It gives us immense pleasure in placing before you, the first Referencer on GST being published by The Goods and Services Tax Practitioners’ Association of Maharashtra(GSTPAM). With the onset of the GST regime, in addition to the Referencer published on MVAT Act & Allied Laws for the year 2017-18, we are publishing this Referencer 2017-18 on GST.

This year we have chosen the theme of “MOVING AHEAD” as our Association is MOVING AHEAD with the Nation in implementing the country’s biggest Indirect Tax reform by way of introduction of the GST Law. The theme of the Referencer reflects that we are moving along with time.The Association has been guiding its members since the BST era, during the VAT era and shall also be guiding them in the GST era. The radiance of the Rising Sun of GSTPAM will spread education and knowledge to its members and will benefit the members in achieving greater heights in profession.

This being the first year of publishing the Referencer on GST and with the aim of guiding the members of our Association, more than 35 GST professionals have put in their best efforts to compile this Referencer on GST. For preparation of this Referencer we have adopted the Concept of ‘Makers’ and ‘Checkers’, whereby junior members of our Association have compiled the contents, which have been checked by the ‘Checkers’ who are the senior members of our Association.

GSTPAM hereby appreciates and acknowledges the efforts made and guidance given by CA Deepak Thakkar, Adv. Deepak Bapat, Shri Dhaval Talati, CA Janak Vaghani and CA Mayur Parekh who have helped in finalising this GST Referencer. They have reviewed the entire contents prepared by the Makers and Checkers and also reframed the topics to include the various and frequent amendments being made in the GST Law after its implementation. The amendments made upto15th November, 2017 have been duly incorporated in this Referencer.

GSTPAM is also thankful to Mr. Shakir Khan, Commercial Tax Officer, Mysuru, Government of Karnataka, who has shared with us the compilation “Edition-3_ GST A to Z dated 14-11-2017” on GST Rates, prepared by him and allowed to publish extracts from it in this GST Referencer. We are sure that the Alphabetical list of items with the effective dates for the applicable rates under GST will immensely benefit the users of this Referencer.

GSTPAM is thankful to all the Makers, Checkers & Compilers of this Referencer for devoting their valuable time and efforts in compiling this Referencer. I would like to specially acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the Convenors CA Bhaven Mehta and CA Ashit Shah in conceptualizing the first GST Referencer of our Association, along with identification of the topics, compilers, reviewers, collation and compilation of the updated contents.

GSTPAM is also thankful to Mr. Rajesh Bhagat and his entire team at M/s. Finesse Graphics & Prints Pvt. Ltd. for providing time-to-time valuable feedback and presenting this most trusted Referencer in an elegant & graceful manner.

The entire team at GSTPAM has tried to give the Best to the members and we anticipate that the members will be benefitted by this Referencer on GST which is a unique one and one of its own kind. Various Flow Charts have also been included in this Referencer to explain the provisions of GST Acts.

Utmost care has been taken by the respective contributors to ensure that the contents of the publication are correct and updated. However, still if any errors are noticed, the same may please be informed to us so that we can improve the next edition of this esteemed annual publication of the GSTPAM.