Section 50 of CGST Act 2017: Interest on Delayed Payment of Tax

Provisions under Section 50 of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017 relating to “Interest on Delayed Payment of Tax”, are as under:

Section 50 of CGST Act 2017: Interest on Delayed Payment of Tax (CHAPTER X – PAYMENT OF TAX)

(1) Every person who is liable to pay tax in accordance with the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, but fails to pay the tax or any part thereof to the Government within the period prescribed, shall for the period for which the tax or any part thereof remains unpaid, pay, on his own, interest at such rate, not exceeding eighteen per cent., as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council. Interest on delayed payment of tax:

Provided that the interest on tax payable in respect of supplies made during a tax period and declared in the return for the said period furnished after the due date in accordance with the provisions of section 39, except where such return is furnished after commencement of any proceedings under section 73 or section 74 in respect of the said period, shall be levied on that portion of the tax that is paid by debiting the electronic cash ledger.

(2) The interest under sub-section (1) shall be calculated, in such manner as may be prescribed, from the day succeeding the day on which such tax was due to be paid.

(3) A taxable person who makes an undue or excess claim of input tax credit under sub-section (10) of section 42 or undue or excess reduction in output tax liability under sub-section (10) of section 43, shall pay interest on such undue or excess claim or on such undue or excess reduction, as the case may be, at such rate not exceeding twenty-four per cent., as may be notified by the Government on the recommendations of the Council.

Amendments History:

1. Proviso to sub-section (1) inserted vide Finance (No. 2) Act 2019. However, appointed date for this amendment is yet to be notified by the CBIC/ Govt.

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Govt. has notified the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017 on 12 April, 2017 followed with various CBIC Notifications on commencement date for various Sections/ Provisions thereof from time to time. Govt. has further notified the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) (Amendment) Act, 2018 on 30 Aug. 2018 followed with CBIC Notification on commencement date of various Sections/ Provisions thereof from 1 Feb. 2019 vide Notification No. 2/2019 Central Tax dt. 29 Jan. 2019 except for amendments where the date of commencement is different from 1 Feb. 2019 and has specifically been mentioned in the CGST Amendment Act, 2018 itself.