44.[1]Annual return. 

(1)     Every registered person, other than an Input Service Distributor, a person paying tax under section 51 or section 52, a casual taxable person and a non-resident taxable person, shall furnish an annual return for every financial year electronically in such form[2] and manner as may be prescribed[3] on or before the thirty-first day of December following the end of such financial year.

[“Provided that the Commissioner may, on the recommendations of the Council and for reasons to be recorded in writing, by notification, extend the time limit for furnishing the annual return for such class of registered persons as may be specified therein:

Provided further that any extension of time limit notified by the Commissioner of State tax or the Commissioner of Union territory tax shall be deemed to be notified by the Commissioner.”][4]

(2)    Every registered person who is required to get his accounts audited in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (5) of section 35 shall furnish, electronically, the annual return under sub-section (1) along with a copy of the audited annual accounts and a reconciliation statement, reconciling the value of supplies declared in the return furnished for the financial year with the audited annual financial statement, and such other particulars as may be prescribed.

[5][Explanation: For the purpose of this section, it is hereby declared that the annual return for the period from the 1^st July,2017 to the 31^st Mar,2018 shall be furnished on or before the [6](31^st August,2019)]