Story perspectives

GST Council scraps arrest powers, boosts automatic registrations to 100%

By Drooid · Oct 10, 2026, 5:57 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The 57th Goods and Services Tax Council approved process reforms on October 8, 2026 in New Delhi.
Finance Ministry set a ten-day deadline to acknowledge GST refund claims.
Council aims to raise automatic GST registration approvals from 61 % to 100 % for low-risk applicants.
Council will scrap GST officers’ arrest powers.
Council will raise the prosecution threshold for GST offences to INR5 crore.

History

Historical Context

The Goods and Services Tax, introduced on 1 July 2017 after the 101st constitutional amendment, unified India’s indirect taxes under a council chaired by the Union Finance Minister (now Nirmala Sitharaman). After a 2025 rate simplification to 5% and 18%, the 57th GST Council meeting on 8 Oct 2026 expanded automatic approvals to 100% and ended officers’ arrest powers, continuing the reform trajectory.

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Story summary

The 57th Goods and Services Tax Council approved process reforms on October 8, 2026 in New Delhi.
Finance Ministry set a ten-day deadline to acknowledge GST refund claims.
Council aims to raise automatic GST registration approvals from 61 % to 100 % for low-risk applicants.
Council will scrap GST officers’ arrest powers.
Council will raise the prosecution threshold for GST offences to INR5 crore.

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