A GST return is a statement that contains information on all income/sales and/or expenses/purchases that a taxpayer (every GSTIN) is expected to file with the tax authorities. Tax regulators use this to measure net tax liabilities.

Under GST, a registered dealer has to file GST returns that broadly include:

• Purchases

• Sales

• Output GST (On sales)

• Input tax credit (GST paid on purchases)

Under the GST regime, any daily company with an annual gross turnover of more than Rs.5 crore is required to file two monthly returns and one annual report. This equates to 26 returns each year.

For quarterly GSTR-1 filers under the QRMP programme, the number of GSTR filings varies. They file 9 GSTR filings online each year, including the GSTR-3B and annual return.

Unique cases, such as composition distributors, must file additional returns, for a maximum of five GSTR filings each year.