NEW DELHI, OCT 09, 2017: WITH the GST Council giving its verdict to commence the process of IGST Refund from tomorrow for the month of July and from October for the month of August, the CBEC has directed its field officers to follow certain guidelines. And the check-list is as follows:

++ Export General Manifest - Filing of correct EGM is a must for treating shipping bill or bill of export as a refund claim. Commissioners must ensure that the concerned airlines/shipping lines/carriers file EGM/Export report within prescribed time. Cases which remain in EGM error due to any reason should be followed up to ensure that records are updated at the gateway port, especially for ICDs. Exporters may be advised that they should follow up with their carriers to ensure that correct EGM/export reports are filed in a timely manner.

++ Details of export supplies in Table 6A of GSTR-1 - The details of zero rated supplies declared in Table 6A of return in Form GSTR-1 are matched electronically with the corresponding details available in Customs Systems as per details provided in shipping bills/ bill of export. Thus exporters must file their GSTR-1 very carefully to ensure that all relevant details match. For their convenience, the details available in the Customs System have been made available for viewing in their ICEGATE login. Exporters who have not filed their GSTR-1 for month of July 2017 may be advised to do so immediately.

++ Valid return in Form GSTR-3 or Form GSTR-3B - Filing of valid return in GSTR-3 or GSTR-3B is another pre-condition for considering shipping bill/Bill of export as claim for refund. Exporters may be advised that they must file these returns expeditiously without waiting for the last date, to ensure that their refund is processed in a timely manner.

++ Bank account details - The refund is to be credited in the bank account of the applicant mentioned in his registration particulars. As a practice, exporters have been declaring details of bank account to Customs for the purpose of drawback etc. There is a possibility that bank account details available with Customs do not match with those declared in the GST registration form. In order to ensure smooth processing and payment of refund of IGST paid on exported goods, it has been decided that said refund amount shall be credited to the bank account of the exporter registered with Customs even if it is different from the bank account of the applicant mentioned in his registration particulars. However, exporters may be advised to either change the bank account declared to Customs to align it with their GST registration particulars or add the account declared with Customs in their GST registration details.

++ Processing of refund claims - Proper officer of each jurisdiction shall generate a payment scroll of eligible IGST refunds in the same manner as RoSL scrolls are generated. The scroll shall be transmitted electronically to PFMS system for onward payment into their bank accounts. Unlike RoSL where paper scrolls are to be sent by field formations, in this case, electronic verification will be done centrally by a DDO appointed in this regard. Detailed EDI procedure for processing of claims and generation of refund scrolls is being circulated by Directorate of Systems. CBEC. DG-Systems is also laying down the procedure for payment and accounting in consultation with Pr. CCA CBEC and CGA of India. Proper officers may be designated in each Commissionerate. who should be in readiness to start generating refund scrolls from 10.10.2017 onwards.