146. Common Portal.
The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify the Common Goods and Services Tax Electronic Portal for facilitating registration, payment of tax, furnishing of returns, computation and settlement of integrated tax, electronic way bill and for carrying out such other functions and for such purposes as may be prescribed.
147. Deemed Exports.
The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, notify certain supplies of goods as “deemed exports”, where goods supplied do not leave India, and payment for such supplies is received either in Indian rupees or in convertible foreign exchange, if such goods are manufactured in India.
148. Special Procedure for certain processes.
The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, and subject to such conditions and safeguards as may be prescribed, notify certain classes of registered persons, and the special procedures to be followed by such persons including those with regard to registration, furnishing of return, payment of tax and administration of such persons.
149. Goods and services tax compliance rating.
(1) Every registered person may be assigned a goods and services tax compliance rating score by the Government based on his record of compliance with the provisions of this Act.
(2) The goods and services tax compliance rating score may be determined on the basis of such parameters as may be prescribed.
(3) The goods and services tax compliance rating score may be updated at periodic intervals and intimated to the registered person and also placed in the public domain in such manner as may be prescribed.
150. Obligation to furnish information return.
(1) Any person, being-
(a) a taxable person; or
(b) a local authority or other public body or association; or
(c) any authority of the State Government responsible for the collection of value added tax or sales tax or State excise duty or an authority of the Central Government responsible for the collection of excise duty or customs duty; or
(d) an income tax authority appointed under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (Central Act No. 43 of 1961); or
(e) a banking company within the meaning of clause (a) of section 45A of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (Central Act No. 2 of 1934); or
(f) a State Electricity Board or an electricity distribution or transmission licensee under the Electricity Act, 2003 (Central Act No. 36 of 2003), or any other entity entrusted with such functions by the Central Government or the State Government; or
(g) the Registrar or Sub-Registrar appointed under section 6 of the Registration Act, 1908 (Central Act No. 16 of 1908); or
(h) a Registrar within the meaning of the Companies Act, 2013 (Central Act No. 18 of 2013); or
(i) the registering authority empowered to register motor vehicles under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act No. 59 of 1988); or
(j) the Collector referred to in clause (c) of section 3 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (Central Act No. 30 of 2013); or
(k) the recognised stock exchange referred to in clause (f) of section 2 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (Central Act No. 42 of 1956); or
(l) a depository referred to in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Depositories Act, 1996 (Central Act No. 22 of 1996); or
(m) an officer of the Reserve Bank of India as constituted under section 3 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (Central Act No. 2 of 1934); or
(n) the Goods and Services Tax Network, a company registered under the Companies Act, 2013(Central Act No. 18 of 2013); or
(o) a person to whom a Unique Identity Number has been granted under sub-section (9) of section 25; or
(p) any other person as may be specified, on the recommendations of the Council, by the Government, who is responsible for maintaining record of registration or statement of accounts or any periodic return or document containing details of payment of tax and other details of transaction of goods or services or both or transactions related to a bank account or consumption of electricity or transaction of purchase, sale or exchange of goods or property or right or interest in a property under any law for the time being in force, shall furnish an information return of the same in respect of such periods, within such time, in such form and manner and to such authority or agency as may be prescribed.
(2) Where the Commissioner, or an officer authorised by him in this behalf, considers that the information furnished in the information return is defective, he may intimate the defect to the person who has furnished such information return and give him an opportunity of rectifying the defect within a period of thirty days from the date of such intimation or within such further period which, on an application made in this behalf, the said authority may allow and if the defect is not rectified within the said period of thirty days or, the further period so allowed, then, notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, such information return shall be treated as not furnished and the provisions of this Act shall apply.
(3) Where a person who is required to furnish information return has not furnished the same within the time specified in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the said authority may serve upon him a notice requiring furnishing of such information return within a period not exceeding ninety days from the date of service of the notice and such person shall furnish the information return.
