Doubts have been raised seeking following clarification:

1. Which of the following dates are relevant to determine the 'financial year' for the purpose of section 16(4):

(a) date of issuance of debit note, or

(b) date of issuance of underlying invoice.

2. Whether any availment of input tax credit, on or after 01.01.2021, in respect of debit notes issued either prior to or after 01.01.2021, will be governed by the provisions of the amended section 16(4), or the amended provision will be applicable only in respect of the debit notes issued after 01.01.2021?

As can be seen, the words "invoice relating to such" were omitted w.e.f.01.01.2021.

2. The intent of law as specified in the . notes on clauses explaining the Gujarat Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2020 states that "Clause 4 of the Bill seeks to amend sub-section (4) of section 16 of the Gujarat Goods and Services Tax Act so as to delink the date of issuance of debit note from the date of issuance of the underlying invoice for purposes of availing input tax credit.

3. Accordingly, it is clarified that:

A) w.e.f. 01.01.2021, in case of debit notes, the date of issuance of debit note (not the date of underlying invoice) shall determine the relevant financial year for the purpose of section 16(4) of the GGST Act.

B) The availment of ITC on debit notes in respect of amended provision shall be applicable from 01.01.2021.

Accordingly, for availment of ITC on or after 01.01.2021, in respect of debit notes issued either prior to or after 01.01.2021, the eligibility for availment , of ITC will be governed by the amended provision of section 16(4), whereas any ITC availed prior to 01.01.2021, in respect of debit notes, shall be governed under the provisions of section 16(4), as it existed before the said amendment on 01.01.2021.

Illustration 1. A debit note dated 07.07.2021 is issued in respect of the original invoice dated 16.03.2021. As the invoice pertains to F.Y. 2020-21, the relevant financial year for availment of ITC in respect of the said invoice in terms of section 16(4) of the GGST Act shall be 2020-21. However, as the debit note has been issued in FY 2021-22, the relevant financial year for availment of ITC in respect of the said debit note shall . be 2021-22 in terms of amended provision of section 16(4) of the GGST Act.

Illustration 2. A debit note has been issued on 10.11.2020 in respect an invoice dated 15.07.2019. As per amended provision of section 16(4), the relevant financial year for availment of input tax credit on the said debit note, on or after 01.01.2021, will be FY 202021 and accordingly, the registered person can avail ITC on the same till due date of furnishing of FORM GSTR-3B for the month of September, 2021 or furnishing of the annual return for FY 2020-21, whichever is earlier.

2. Further, rule 138A (2) of the GGST Rules, after being amended vide notification No. 72 /2020-State Tax dated 07.10.2020, states that "In case, invoice is issued in the manner prescribed under sub-rule (4) of rule 48, the Quick Reference (QR) code having an embedded Invoice Reference Number (IRN) in it, may be produced electronically, for verification by the proper officer in lieu of the physical copy of such tax invoice"

3. A conjoint reading of rules 138A (1) and 138A (2) of the GGST Rules, 2017 clearly indicates that there is no requirement to carry the physical copy of tax invoice in cases where e-invoice has been generated by the supplier. After amendment, the revised rule 138A (2) states in unambiguous words that whenever e-invoice has been generated, the Quick Reference (QR) code, having an embedded Invoice Reference Number (IRN) in it, may be produced electronically for verification by the proper officer in lieu of the physical copy of such tax invoice.

4. Accordingly, it is clarified that there is no need to carry the physical copy of tax invoice in cases where invoice has been generated by the supplier in the manner prescribed under rule 48(4) of the GGST Rules and production of the Quick Response (QR) code having an embedded Invoice Reference Number (IRN) electronically, for verification by the proper officer, would suffice.

2. Accordingly, it is clarified that only those goods which are actually subjected to export duty i.e., on which some export duty has to be paid at the time of export, will be covered under the restriction imposed under section 54(3) from availment of refund of accumulated ITC. Goods, which are not subject to any export duty and in respect of which either NIL rate is specified in Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 or which are fully exempted from payment of export duty by virtue of any customs notification or which are not covered under Second Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, would not be covered by the restriction imposed under the second proviso to section 54(3) of the GGST Act for the purpose of availment of refund of accumulated ITC.