The initial technical glitches in the GST system were caused because the IT department of GST did not have enough time to build a system as demanded by the GSTN, says a top official.
However, the issues have been resolved now and the system has been stabilised. Even the policymakers have agreed that enough time should have been given to ensure smoother and error-free running of the system, which is being done now as the newly revised return filing system is all set to be implemented soon.
Ever since the goods and service tax (GST) regime has been implemented on July 1 last year, the network has been going through technical glitches causing troubles for the taxpayers and return filers. The problems further increased after the preponed launch of the e-Way bill system on February 1.
Even GSTN CEO Prakash Kumar admits that preponing the implementation of the e-Way bill from its original date of April 1 to February was a mistake. “If the date was April 1, we should have adhered to April 1. Required time was not given and it is known. Everyone knows that” Kumar said.
The system was already in a dire state and struggling with glitches because of the lack of time given to it, even before the e-Way bill was implemented.
“No one can challenge that time was less. There were glitches and staggered delivery of modules and functionalities. That was because of the time constraint and the way the law was drafted and it was made available – the rules and the (return) forms,” Kumar added.
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The preponed launch of the e-Way bill, which was not at all recommended by the GoM, further added to the system’s problems.
“The Group of Ministers (GoM) on Information Technology examined it and said it should not have been done (preponed). They said go back to April 1. Not only that, (GOM Chairman) Sushil Modi said it should be implemented in a staggered manner – give time to both the system as well as the users,” he added.