151. Power to collect statistics.
(1) The Commissioner may, if he considers that it is necessary so to do, by notification, direct that statistics may be collected relating to any matter dealt with by or in connection with this Act.
(2) Upon such notification being issued, the Commissioner, or any person authorised by him in this behalf, may call upon the concerned persons to furnish such information or returns, in such form and manner as may be prescribed, relating to any matter in respect of which statistics is to be collected.
152. Bar on disclosure of information.
(1) No information of any individual return or part thereof with respect to any matter given for the purposes of section 150 or section 151 shall, without the previous consent in writing of the concerned person or his authorised representative, be published in such manner so as to enable such particulars to be identified as referring to a particular person and no such information shall be used for the purpose of any proceedings under this Act.
(2) Except for the purposes of prosecution under this Act or any other Act for the time being in force, no person who is not engaged in the collection of statistics under this Act or compilation or computerisation thereof for the purposes of this Act, shall be permitted to see or have access to any information or any individual return referred to in section 151.
(3) Nothing in this section shall apply to the publication of any information relating to a class of taxable persons or class of transactions, if in the opinion of the Commissioner, it is desirable in the public interest to publish such information.
153. Taking assistance from an expert.
Any officer not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner may, having regard to the nature and complexity of the case and the interest of revenue, take assistance of any expert at any stage of scrutiny, inquiry, investigation or any other proceedings before him.
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154. Power to take samples.
The Commissioner or an officer authorised by him may take samples of goods from the possession of any taxable person, where he considers it necessary, and provide a receipt for any samples so taken.
155. Burden of Proof.
Where any person claims that he is eligible for input tax credit under this Act, the burden of proving such claim shall lie on such person.
156. Persons deemed to be public servants.
All persons discharging functions under this Act shall be deemed to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act No. 45 of 1860).
157. Protection of action taken under this Act.
(1) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the President, State President, Members, officers or other employees of the Appellate Tribunal or any other person authorised by the said Appellate Tribunal for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
(2) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any officer appointed or authorised under this Act for anything which is done or intended to be done in good faith under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
158. Disclosure of information by a public servant.
(1) All particulars contained in any statement made, return furnished or accounts or documents produced in accordance with this Act, or in any record of evidence given in the course of any proceedings under this Act (other than proceedings before a criminal court), or in any record of any proceedings under this Act shall, save as provided in sub-section (3), not be disclosed.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (Central Act No. 1 of 1872), no court shall, save as otherwise provided in sub-section (3), require any officer appointed or authorised under this Act to produce before it or to give evidence before it in respect of particulars referred to in sub-section (1).
(3) Nothing contained in this section shall apply to the disclosure of,-
(a) any particulars in respect of any statement, return, accounts, documents, evidence, affidavit or deposition, for the purpose of any prosecution under the Indian Penal Code (Central Act No. 45 of 1860) or the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (Central Act No. 49 of 1988), or any other law for the time being in force; or
(b) any particulars to the Central Government or the State Government or to any person acting in the implementation of this Act, for the purposes of carrying out the objects of this Act; or
(c) any particulars when such disclosure is occasioned by the lawful exercise under this Act of any process for the service of any notice or recovery of any demand; or
(d) any particulars to a civil court in any suit or proceedings, to which the Government or any authority under this Act is a party, which relates to any matter arising out of any proceedings under this Act or under any other law for the time being in force authorising any such authority to exercise any powers thereunder; or
(e) any particulars to any officer appointed for the purpose of audit of tax receipts or refunds of the tax imposed by this Act; or
(f) any particulars where such particulars are relevant for the purposes of any inquiry into the conduct of any officer appointed or authorised under this Act, to any person or persons appointed as an inquiry officer under any law for the time being in force; or
(g) any such particulars to an officer of the Central Government or of any State Government, as may be necessary for the purpose of enabling that Government to levy or realise any tax or duty; or
(h) any particulars when such disclosure is occasioned by the lawful exercise by a public servant or any other statutory authority, of his or its powers under any law for the time being in force; or
(i) any particulars relevant to any inquiry into a charge of misconduct in connection with any proceedings under this Act against a practising advocate, a tax practitioner, a practising cost accountant, a practising chartered accountant, a practising company secretary to the authority empowered to take disciplinary action against the members practising the profession of a legal practitioner, a cost accountant, a chartered accountant or a company secretary, as the case may be; or
(j) any particulars to any agency appointed for the purposes of data entry on any automated system or for the purpose of operating, upgrading or maintaining any automated system where such agency is contractually bound not to use or disclose such particulars except for the aforesaid purposes; or
(k) any such particulars to an officer of the Government as may be necessary for the purposes of any other law for the time being in force; and
(l) any information relating to any class of taxable persons or class of transactions for publication, if, in the opinion of the Commissioner, it is desirable in the public interest, to publish such information.
