Input tax credit refers to the tax paid by a person who has a GST registration on the supply of goods or services, which includes central tax (CGST), state tax (SGST), integrated tax (IGST), or cess. This credit is used to reduce the tax liability when a sale is made. However, the tax paid on the composite taxation scheme is not included in input tax.

The Goods and Services Tax Act is based on the principle of value addition, and the tax liability is levied on the value added at each stage of the supply chain until it reaches the consumer. To avoid the cascading effect of tax liability on procurement of raw materials, consumables, plants, machinery, etc., businesses are allowed to offset the tax liability through input tax credit.

Every person with a GST registration in the supply chain collects and remits the GST tax to avoid double taxation and the cascading effect of tax. By utilizing the input tax credit mechanism, businesses can achieve neutrality in the incidence of tax and ensure that the input tax element is not included in the cost of production or supply of goods and services.

Reduced Tax Liability : ITC allows businesses to claim credit for the tax paid on inputs used in the production of goods or services. This reduces the overall tax liability of the business
Cost Savings : ITC eliminates the cascading effect of taxes, which means that businesses are not required to pay tax on tax. This results in cost savings for the business, making goods and services more affordable for the end consumer
Increased Efficiency : The ITC system promotes transparency and efficiency in the supply chain as businesses are required to maintain proper records of input tax credits claimed and utilized. This reduces the chances of tax evasion and helps streamline the tax compliance process
Boosts Competitiveness : By reducing the tax burden on businesses, ITC makes them more competitive in the marketplace. This encourages businesses to invest in new technology, machinery, and infrastructure, which ultimately leads to increased productivity and economic growth
Encourages Compliance : The ITC system incentivizes businesses to comply with the GST regulations as only those businesses that are registered and compliant with GST can claim input tax credits. This helps bring more businesses under the tax net, increasing tax revenues for the government

Step 1 : Verify Input Tax Credit Claims-
The first step is to verify the ITC claims made in the GST returns against the purchase records and invoices.This involves checking if the supplier has reported the supply and if the recipient has reported the receipt of the supply.

Step 2 : Reconcile Mismatched Data-
If there is a mismatch in the data, the next step is to reconcile the differences by communicating with the supplier and obtaining the correct invoices or rectifying the errors.This involves reconciling the data between GSTR-2A (auto-populated data) and GSTR-3B (self-assessed data) forms.

Step 3 : Rectify Discrepancies-
Once the discrepancies have been identified and reconciled, the taxpayer can rectify any errors in the previous returns through GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B amendments.

Step 4 : Claim ITC-
After the reconciliation and rectification process is complete, the taxpayer can claim the ITC in their GSTR-3B return for the relevant tax period.

Step 5 : Audit and Compliance-
It is important for taxpayers to maintain proper records and documentation to support their ITC claims and be prepared for any audit or compliance checks by the tax authorities.

1. An invoice issued by the supplier of goods or services

2. An invoice issued by the recipient of goods and services supplied by an unregistered dealer, which falls under the reverse charge mechanism

3. A debit note issued by the supplier if the tax charged is less than the tax payable for such supply

4. A bill of entry or similar documents for integrated tax on imports

5. An invoice or credit note issued by an input service distributor according to GST rules

6. A supply bill from a dealer who has opted for a composition scheme, an exporter, or a supplier of exempted goods

7. As a registered taxable person, it is important to maintain proper records of these documents in order to claim ITC and reduce overall tax liability