Archive · 9 Oct 2026
GST Council Announces Next-Gen Reforms for Taxpayers and Businesses
The GST Council announced changes to make tax rules easier for taxpayers and businesses.
The changes are part of what Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called Next-Gen GST.
Businesses could get routine registration changes accepted automatically.
Refunds are expected to be acknowledged sooner, and most should be sanctioned within three days of acknowledgment.
Businesses can also claim tax credit for employee health and life insurance expenses.
Inspections and seizures during goods movement must be carried out by officers from the supply or destination state.
GST officers will no longer have the power to arrest.
The Council also raised the amount at which offences can lead to prosecution and lowered the general penalty.
Small businesses can scale up across the country without first setting up a place of business in every state.
The 57th GST Council meeting announced process reforms intended to improve compliance and support taxpayers and businesses.
Routine registration changes, such as adding a new office, are recommended for automatic acceptance.
Refund acknowledgments will take 10 days instead of 15, and 90% of refunds are to be sanctioned within three days of acknowledgment.
Input tax credit claims will expand to include employee health and life insurance expenses.
The Council removed GST officers' power to arrest, raised the prosecution threshold from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore, and lowered the general penalty from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10,000.
- Who
- The GST Council, with representation from the Union and state governments; Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the reforms.
- What
- The Council announced process and compliance reforms to the GST regime.
- When
- At the 57th GST Council meeting, held on Thursday; the article does not specify a date.
- Where
- The article does not specify where the meeting was held.
- Why
- The reforms aim to improve compliance and address concerns including registration difficulties, delayed refunds, and harassment during disputes.
- Meeting
- 57th GST Council meeting
- Refund acknowledgment
- Period reduced from 15 days to 10 days
- Refund sanction
- 90% of refunds to be sanctioned within three days of acknowledgment
- Prosecution threshold
- Raised from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore
- General penalty
- Reduced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10,000
- Disputes below threshold
- No notices will be sent for disputes below Rs 10,000; existing notices will be withdrawn
- Small businesses
- Can scale up across the country without first establishing a place of business in each state