159. Publication of information in respect of persons in certain cases.
(1) If the Commissioner, or any other officer authorised by him in this behalf, is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient in the public interest to publish the name of any person and any other particulars relating to any proceedings or prosecution under this Act in respect of such person, it may cause to be published such name and particulars in such manner as it thinks fit.
(2) No publication under this section shall be made in relation to any penalty imposed under this Act until the time for presenting an appeal to the Appellate Authority under section 107 has expired without an appeal having been presented or the appeal, if presented, has been disposed of.
Explanation.- In the case of firm, company or other association of persons, the names of the partners of the firm, directors, managing agents, secretaries and treasurers or managers of the company, or the members of the association, as the case may be, may also be published if, in the opinion of the Commissioner, or any other officer authorised by him in this behalf, circumstances of the case justify it.
160. Assessment proceedings, etc. not to be invalid on certain grounds.
(1) No assessment, re-assessment, adjudication, review, revision, appeal, rectification, notice, summons or other proceedings done, accepted, made, issued, initiated, or purported to have been done, accepted, made, issued, initiated in pursuance of any of the provisions of this Act shall be invalid or deemed to be invalid merely by reason of any mistake, defect or omission therein, if such assessment, re-assessment, adjudication, review, revision, appeal, rectification, notice, summons or other proceedings are in substance and effect in conformity with or according to the intents, purposes and requirements of this Act or any existing law.
(2) The service of any notice, order or communication shall not be called in question, if the notice, order or communication, as the case may be, has already been acted upon by the person to whom it is issued or where such service has not been called in question at or in the earlier proceedings commenced, continued or finalised pursuant to such notice, order or communication.
161. Rectification of errors apparent on the face of record.
Without prejudice to the provisions of section 160, and notwithstanding anything contained in any other provisions of this Act, any authority, who has passed or issued any decision or order or notice or certificate or any other document, may rectify any error which is apparent on the face of record in such decision or order or notice or certificate or any other document, either on its own motion or where such error is brought to its notice by any officer appointed under this Act or an officer appointed under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act or by the affected person within a period of three months from the date of issue of such decision or order or notice or certificate or any other document, as the case may be:
Provided that no such rectification shall be done after a period of six months from the date of issue of such decision or order or notice or certificate or any other document:
Provided further that the said period of six months shall not apply in such cases where the rectification is purely in the nature of correction of a clerical or arithmetical error, arising from any accidental slip or omission:
Provided also that where such rectification adversely affects any person, the principles of natural justice shall be followed by the authority carrying out such rectification.
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162. Bar on jurisdiction of civil courts.
Save as provided in sections 117 and 118, no civil court shall have jurisdiction to deal with or decide any question arising from or relating to anything done or purported to be done under this Act.
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163. Levy of fee.
Wherever a copy of any order or document is to be provided to any person on an application made by him for that purpose, there shall be paid such fee as may be prescribed.
164. Power of Government to make rules.
(1) The Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by notification, make rules for carrying out the provisions of this Act.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-section (1), the Government may make rules for all or any of the matters which by this Act are required to be, or may be, prescribed or in respect of which provisions are to be or may be made by rules.
