Section 140 - Transitional arrangements for input tax credit
Chapter XX - Transitional Provisions
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Finin2min Summary - Section in 2 Minutes
Provides the detailed gateway for carrying
forward eligible CENVAT/VAT and specified stock
credits into GST. It is a closed transitional regime
governed by statutory conditions, forms, judicial
directions and limitation history.
Exact operative text
140. Transitional arrangements for input tax credit.-(1) A registered person, other than a person
opting to pay tax under section 10, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, the amount of
CENVAT credit [of eligible duties] carried forward in the return relating to the period ending with the day
immediately preceding the appointed day, furnished by him under the existing law [within such time and] in
such manner as may be prescribed:
Provided that the registered person shall not be allowed to take credit in the following
circumstances, namely:-
(i) where the said amount of credit is not admissible as input tax credit under this Act; or
(ii) where he has not furnished all the returns required under the existing law for the period of six
months immediately preceding the appointed date; or
(iii) where the said amount of credit relates to goods manufactured and cleared under such
exemption notifications as are notified by the Government.
(2) A registered person, other than a person opting to pay tax under section 10, shall be entitled to
take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of the unavailed CENVAT credit in respect of capital goods,
not carried forward in a return, furnished under the existing law by him, for the period ending with the
day immediately preceding the appointed day [within such time and] in such manner as may be
prescribed:
Provided that the registered person shall not be allowed to take credit unless the said credit was admissible
as CENVAT credit under the existing law and is also admissible as input tax credit under this Act.
Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section, the expression "unavailed CENVAT credit"
means the amount that remains after subtracting the amount of CENVAT credit already availed in respect
of capital goods by the taxable person under the existing law from the aggregate amount of CENVAT
credit to which the said person was entitled in respect of the said capital goods under the existing law.
(3) A registered person, who was not liable to be registered under the existing law, or who was engaged
in the manufacture of exempted goods or provision of exempted services, or who was providing works
contract service and was availing of the benefit of notification No. 26/2012-Service Tax, dated the
20th June, 2012 or a first stage dealer or a second stage dealer or a registered importer or a depot of a
manufacturer, shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of eligible duties in respect of
inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished [goods held in stock on the appointed
day, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed, subject to] the following conditions,
namely:-
(i) such inputs or goods are used or intended to be used for making taxable supplies under this
Act;
(ii) the said registered person is eligible for input tax credit on such inputs under this Act;
(iii) the said registered person is in possession of invoice or other prescribed documents
evidencing payment of duty under the existing law in respect of such inputs;
(iv) such invoices or other prescribed documents were issued not earlier than twelve months
immediately preceding the appointed day; and
(v) the supplier of services is not eligible for any abatement under this Act:
Provided that where a registered person, other than a manufacturer or a supplier of services, is not in
possession of an invoice or any other documents evidencing payment of duty in respect of inputs, then,
such registered person shall, subject to such conditions, limitations and safeguards as may be prescribed,
including that the said taxable person shall pass on the benefit of such credit by way of reduced prices to
the recipient, be allowed to take credit at such rate and in such manner as may be prescribed.
(4) A registered person, who was engaged in the manufacture of taxable as well as exempted goods
under the Central Excise Act, 1944 (1 of 1944) or provision of taxable as well as exempted services under
Chapter V of the Finance Act, 1994 (32 of 1994), but which are liable to tax under this Act, shall be
entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger,-
(a) the amount of CENVAT credit carried forward in a return furnished under the existing law by
him in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (1); and
(b) the amount of CENVAT credit of eligible duties in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs
contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock on the appointed day, relating to such
exempted goods or services, in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (3).
(5) A registered person shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of eligible duties
and taxes in respect of inputs or input services received on or after the appointed day but the duty or tax in
respect of which has been paid by the supplier under the [existing law, within such time and in such
manner as may be prescribed], subject to the condition that the invoice or any other duty or tax paying
document of the same was recorded in the books of account of such person within a period of thirty days
from the appointed day:
Provided that the period of thirty days may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the
Commissioner for a further period not exceeding thirty days:
Provided further that said registered person shall furnish a statement, in such manner as may be
prescribed, in respect of credit that has been taken under this sub-section.
