GST registration ends, manufacturers having a tough time

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 11

Manufacturers and traders who have not got their Goods and Service Tax (GST) registration done by April 30 are facing a tough time, since the official website for the GST has ceased the registration.

No new registrations are being done on the website after April 30 and there is no scope of registrations being opened for the next fifteen days.

Traders and manufacturers were supposed to get themselves registered on the GST website after getting login IDs and passwords from the state and Central Excise Department.

Several cases of mismatch of the PAN were reported in the city due to which traders/ manufacturers were unable to get themselves registered on the GST website. For instance, a trader/manufacturer earlier had a partnership firm, but later turned it into a proprietorship firm. With this, the PAN of the firm also changed, but the old PAN was uploaded in the department’s system. So the trader/ manufacturer faced problem while registration with his new PAN which was not uploaded on the department’s system.

“I have written to the department to correct my PAN as I have changed my firm, but it has not been done yet so my GST registration stands pending,” said Amit Luthra, a trader.

In addition, there are many others who got their login IDs and passwords, but they were unable to complete the registration process. After finishing the form, there is e-verification which is completed either with the submission of digital signature or after writing one time password (OTP) which is sent on the mobile number registered during the making of Aadhaar card. Several traders/ manufacturers have changed their mobile number, but the OTP is being sent on the previous numbers.

Jaswinder Singh, a trader, said he did not have a digital signature, so the OTP was the option for him. “An OTP was sent on the mobile number which I was previously using. So my registration was halted and now the registration has been ceased,” he said.

Department officials said the migration of the traders was in process and the registration on the website would be re-started after some time.

Jatinder Khurana, state president of the Indian Taxation Advocates Association, has demanded that the registration should be re-opened soon, as many traders and manufacturers still need to get themselves registered.

The registration for the GST was started in November and was thrice extended further. The GST will be applicable from July 1.