(3) The power to make rules conferred by this section shall include the power to give retrospective effect to the rules or any of them from a date not earlier than the date on which the provisions of this Act come into force.
(4) Any rules made under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) may provide that a contravention thereof shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten thousand rupees.
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165. Power to make regulations.
The Government may, by notification, make regulations consistent with this Act and the rules made thereunder to carry out the provisions of this Act.
166. Laying of rules, regulations and notifications.
Every rule made by the Government, every regulation made by the Government and every notification issued by the Government under this Act, shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made or issued, before the State Legislature, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, the State Legislature agrees in making any modification in the rule or regulation or in the notification, as the case may be, or the State Legislature agrees that the rule or regulation or the notification should not be made, the rule or regulation or notification, as the case may be, shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule or regulation or notification, as the case may be.
167. Delegation of powers.
The Commissioner may, by notification, direct that subject to such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the notification, any power exercisable by any authority or officer under this Act may be exercisable also by another authority or officer as may be specified in such notification.
168. Power to issue instructions or directions.
The Commissioner may, if he considers it necessary or expedient so to do for the purpose of uniformity in the implementation of this Act, issue such orders, instructions or directions to the State tax officers as it may deem fit, and thereupon all such officers and all other persons employed in the implementation of this Act shall observe and follow such orders, instructions or directions.
169. Service of notice in certain circumstances.
(1) Any decision, order, summons, notice or other communication under this Act or the rules made thereunder shall be served by any one of the following methods, namely:-
(a) by giving or tendering it directly or by a messenger including a courier to the addressee or the taxable person or to his manager or authorized representative or an advocate or a tax practitioner holding authority to appear in the proceedings on behalf of the taxable person or to a person regularly employed by him in connection with the business, or to any adult member of family residing with the taxable person; or
(b) by registered post or speed post or courier with acknowledgement due, to the person for whom it is intended or his authorised representative, if any, at his last known place of business or residence; or
(c) by sending a communication to his e-mail address provided at the time of registration or as amended from time to time; or
(d) by making it available on the common portal; or
(e) by publication in a newspaper circulating in the locality in which the taxable person or the person to whom it is issued is last known to have resided, carried on business or personally worked for gain; or
(f) if none of the modes aforesaid is practicable, by affixing it in some conspicuous place at his last known place of business or residence and if such mode is not practicable for any reason, then by affixing a copy thereof on the notice board of the office of the concerned officer or authority who or which passed such decision or order or issued such summons or notice.
(2) Every decision, order, summons, notice or any communication shall be deemed to have been served on the date on which it is tendered or published or a copy thereof is affixed in the manner provided in sub-section (1).
(3) When such decision, order, summons, notice or any communication is sent by registered post or speed post, it shall be deemed to have been received by the addressee at the expiry of the period normally taken by such post in transit unless the contrary is proved.
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170. Rounding off of tax, etc.
The amount of tax, interest, penalty, fine or any other sum payable, and the amount of refund or any other sum due, under the provisions of this Act shall be rounded off to the nearest rupee and, for this purpose, where such amount contains a part of a rupee consisting of paise, then, if such part is fifty paise or more, it shall be increased to one rupee and if such part is less than fifty paise it shall be ignored.
171. Anti-profiteering measure.
(1) Any reduction in rate of tax on any supply of goods or services or the benefit of input tax credit shall be passed on to the recipient by way of commensurate reduction in prices.
(2) The Central Government may, on recommendations of the Council, by notification, constitute an Authority, or empower an existing Authority constituted under any law for the time being in force, to examine whether input tax credits availed by any registered person or the reduction in the tax rate have actually resulted in a commensurate reduction in the price of the goods or services or both supplied by him.
(3) The Authority referred to in sub-section (2) shall exercise such powers and discharge such functions as may be prescribed.
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172. Removal of difficulties.
