Tax dept to contact GST filers who're yet to file returns

The GST assessees who are yet to file a single return, but are registered to the GST Network may soon be contacted by the tax department.

According to tax officials, close to 40% registered assessees have not yet filed any return since the GST was launched in July. Now the indirect tax department may ask them about the problems that may have occurred while switching to the new tax regime, and try to provide assistance for the same.

Though the tax department has said it would go slow on enforcement action for six months from the date of launch of GST, the upcoming exercise to send field officers to GST payees is only to understand the kind their problems, an official said.

Under the GST regime, traders and manufacturers with turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh are exempted.

However, they need to register under the system in case they want to avail the benefit of input tax credit.