Question 11: What time should the e-commerce operator make such collection?
Answer: The e-commerce operator should make the collection during the month in which the consideration amount is collected from the recipient.

Question 12: What is the time within which such TCS is to be remitted by the e-commerce operator to Government?
Answer: The amount collected by the operator is to be paid to the government within 10 days after the end of the month in which amount was so collected. (Refer to Section 52(3) of the CGST Act, 2017).

Question 13: How can actual suppliers claim credit of this TCS?
Answer: The amount of TCS paid by the operator to the government will be reflected in the GSTR-2 of the actual registered supplier (on whose account such collection has been made) on the basis of the statement filed by the operator. The same can be used at the time of discharge of tax liability in respect of the supplies made by the actual supplier. (Refer to Section 52(7) of the CGST Act, 2017).

Question 14: Is the e-commerce operator required to submit any statement? What are the details that are required to be submitted in the statement?
Answer: Yes, every operator is required to furnish a statement, electronically, containing the details of outward supplies of goods or services effected through it, including the supplies of goods or services returned through it, and the amount collected by it as TCS during a month within ten days after the end of such month. The statement will be filed in
FORM GSTR-8. The operator is also required to file an annual statement by 31st day of December following the end of the financial year in which the tax was collected. (Refer to Section 52(4) and Section 52(5) of the CGST Act, 2017).

Question 15: What is the concept of matching in e-commerce provisions and how it is going to work?
Answer: The details of supplies furnished by every operator in his statement for the month will be matched with the corresponding details of outward supplies furnished by the concerned supplier in his valid return for the same month or any preceding month. Where the details of outward supplies declared by the operator in his statement do not match with the corresponding details declared by the supplier, the discrepancy shall be communicated to both persons. (Refer to Section 52(8) and Section 52(9) of the CGST Act, 2017).

Question 16: What will happen if the details remain mismatched?
Answer: The amount in respect of which any discrepancy is communicated and which is not rectified by the supplier in his valid return or the operator in his statement for the month in which discrepancy is communicated shall be added to the output liability of the said supplier in his return for the month succeeding the month in which the discrepancy is communicated. The concerned supplier in whose output tax liability any amount has been added, shall be liable to pay the tax payable in respect of such supply along with interest on the amount so added from the date such tax was due till the date of its payment. (Refer to Section 52(10) and Section 52(11) of the CGST Act, 2017).

Question 17: Are there any powers given to tax officials under the GST Act to seek information on supply/stock details from e-commerce operators?
Answer: Yes. Any officer not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner may issue a notice to the electronic commerce operator to furnish such details within a period of 15 working days from the date of service of such notice. (Refer to Section 52(12), (13) and (14) of the CGST Act, 2017).

Question 18: The sellers supplying goods through e-Commerce operators (ECO) may have common places of business, especially if their goods are stored in a shared facility operated by the ECO. This will result in the same additional place of business being registered by multiple suppliers. Is this allowed?
Answer: Yes, this is allowed. Any registered person can declare a premises as a place of business if he has requisite documents for use of the premises as his place of business (like ownership document, agreement with the owner etc.) and there is no restriction about use of a premises by multiple persons. The registered person shall have to comply with the requirements of maintaining records as per section 35 of the CGST Act, 2017 and Rules 56 to 58 of the CGST Rules, 2017.

Question 19: Do travel agents providing services through digital or electronic platform qualify as ECOs? Will they be required to collect tax at source as per the provisions of Section 52 of the GST Act?
Answer: Online travel agents providing services through digital or electronic platform will fall under the category of ECOs liable to deduct TCS under Section 52 of the CGST Act, 2017.
Question 20: There are transactions in which two or more ECOs are involved. In such cases who would deduct the TCS?
Answer: In such cases, each transaction needs to be treated separately and examined according to the provisions of Section 52 of the CGST Act, 2017. The TCS will be deducted accordingly.