(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to any provisions of this Act, the Government may, on the recommendations of the Council, by a general or a special order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act or the rules or regulations made thereunder, as may be necessary or expedient for the purpose of removing the said difficulty:
Provided that no such order shall be made after the expiry of a period of three years from the date of commencement of this Act.
(2) Every order made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be, after it is made, before the State Legislature.
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173. Amendment of certain Acts.
1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, on and from the date of commencement of this Act, in the Gauhati Municipal Corporation Act, 1971 (Assam Act 1 of 1973), -
(a) in sub- section (1), clause (d) shall be omitted;
(b) in sub-section (2) clause (i) shall be omitted.
(2) Save as otherwise provided in this act, on and from the date of commencement of this Act, the provisions, under any State Law, authorizing levy and collection of taxes by a Municipality or a District Counsil or a Regional Council or any other authority shall stand annulled or rescinded or modified, as the case may be, to the extent such taxes are the subject matter of Entry 52 relating to levy of entry tax/ octroi, Entry 54 relating to levy of tax on sale of purchase of goods, Entry 55 relating to levy of tax on advertisements and Entry 62 relating to levy of tax on luxuries, including entertainments, amusements, betting and gambling, of the State List of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, as amended by the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016.
174. Repeal and saving.
(1) Save as otherwise provided in this Act, on and from the date of commencement of this Act,
(i) the Assam Value Added Tax Act, 2003 (Assam Act VIII of 2005), except in respect of goods included in the Entry 54 of the State List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution,
(ii) the Assam Entry Tax Act, 2008 (Assam Act XII of 2008),
(iii) the Assam Amusements and Betting Tax Act, 1939 (Assam Act VI of 1939),
(iv) the Assam Tax on Luxuries (Hotels, Lodging House and Hospitals) Act, 1989 (Assam Act V of 1989),
(v) the Assam Health Infrastructure and Services Development Fund Act, 2009 (Assam Act XVII of 2009) (hereinafter referred to as the repealed Acts) are hereby repealed.
(2) The repeal of the said Acts and the amendment of the Acts specified in section 173 (hereafter referred to as “such amendment” or “amended Act”, as the case may be) to the extent mentioned in sub-section (1) or section 173 shall not-
(a) revive anything not in force or existing at the time of such amendment or repeal; or
(b) affect the previous operation of the amended Acts or repealed Acts and orders or anything duly done or suffered thereunder; or
(c) affect any right, privilege, obligation, or liability acquired, accrued or incurred under the amended Acts or repealed Acts or orders under such repealed or amended Acts:
Provided that any tax exemption granted as an incentive against investment through a notification shall not continue as privilege if the said notification is rescinded on or after the appointed day; or
(d) affect any tax, surcharge, penalty, fine, interest as are due or may become due or any forfeiture or punishment incurred or inflicted in respect of any offence or violation committed against the provisions of the amended Acts or repealed Acts; or
(e) affect any investigation, inquiry, verification (including scrutiny and audit), assessment proceedings, adjudication and any other legal proceedings or recovery of arrears or remedy in respect of any such tax, surcharge, penalty, fine, interest, right, privilege, obligation, liability, forfeiture or punishment, as aforesaid, and any such investigation, inquiry, verification (including scrutiny and audit), assessment proceedings, adjudication and other legal proceedings or recovery of arrears or remedy may be instituted, continued or enforced, and any such tax, surcharge, penalty, fine, interest, forfeiture or punishment may be levied or imposed as if these Acts had not been so amended or repealed; or
(f) affect any proceedings including that relating to an appeal, revision, review or reference, instituted before, on or after the appointed day under the said amended Acts or repealed Acts and such proceedings shall be continued under the said amended Acts or repealed Acts as if this Act had not come into force and the said Acts had not been amended or repealed.
(3) The mention of the particular matters referred to in section 173 and sub-section (1) of this section shall not be held to prejudice or affect the general application of section 3 of the Assam General Clauses Act, 1915 (Assam Act II of 1915) with regard to the effect of repeal.
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