• Notification Date: 06-11-2021
• Notification No: 14/2021-22

CBIC issues Guidelines for disallowing Debit of Electronic Credit Ledger under GST

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has issued the Guidelines for disallowing debit of Electronic Credit Ledger under Rule 86A of the CGST Rules, 2017. Rule 86A of the Central Goods and Services Tax Rules, 2017 provides that in certain circumstances, Commissioner or an officer authorized by him, based on a reasonable belief that credit of input tax available in the electronic credit ledger has been fraudulently availed or is ineligible, may not allow debit of an amount equivalent to such credit in electronic credit ledger.

“Doubts have been raised by the field formations on various issues on disallowing debit of input tax credit from electronic credit ledger, under rule 86A of the Rules. Further, Hon’ble High Courts in some cases have emphasized the need for laying down guidelines to invoke rule 86A,” CBIC in the circular said. The amount of fraudulently availed or ineligible input tax credit availed by the registered person, as per the grounds mentioned in sub-rule (1) of rule 86A, shall be prima facie ascertained based on material evidence available or gathered on record. It is advised that the powers under rule 86A to disallow debit of the amount from electronic credit ledger of the registered person may be exercised by the Commissioner or the officer authorized by him, as per the monetary limits.

The officer should apply his mind as to whether there are reasons to believe that the input tax credit availed by the registered person has either been fraudulently availed or is ineligible, as per conditions/ grounds mentioned in sub-rule (1) of rule 86A and whether disallowing such debit of electronic credit ledger of the said person is necessary for restricting him from utilizing/ passing on fraudulently availed or ineligible input tax credit to protect the interests of revenue. Such “Reasons to believe” shall be duly recorded by the concerned officer in writing on file, before he proceeds to disallow debit of amount from electronic credit ledger of the said person.

The amount disallowed for debit from electronic credit ledger should not be more than the amount of input tax credit which is believed to have been fraudulently availed or is ineligible, as per the conditions/ grounds mentioned in sub-rule (1) of rule 86A.

As per the guidelines, the Commissioner or the authorized officer, as the case may be, either on his own or based on the submissions made by the taxpayer with material evidence thereof, may examine the matter afresh and on being satisfied that the input tax credit, initially considered to be fraudulently availed or ineligible as per conditions of sub-rule (1) of rule 86A, is no more ineligible or wrongly availed, either partially or fully, may allow the use of the credit, so disallowed/restricted, up to the extent of eligibility, as per powers granted under sub-rule (2) of rule 86A. Reasons for allowing the debit of electronic credit ledger, which had been earlier disallowed, shall be duly recorded on file in writing, before allowing such debit of electronic credit ledger.