of the refund claim after due verification of documents furnished by the applicant.
  7. The proper officer shall issue the order under sub-section (5) within sixty days from the date of receipt of application.
    Explanation.- The “application” for the purpose of this sub-section shall mean complete application containing all information as may be prescribed.
  8. Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5) or sub-section (6), the refundable amount shall, instead of being credited to the Fund, be paid to the applicant, if such amount is relatable to –
    1. refund of tax on goods and/or services exported out of India or on inputs or input services used in the goods and/or services which are exported out of India;
    2. refund of unutilized input tax credit under sub-section (3);
    3. refund of tax paid on a supply which is not provided, either wholly or partially, and for which invoice has not been issued;
    4. refund of tax in pursuance of section 70 ;
    5. the tax and interest, if any, or any other amount paid by the applicant, if he had not passed on the incidence of such tax and interest to any other person; or
    6. the tax or interest borne by such other class of applicants as the Central or a State Government may, on the recommendation of the Council, by notification, specify.
  9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any judgment, decree, order or direction of the Appellate Tribunal or any Court or in any other provision of this Act or the rules made thereunder or in any other law for the time being in force, no refund shall be made except as provided in sub-section (8).
  10. Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3), where any refund is due under the said sub-section to a registered taxable person who has defaulted in furnishing any return or who is required to pay any tax, interest or penalty, which has not been stayed by any Court, Tribunal or Appellate Authority by the specified date, the proper officer may—
    1. withhold payment of refund due until the said person has furnished the return or paid the tax, interest or penalty, as the case may be;
    2. deduct from the refund due, any tax, interest, penalty, fee or any other amount which the taxable person is liable to pay but which remains unpaid under the Act or under any earlier law.

    Explanation.- For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression “specified date” shall mean—
    1. the last date for filing an appeal under this Act, in a case where no appeal has been filed; or
    2. thirty days from the date of filing an appeal under this Act, in a case where an appeal has been filed.
  11. Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (5) or sub-section (6), where an order giving rise to a refund is the subject matter of an appeal or further proceeding or where any other proceeding under this Act is pending and the Commissioner is of the opinion that grant of such refund is likely to adversely affect the revenue in the said appeal or other proceeding on account of malfeasance or fraud committed, he may, after giving the taxable person an opportunity of being heard, withhold the refund till such time as he may determine.
  12. Where a refund is withheld under sub-section (11), the taxable person shall be entitled to interest as provided under section 50, if as a result of the appeal or further proceeding he becomes entitled to refund.
  13. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this section, the amount of advance tax deposited by a casual taxable person or a non-resident taxable person under sub-section (2) of section 24 shall not be refunded unless such person has, in respect of the entire period for which the certificate of registration granted to him had remained in force, furnished all the returns required under section 34.
  14. Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, no refund under subsection (5) or sub-section (6) shall be paid to an applicant if the amount is less than one thousand rupees.

Explanation. — For the purposes of this section -
    “refund” includes refund of tax on goods and/or services exported out of India or on inputs or input services used in the goods and/or services which are exported out of India, or refund of tax on the supply of goods regarded as deemed exports, or refund of unutilized input tax credit as provided under sub-section (3) .
  1. “relevant date” means – (a) in the case of goods exported
    1. in the case of goods exported out of India where a refund of tax paid is available in respect of the goods themselves or, as the case may be, the inputs or input services used in such goods, -
      1. if the goods are exported by sea or air, the date on which the ship or the aircraft in which such goods are loaded, leaves India, or
      2. if the goods are exported by land, the date on which such goods pass the frontier, or
      3. if the goods are exported by post, the date of despatch of goods by the Post Office concerned to a place outside India;
    2. in the case of supply of goods regarded as deemed exports where a refund of tax paid is available in respect of the goods, the date on which the return relating to such deemed exports is filed;
    3. in the case of services exported out of India where a refund of tax paid is available in respect of services themselves or, as the case may be, the inputs or input services used in such services, the date of -
      1. receipt of payment in convertible foreign exchange, where the supply of service had been completed prior to the receipt of such payment; or
      2. issue of invoice, where payment for the service had been received in advance prior to the date of issue of the invoice;
    4. in case where the tax becomes refundable as a consequence of judgment, decree, order or direction of the Appellate Authority, Appellate Tribunal or any Court, the date of communication of such judgment, decree, order or direction;
    5. in the case of refund of unutilized input tax credit under sub-section (3) , the end of the financial year in which such claim for refund arises;
    6. in the case where tax is paid provisionally under this Act or the rules made thereunder, the date of adjustment of tax after the final assessment thereof;
    7. in the case of a person, other than the supplier, the date of receipt of goods or services by such person; and
    8. in any other case, the date of payment of tax.
