Review of GST audit guidelines necessary, video conferencing needs to be included

According to experts, GST officials will have to audit and assess taxpayers through video conferencing instead of going directly to the coronavirus epidemic, and this requires reviewing the existing guidelines.  According to the current audit guidelines for Goods and Services Tax (GST), taxpayers are broadly divided into three groups – large, medium, and small – based on their annual turnover.  Campus-based audit of large and medium units is mandatory under the existing guidelines, while desk-based audit is suggested for small units.  Last month, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had asked the officials to hear them through video conferencing facility.  Prateek Jain of PwC India said that the GST audit and assessment form 2017-18 would start soon and the department would have to review the audit guidelines.  Jain said, “The current guidelines point to a direct audit for 7-8 days in the premises of the big business.  Since social distance has become commonplace, GST officials will also have to explore more virtual verification possibilities. “He said the government would have to rethink its risk management system and develop better ways of assessing taxpayers.”.