The government has made it mandatory for e-filing of service tax returns from October 1.
Service Tax Commissioner M. Ponnuswamy said in a release on Wednesday that assesses should make use of e-mode for registration of certificates, payments as well as filing returns. These measures are aimed at minimising the interface between assesses and the officers thereby bringing transparency and authenticity of transactions.
Stating that the response from the trade was not encouraging, he said in Visakhapatnam-I Commissionerate, there are around 7,000 service tax registrants with the department. Out of which only 24 per cent chose to interact with the department through Automation of Central Excise and Service Tax (ACES). The percentage of assesses who filed returns through ACES is further low.
He said from October 1, ST-3 returns would be accepted only through e-mode using ACES module in place and requested all the assesses to register under ACES first and file their returns electronically. The department has approved certain certified facilitation centres in the city to assist the tax payers in e-filing. For further assistance, they can approach Assistant Commissioner of Service Tax, Division-I, 2nd floor, Srinivasa Plaza, MVP Colony or visit www.aces.gov.in to find contact details of facilitation centres.
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