Last date for filing GSTR-2, 3 extended by a month

GSTR-2 or purchase returns have to be matched with GSTR-1 which is the sales return. The original due date for filing GSTR-2 was October 31, while the last date for filing of GSTR-3, which is a matching form of GSTR-1 and 2, was November 11.

The last date for filing of GSTR-1 for July was October 1. Over 46.54 lakh businesses had filed July GSTR-1 returns.

The extension will facilitate about 30.81 lakh taxpayers for filing GSTR-2 for the month of July 2017, the finance ministry said in a statement.

"The competent authority has approved the extension of filing of GSTR-2 for July 2017 to November 2017, for facilitation of businesses and all taxpayers," it said.

Businesses have been complaining of problems in matching invoices, while filing GSTR-2 on the GST Network portal. This is the first month of filing GSTR-2.

The extension of last date for filing will act as a breather for them as well as GSTN which can further streamline the utilities on the portal.

The Group of Minister under Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi had last week flagged issues faced by taxpayers in filing GSTR-2 and asked Infosys and GST Network to streamline the system.

Till Saturday, about 12 lakh businesses had filed GSTR-2 returns for the month of July.