(6) A registered person, who was either paying tax at a fixed rate or paying a fixed amount in lieu of
the tax payable under the existing law shall be entitled to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of
eligible duties in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished [goods
held in stock on the appointed day, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed, subject to]
the following conditions, namely:-
(i) such inputs or goods are used or intended to be used for making taxable supplies under this
Act;
(ii) the said registered person is not paying tax under section 10;
(iii) the said registered person is eligible for input tax credit on such inputs under this Act;
(iv) the said registered person is in possession of invoice or other prescribed documents
evidencing payment of duty under the existing law in respect of inputs; and
(v) such invoices or other prescribed documents were issued not earlier than twelve months
immediately preceding the appointed day.
(7) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Act, the input tax credit on account of
any services received prior to the appointed day by an Input Service Distributor shall be eligible for
distribution as [credit under this Act, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed,
[whether the invoices relating to such services are received prior to, on or after, the appointed day]].
(8) Where a registered person having centralised registration under the existing law has obtained a
registration under this Act, such person shall be allowed to take, in his electronic credit ledger, credit of
the amount of CENVAT credit carried forward in a return, furnished under the existing law by him, in
respect of the period ending with the day immediately preceding the appointed day [within such time and
in such manner] as may be prescribed:
Provided that if the registered person furnishes his return for the period ending with the day
immediately preceding the appointed day within three months of the appointed day, such credit shall be
allowed subject to the condition that the said return is either an original return or a revised return where the
credit has been reduced from that claimed earlier:
Provided further that the registered person shall not be allowed to take credit unless the said amount is
admissible as input tax credit under this Act:
Provided also that such credit may be transferred to any of the registered persons having the same
Permanent Account Number for which the centralised registration was obtained under the existing law.
(9) Where any CENVAT credit availed for the input services provided under the existing law has
been reversed due to non-payment of the consideration within a period of three months, such [credit can
be reclaimed within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed, subject to] the condition that the
registered person has made the payment of the consideration for that supply of services within a period of
three months from the appointed day.
(10) The amount of credit under sub-sections (3), (4) and (6) shall be calculated in such manner as
may be prescribed.
Explanation 1.-For the purposes of [sub-sections (1), (3), (4)] and (6), the expression "eligible
duties" means-
(i) the additional duty of excise leviable under section 3 of the Additional Duties of Excise
(Goods of Special Importance) Act, 1957 (58 of 1957);
(ii) the additional duty leviable under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Customs Tariff
Act, 1975 (51 of 1975);
(iii) the additional duty leviable under sub-section (5) of section 3 of the Customs Tariff
Act, 1975 (51 of 1975);
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(v) the duty of excise specified in the First Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff
Act, 1985 (5 of 1986);
(vi) the duty of excise specified in the Second Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985
(5 of 1986); and
(vii) the National Calamity Contingent Duty leviable under section 136 of the Finance Act, 2001
(14 of 2001),
in respect of inputs held in stock and inputs contained in semi-finished or finished goods held in stock on
the appointed day.
Explanation 2.-For the purposes of [sub-sections (1) and (5)], the expression "eligible duties and
taxes" means-
(i) the additional duty of excise leviable under section 3 of the Additional Duties of Excise
(Goods of Special Importance) Act, 1957 (58 of 1957);
(ii) the additional duty leviable under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975
(51 of 1975);
(iii) the additional duty leviable under sub-section (5) of section 3 of the Customs Tariff
Act, 1975 (51 of 1975);
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(v) the duty of excise specified in the First Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985
(5 of 1986);
(vi) the duty of excise specified in the Second Schedule to the Central Excise Tariff Act, 1985
(5 of 1986);
(vii) the National Calamity Contingent Duty leviable under section 136 of the Finance Act, 2001
(14 of 2001); and
(viii) the service tax leviable under section 66B of the Finance Act, 1994 (32 of 1994),
in respect of inputs and input services received on or after the appointed day.
[Explanation 3.-For removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that the expression "eligible duties
and taxes" excludes any cess which has not been specified in Explanation 1 or Explanation 2 and any cess
which is collected as additional duty of customs under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Customs Tariff
Act, 1975 (51 of 1975).]
Paragraph-wise decode
Provides the detailed gateway for carrying forward eligible CENVAT/VAT and specified stock credits into GST. It is a closed transitional regime governed by statutory conditions, forms, judicial directions and limitation history.
Section-Rule-Form-Notification bridge
No direct Rule certified in Phase 1. Check notifications, circulars, forms and corresponding State law.
The mapping is a legal concordance, not a round-robin related-link list. It is limited to instruments certified in this phase.
Practical example
A taxpayer claimed carried-forward credit through TRAN-1 but system evidence shows a filing failure. Eligibility, original return, judicial relief and portal record are tested together.