Utilization of the Fund Unavailed cenvat credit on capital goods, not carried forward in a return, to be allowed in certain situations Treatment of long term construction / works contracts Treatment of branch transfers Treatment of the amount recovered or refunded pursuant to revision of returns Treatment of the amount recovered or refunded in pursuance of assessment or adjudication proceedings Transitional provisions for availing Cenvat credit in certain cases Transfer of property to be void in certain cases Value of taxable supply Taxable person Taxability of supply of services in certain cases Tax wrongfully collected and deposited with the Central or a State Government Tax Return Preparers Tax paid on goods lying with agents to be allowed as credit Tax paid on capital goods lying with agents to be allowed as credit Tax not to be collected by unregistered taxable person Tax invoice Manner of distribution of credit by Input Service Distributor Manner of recovery of credit distributed in excess Tax deduction at source Tax collected but not deposited with the Central or a State Government Taxability of supply of goods in certain cases Taking input tax credit in respect of inputs sent for job work Taking assistance from an IT professional Time of supply of services Time of supply of goods Summary assessment in certain special cases Special procedure for removal of goods for certain purposes Special provision regarding liability to pay tax, interest or penalty in certain cases Special Procedure for certain processes Special audit Short title, extent and commencement Powers of SGST/CGST officers under the Act Service of notice in certain circumstances Semi-finished goods removed for job work and returned on or after the appointed day Self-Assessment Scrutiny of returns Rounding off of tax etc. Revocation of cancellation of registration Revisional powers of Chief Commissioner or Commissioner Matching, reversal and reclaim of reduction in output tax liability Matching, reversal and reclaim of input tax credit Returns Notice to return defaulters Repeal and saving Removal of difficulties Relevancy of statements under certain circumstances Registration Refund claims filed after the appointed day for payments received and tax deposited before the appointed day in respect of services not provided Refund claims filed after the appointed day for goods cleared or services provided before the appointed day and exported before or after the appointed day to be disposed of under earlier law Refund in certain cases Rectification of mistakes or errors apparent from record Rectification of Advance Ruling Recovery of Input Tax Credit and Interest thereon Recovery of tax Publication of rules and notifications and laying of rules before Parliament / State Legislature Publication of information respecting persons in certain cases Provision for transfer of unutilized Cenvat Credit by taxable person having centralized registration under the earlier law Provisional attachment to protect revenue in certain cases Provisional Assessment Prosecution Progressive or periodic supply of goods or services Procedure on receipt of application Power of inspection, search and seizure. Procedure of the Authority and the Appellate Authority Presumption as to documents in certain cases Presumption of culpable mental state Power to summon persons to give evidence and produce documents Power of inspection, search and seizure Power to impose penalty in certain cases Power to grant exemption from tax Power to collect statistics Power of Central (or State) Government to make rules Power of CAG to call for information for audit Power to arrest Persons discharging functions under the Act shall be deemed to be public servants Period of retention of accounts Pending refund claims to be disposed of under earlier law Penalty for failure to furnish information return Payment of tax, interest, penalty and other amounts Payment of tax and other amount in installments. Sums due to be paid notwithstanding appeal etc. Orders of Appellate Tribunal Orders of the Appellate Authority Officers required to assist CGST/SGST officers Powers of officers under the state Powers of officers under the Central Offences and penalties Offences by Companies and certain other persons Obligation to furnish information return Non Appealable decisions and orders Constitution of the National Appellate Tribunal Migration of existing taxpayers to GST Meaning and scope of supply Liability of partners of firm to pay tax Liability of guardians, trustees etc. Liability of directors of private company Liability of Court of Wards etc. Liability in case of company in liquidation Liability in case of transfer of business Liability in other cases Liability in