12/10/2026
📢 57th GST Council: What Changes for Your Business?
The 57th GST Council met on 8 October 2026, and this one is about process reform, not rate cuts. Here are the main recommendations, according to the official PIB release:
âś… No arrests: The Council recommends removing the power of arrest by omitting Section 69
âś… Prosecution threshold up from â‚ą1 crore to â‚ą5 crore
âś… General penalty (Sec 125) down from â‚ą25,000 to â‚ą10,000
âś… No show-cause notice where the tax involved is below â‚ą10,000
âś… Faster refunds: automatic refund of excess cash ledger balance, and 90% provisional sanction for zero-rated and inverted duty claims
âś… Wider ITC: relief on blocked credit under Section 17(5), including health and life insurance, telecom towers, outdoor catering and more
âś… Easier registration: amendments accepted automatically, and a simpler route for small e-commerce sellers
âś… Smoother e-way bill checks: interception only on specific intelligence
⚠️ Please note: These are Council recommendations. They take effect only once the circulars, notifications and CGST Act amendments are issued, so the current rules still apply until then.
🎬 Watch our animated explainer, where Neha and Raj walk through it in simple language.
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