Professional alert
Transitional credit litigation is highly fact-specific. Preserve original returns, TRAN filings, screenshots, help- desk tickets and court directions.
Section 141 - Transitional provisions relating to job work OPERATIVE STATUTORY TEXT 141. Transitional provisions relating to job work.-(1) Where any inputs received at a place of business had been removed as such or removed after being partially processed to a job worker for further processing, testing, repair, reconditioning or any other purpose in accordance with the provisions of existing law prior to the appointed day and such inputs are returned to the said place on or after the appointed day, no tax shall be payable if such inputs, after completion of the job work or otherwise, are returned to the said place within six months from the appointed day:
Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding two months:
Provided further that if such inputs are not returned within the period specified in this sub-section, the input tax credit shall be liable to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (8) of section 142.
(2) Where any semi-finished goods had been removed from the place of business to any other premises for carrying out certain manufacturing processes in accordance with the provisions of existing law prior to the appointed day and such goods (hereafter in this section referred to as "the said goods") are returned to the said place on or after the appointed day, no tax shall be payable, if the said goods, after undergoing manufacturing processes or otherwise, are returned to the said place within six months from the appointed day:
Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding two months:
Provided further that if the said goods are not returned within the period specified in this sub-section, the input tax credit shall be liable to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (8) of section 142:
Provided also that the manufacturer may, in accordance with the provisions of the existing law, transfer the said goods to the premises of any registered person for the purpose of supplying therefrom on payment of tax in India or without payment of tax for exports within the period specified in this sub-section.
(3) Where any excisable goods manufactured at a place of business had been removed without payment of duty for carrying out tests or any other process not amounting to manufacture, to any other premises, whether registered or not, in accordance with the provisions of existing law prior to the appointed day and such goods, are returned to the said place on or after the appointed day, no tax shall be payable if the said goods, after undergoing tests or any other process, are returned to the said place within six months from the appointed day:
Provided that the period of six months may, on sufficient cause being shown, be extended by the Commissioner for a further period not exceeding two months:
Provided further that if the said goods are not returned within the period specified in this sub-section, the input tax credit shall be liable to be recovered in accordance with the provisions of clause (a) of sub-section (8) of section 142:
Provided also that the manufacturer may, in accordance with the provisions of the existing law, transfer the said goods from the said other premises on payment of tax in India or without payment of tax for exports within the period specified in this sub-section.
(4) The tax under sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) shall not be payable, only if the manufacturer and the job worker declare the details of the inputs or goods held in stock by the job worker on behalf of the manufacturer on the appointed day in such form and manner and within such time as may be prescribed.
DECODED SIMPLY Protects specified pre-GST inputs, semi-finished goods and capital goods lying with job workers, provided they were returned or supplied within the transitional time and conditions. PRACTICAL EXAMPLE Inputs sent to a job worker before 1 July 2017 were returned after the permitted transitional period. The deemed treatment and existing-law/ GST consequences are quantified. EXCEPTION / PROFESSIONAL ALERT Read the provision with its linked Rules, Gazette commencement, delegation, State GST counterpart and binding judicial interpretation before applying it to a live case.
Implementation checklist
- Fix the transaction, taxable period and jurisdiction.
- Read every subsection, proviso, explanation and omission marker.
- Open the mapped Rule, form, notification and circular.
- Test State/UT variation and portal version.
- Preserve evidence, approvals, working papers and acknowledgements.
- Record the conclusion, assumptions, source date and reviewer.
Evidence and retention checklist
- Contract, purchase order, invoice or underlying transaction document.
- Registration, return, ledger, challan and portal acknowledgement.
- Official Act/Rule/notification version used and effective date.
- Internal tax position paper, computation and management approval.
- Correspondence, notices, replies, orders and appeal papers where applicable.
Practical Q&A
- What does section 140 regulate?
- It regulates transitional arrangements for input tax credit. Read the exact text, conditions, exceptions and transaction date together.
- Which subordinate law should be checked?
- No direct CGST Rule has been certified in this phase. Notifications, circulars, forms and the corresponding SGST/UTGST layer may also apply.
- What evidence should be retained?
- Preserve the contract or transaction record, invoice or form, portal acknowledgement, payment/ledger evidence, correspondence, legal working and the official source version used.
- Can portal behaviour override the statute?
- No. Portal functionality is operational evidence; legal entitlement and liability remain controlled by the Act, Rules, notifications and binding decisions.