case of amalgamation /merger of companies Liability of agent and principal Levy of late fee Levy of fees Levy and Collection of Central/State Goods and Services Tax Issue of supplementary invoices, debit or credit notes where price is revised in pursuance of a contract Interest on refund of pre-deposit interest on delayed payment of tax Interest on delayed refunds Instructions to gst officers Inspection of goods in movement Claim of input tax credit and provisional acceptance thereof Inputs removed for job work and returned on or after the appointed day Initiation of recovery proceedings Indemnity Hearing before Supreme Court Powers of sgst/cgst officers under the act gst compliance rating Goods sent on approval basis returned on or after the appointed day General provisions relating to determination of tax General provisions General power to make regulations General penalty General disciplines related to penalty Furnishing details of outward supplies Furnishing details of inward supplies First return Tax to be first charge on property Appeals to first appellate authority Finished goods removed for carrying out certain processes and returned on or after the appointed day Final return Finalization of proceedings relating to output duty or tax liability Exempted goods returned to the place of business on or after the appointed day Exclusion of time taken for copy Eligibility and conditions for taking input tax credit Effect of amendments, etc., of rules, notifications or orders Duty (Tax – in SGST Act) paid goods returned to the place of business on or after the appointed day Drawal of samples Disclosure of information required under section 141 Disclosure of information by a public servant Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized by reason of fraud or any willfulmisstatement or suppression of facts Determination of tax not paid or short paid or erroneously refunded or input tax credit wrongly availed or utilized for any reason other than fraud or any wilful misstatement or suppression of facts Detention, seizure and release of goods and conveyances in transit Delegation of powers Definitions Deduction of tax source Credit of eligible duties and taxes in respect of inputs held in stock to be allowed in certain situations Credit of eligible duties and taxes in respect of inputs held in stock to be allowed in certain situations Credit of eligible duties and taxes in respect of inputs or input services during transit Credit of eligible duties and taxes on inputs held in stock to be allowed to a taxable person switching over from composition scheme Credit distribution of service tax by ISD Credit and debit notes Continuation and validation of certain recovery proceedings Consumer welfare Fund Constitution of the Appellate Tribunal Confiscation or penalty not to interfere with other punishments Confiscation of goods and/or conveyances and levy of penalty Compounding of offence Composition levy Collection of tax at source Cognizance of offences Classes of officers under the state goods and services tax act Classes of officers under the central goods and services tax act Claim of cenvat credit to be disposed of under the earlier law Change in rate of tax in respect of supply of goods or services Special provisions relating to casual taxable person and non-resident taxable person Cancellation of registration Burden of proof Bar on recovery proceedings Bar of jurisdiction of civil courts Availability of credit in special circumstances Powers of the authority and appellate authority Authority for advance ruling Audit by tax authorities Assessment of unregistered persons Assessment proceedings, etc. not to be invalid on certain grounds Assessment of non-filers of returns Apportionment of credit and blocked credits Appointment of officers under the state goods and services tax act Appointment of officers under the state goods and services tax act Applicability of advance ruling Applicability of advance ruling Appellate authority for advance ruling Appearance by authorised representative Appeal to the supreme court Appeal to the high court Appeals to the appellate tribunal Appeal not to be filed in certain cases Appeal to the appellate authority Anti-profiteering measure Annual return Amount of tax to be indicated in tax invoice and other documents Amount of CENVAT credit carried forward in a return to be allowed as input tax credit Amendment of registration Definitions Advance Ruling to be void in certain circumstances Admissibility of micro films, facsimile copies of documents and computer printouts as documents and as evidence Accounts and other records Admissibility of micro films, facsimile copies of documents and computer printouts as documents and as evidence