The 57th GST Council meeting is underway in New Delhi on October 8, 2026, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairing the meeting. Unlike the previous major GST rate rationalisation exercise, the latest meeting is focused largely on making GST compliance simpler, faster and more business-friendly.
The Council is discussing several important proposals covering Input Tax Credit (ITC), GST refunds, registration, return filing, arrest powers of GST officers, prosecution thresholds, decriminalisation and relief for small businesses and MSMEs.
Importantly, these are proposals under consideration and should not be treated as final decisions until the Council announces its recommendations.
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GST Council Meeting 2026 Live: What Is On The Agenda Today?
The meeting is taking place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The key focus is on GST 2.0 process reforms rather than another broad GST rate restructuring.
Among the major issues being considered are faster refunds, easier GST registration, changes to ITC rules, simplified return filing, changes in enforcement powers and measures to reduce tax-related disputes.
GST Arrest Rules 2026: Will Tax Officers Lose Arrest Powers?
One of the biggest proposals concerns the arrest powers of GST officers.
The Council is considering changes that could require judicial authorisation before a GST-related arrest. The idea is to distinguish serious and deliberate tax evasion from routine compliance disputes.
The proposal could provide greater protection to genuine taxpayers while allowing stronger action in cases involving serious fraud or deliberate tax evasion.
GST Prosecution Limit: Can The Threshold Rise From ₹1 Crore To ₹5 Crore?
Another major proposal is to increase the threshold for launching criminal prosecution under GST.
The threshold could reportedly rise from the existing ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore. If approved, the change could keep smaller compliance disputes outside the criminal prosecution framework while retaining tougher action for larger cases.
GST ITC Relief 2026: What Could Change For Businesses?
Input Tax Credit (ITC) is among the most important items being examined by the Council.
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