The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a type of tax on the consumption of goods and services in countries, collected by businesses from consumers and paid to the government.It was introduced officially in India on 1 July 2017, replacing the earlier system of multiple taxes, such as excise duty, service tax, and value-added tax (VAT). The 101st Constitutional Amendment / One Hundred and First Amendment Act, 2016 of the Constitution of India is a significant piece of legislation that has had a prominent impact on the Indian economy. It was passed in 2016 to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a value-added tax (VAT) that has simplified the tax system and boosted economic growth. This constitutional amendment was introduced as a nationwide Goods and Services Tax (GST) concept in India. GST registration is mandatory for all businesses with an annual turnover of more than Rs.40 lakhs ( Rs. 20 lakhs for businesses in special category states).

What is GSTIN?

GSTIN stands for Goods and Services Tax Identification Number. It is a unique 15-digit number assigned to every taxpayer registered under the GST regime in India. The GSTIN is used to identify taxpayers and to track their transactions.

• The first two digits represent the state code.
• The next ten digits are the PAN card number of the taxpayer.
• The thirteenth digit is an entity code used to distinguish between different types of taxpayers
• The fourteenth digit is a fixed alphabet 'Z'.
• The fifteenth digit is a check digit, which is used to verify the accuracy of the GSTIN.

What is the GSTN (Goods and Service Tax Network)?

The Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) is a non-profit, non-government organisation that provides the shared IT infrastructure and services to the Central and State Governments, taxpayers and other stakeholders to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. The GSTN is responsible for developing and maintaining the GST portal, which is the online platform that taxpayers use to register for GST, file returns, and make payments.

• E-invoicing
• E-way bill
• Input tax credit reconciliation
• GST compliance reporting

The GSTN is a critical component of the GST system in India. It provides the IT infrastructure and services that enable taxpayers to comply with the GST laws and the government to administer the GST system.

Key Components of GST

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India is structured around three primary components:

• Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST): This tax is levied by the Central Government on the supply of goods and services within a particular state. CGST applies to transactions carried out entirely within the boundaries of one state.
• State Goods and Services Tax (SGST): SGST is charged by the State Government on the supply of goods and services within its jurisdiction. Similar to CGST, SGST is also limited to transactions happening within a specific state.
• Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST): This tax is imposed by the Central Government on the supply of goods and services that occur between different states or between a state and a Union Territory. IGST is relevant for transactions where goods or services cross state or Union Territory boundaries.

Who is Required to Register for GST?

GST registration is essential for following person:

• Business Entities: Any enterprise with an aggregate annual turnover exceeding Rs. 40 lakhs. For special category states under GST, the threshold is Rs. 20 lakhs.
• Service Providers: Those with an aggregate annual turnover surpassing Rs. 20 lakhs. For special category states, this limit is Rs. 10 lakhs.
• Exemptions: It's important to note that entities dealing exclusively in GST-exempted goods or services are not bound by these thresholds.
• Previously Registered Entities: Entities that were registered under older tax frameworks (like Excise, VAT, Service Tax, etc.) need to migrate and register under the GST regime.
• Inter-State Suppliers: Any entity or individual involved in the supply of goods across state boundaries.
• Casual Taxable Entities: Those who undertake taxable supply occasionally.
• Entities under Reverse Charge Mechanism: Businesses obligated to pay tax under the reverse charge.
• Input Service Distributors & Agents: Distributors of input services, including their representatives.
• E-Commerce Platforms: Operators or aggregators of e-commerce platforms
• Non-Resident Taxable Entities: Individuals or entities that are non-resident but engage in taxable supply within India.
• Supplier's Agents: Representatives who supply on behalf of a principal supplier.
• E-Commerce Suppliers: Individuals or entities that offer goods or services through an e-commerce aggregator.
• Online Service Providers: Entities delivering online information, database access, or retrieval services from outside India to an individual in India, excluding those already registered under GST.

GST Registration Turnover Limit

GST registration can be obtained voluntarily by any person or entity irrespective of turnover. GST registration becomes mandatory if a person or entity sells goods or services beyond a certain turnover.

Service Providers: Any person or entity who provides service of more than Rs.20 lakhs in aggregate turnover in a year is required to obtain GST registration. In special category states, the GST turnover limit for service providers has been fixed at Rs.10 lakhs.

Goods Suppliers: As per notification No.10/2019 any person who is engaged in the exclusive supply of goods whose aggregate turnover crosses Rs.40 lakhs in a year is required to obtain GST registration. To be eligible for the Rs.40 lakhs turnover limit, the supplier must satisfy the following conditions:

• Should not be providing any services.
• The supplier should not be engaged in making intra-state (supplying goods within the same state) supplies in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Telangana, Tripur and Uttarakhand.
• Should not be involved in the supply of ice cream, pan masala or tobacco.

If the above conditions are not met, the supplier of goods would be required to obtain GST registration when the turnover crosses Rs.20 lakhs and Rs.10 lakhs in special category states.

Special Category States: Under GST, the following are listed as special category states - Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Aggregate Turnover: Aggregate turnover = (Taxable supplies + Exempt Supplies + Exports + Inter-State Supplies) – (Taxes + Value of Inward Supplies + Value of Supplies Taxable under Reverse Charge + Value of Non-Taxable Supplies).

Aggregate turnover is calculated based on the PAN. Hence, even if one person has multiple places of business, it must be summed to arrive at the aggregate turnover.