GST returns via SMS for 22 lakh nil liability businesses

Businesses with no tax liability who still have to file monthly Goods and Services Tax returns will now be able to do so via text message, rather than logging onto the GST portal. The move will ease the compliance burden of more than 22 lakh registered taxpayers, the Finance Ministry said on Monday.

"In a significant move towards taxpayer facilitation, the Government has today onwards allowed filing of NIL GST monthly return in FORM GSTR-3B through SMS. This would substantially improve ease of GST compliance for over 22 lakh registered taxpayers who had to otherwise log into their account on the common portal and then file their returns every month," said an official statement.

The returns must be filed using SMS sent from a registered mobile number and verified through a one time password (OTP). The status of returns filed can still be checked by logging into the portal.

There are more than 1.22 crore businesses registered under GST.