[To be published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i)]

Government of India

 Ministry of Finance

(Department of Revenue)

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs

Notification No. 38/2020 – Central Tax

New Delhi, the 5th May, 2020

G.S.R…(E). - In exercise of the powers conferred by section 164 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017), the Central Government, on the recommendations of the Council, hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017, namely: -

     1. (1) These rules may be called the Central Goods and Services Tax (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2020.

(2) Save as otherwise provided, they shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), with effect from the 21st April, 2020, in rule 26 in sub-rule (1), after the proviso, following proviso shall be inserted, namely: -

“Provided further that a registered person registered under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) shall, during the period from the 21st day of April, 2020 to the 30th day of June, 2020, also be allowed to furnish the return under section 39 in FORM GSTR- 3B verified through electronic verification code (EVC).”.

     3.  In the said rules, after rule 67, with effect from a date to be notified later, the following rule shall be inserted, namely: -

“67A. Manner of furnishing of return by short messaging service facility.- Notwithstanding anything contained in this Chapter, for a registered person who is required to furnish a Nil return under section 39 in FORM GSTR-3B for a tax period, any reference to electronic furnishing shall include furnishing of the said return through a short messaging service using the registered mobile number and the said return shall be verified by a registered mobile number based One Time Password facility.

Explanation. - For the purpose of this rule, a Nil return shall mean a return under section 39 for a tax period that has nil or no entry in all the Tables in FORM GSTR-3B.”.

[F. No. CBEC-20/06/04/2020-GST]

(Pramod Kumar) 

Director, Government of India

Note: The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide notification No. 3/2017-Central Tax, dated the 19th June, 2017, published vide number G.S.R. 610(E), dated the 19th June, 2017 and last amended vide notification No. 30/2020 - Central Tax, dated the 3rd April, 2020, published vide number G.S.R. 230 (E), dated the 3rd  April, 2020.