The GST Portal was created by the Indian Government with the intention to simplify the process of filing taxes pertaining to the Goods and Service Tax (GST). This Portal contains all information related to GST in one place, activities like GST registration, filing GST returns, amending GST applications, etc.

The GST Portal runs on the Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN). A highly complex IT initiative it establishes an interface for the taxpayer and provides a digital infrastructure system shared between the Central and State Governments.

What is the Goods and Service Tax?

The Goods and Service Tax is a destination-based indirect tax. In India, taxes such as central excise, service tax, state VAT, entry tax, luxury tax, entertainment tax, etc. are now subsumed and replaced with a single tax, which is GST.

Under the GST regime, the Central and State Governments have the power to levy taxes. Due to this, GST is divided into the following.

  • Central Goods and Service Tax (CGST) is a tax levied on the sale of Intra State supplies of goods and services by the Central Government.
  • State Goods and Service Tax (SGST) is also levied on the same Intra State supplies but is governed by the state.
  • Integrated Goods and Service Tax (IGST) is levied on all Inter-State supplies of goods and services. Under IGST, the tax will be shared between the Central and State Governments.

When are you eligible to pay GST?

You are liable to pay GST if you meet any of the following conditions.

  • If you have a business with a turnover exceeding Rs.20 Lakh.
  • If you have businesses registered outside India.
  • If you deal in the supply of goods on behalf of the taxpayer.
  • If you pay taxes under Reverse Charge Mechanism.
  • If you purchase or supply goods and services across states.
  • If you sell products online using e-commerce platforms (Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal).
  • If you are an Input Service Distributor. (The businesses that receive invoices for their services).
  • If you use the option of Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) under the GST Act.

There are special category states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland. For these specific states, the supply of goods has a turnover limit of Rs.10 Lakh per year.

You will not be liable to pay GST if you meet the following.

  • If you supply goods and services that are not liable to be taxed.
  • If you supply goods and services that are completely exempted from tax.
  • If you supply goods acquired through the cultivation of land (agriculturalists).

In some cases, GST can be canceled if the following situations were to arise.

  • When a business undergoes losses, resulting in a turnover of less than Rs.20 lakh.
  • When a business has been discontinued.
  • When there is any change in the constitution of business.
  • When GST registration is revoked by tax authorities due to incorrect information submitted or fraudulent activities.
  • In the event of the death of a taxpayer.

How to Register for GST using the GST Portal?

Before you start the process of registering for GST online, the following documents are mandatory.

  • In case of a Proprietorship

The PAN card and address proof is required.

  • In the case of a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

The PAN card, LLP agreement, the names and address proof of all the partners.

  • In case of a Private Limited Company

The Certification of Incorporation, PAN card, Articles of Association, Memorandum of Association, resolution signed by members of the board, identity and address proof of the directors and a digital signature.

Now, once all the documents are procured, open your browser and enter the address for the GST Portal (www.gst.gov.in).

  • Once you are on the main page, open the ‘Services’ tab.
  • Then select ‘Registration’, followed by ‘New Registration’.
  • You will be required to fill in a form and upload certain documents.
  • A Temporary Reference Number (TRN) will be generated for you.
  • Along with this, the GST application will be displayed.
  • Proceed to fill in and double-check all details before submitting the application.
  • After submission, an Application Reference Number (ARN) will be generated.

This number can be used to track the status of your GST application. You can identify if your application form was accepted or rejected by the tax authorities.

The New Features of the GST Portal

While the GST Portal does receive updates from time to time like their new returns system that was introduced in 2019. With each revision, more useful features are being added onto the Portal. Some of the latest features introduced are listed as follows.

TDS/TCS Credit available for utilization

The taxpayer now has the option to accept or reject the TDS/TCS credits available when filing their returns, the credits get transferred into the cash ledger which can be used for making GST payments.

E-way bill data can be imported for GSTR-1

The E-way bill (EWB) and the GST Portal are now integrated together so unnecessary data entries can be avoided. Taxpayers will need to verify their data and proceed.

List of preferred banks available for making payments

Taxpayers are allowed to choose from a list of 6 preferred banks. The banking details are automatically saved at the time of making payments for the taxpayer’s ease of use. The option to delete any of the stored bank account details is available.

Bank account details not mandatory at the time of registration

Previously, this was a mandatory requirement. Bank account details are now optional at the time of registering for GST. This is beneficial for new businesses that are in the process of obtaining bank accounts.