57th GST Council Meeting on 7 October: Agenda and What to Watch

The 57th GST Council meeting is now set for 7 October 2026 in New Delhi, according to Mint and other reports citing a Council Secretariat memorandum. It was first called for 12 September 2026. No agenda has been published, but reports expect compliance fixes on input tax credit, refunds and registration rather than another round of rate cuts.

Key facts

Meeting date and status

On 29 August 2026, ANI reported an office memorandum from the GST Council Secretariat. It fixed the 57th meeting for 11 am on 12 September 2026 in New Delhi, with an officers’ meeting the day before. The memo said the venue and agenda would be shared later.

On 6 September 2026, Mint reported that the meeting had moved to 7 October, citing a senior government official and a fresh memorandum to Council members. The official did not give a reason. Mint noted that India was hosting the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on 12 and 13 September.

When we checked on 16 September 2026, the GST Council website still showed the notice and recommendations of the 56th meeting as its latest meeting items. Treat the 7 October date as reported until the Council posts its own notice.

Expected agenda items

This will be the first meeting since the 56th meeting cut the four main slabs of 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% down to 5% and 18%, with 40% for a few demerit and luxury goods. According to Mint and ETCFO, the Council is expected to take up:

• A review of how the September 2025 rate cuts were implemented, including whether lower tax reached consumer prices.
• The 18% GST rate on mobile phones, as Mint reported on 28 August.
• Recommendations from GST law committees on refunds, registration and returns.
• Faceless, risk-based assessments and audits, which experts quoted by ETCFO want standardised across states.

A March 2026 study by the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy found mixed evidence that the cuts reached retail prices, Mint reported. Prices fell for air-conditioners and cars, while several personal-care products and medicines kept rising.

For what changed in September 2025, read GST 2.0 one year on. Current rates are listed on our GST rates and slabs page.

Input tax credit issues

Two ITC questions are reported to be in play:

• Blocked credit on staff costs: section 17(5) of the CGST Act, 2017 blocks ITC on items such as food and beverages, and on hiring of passenger vehicles except for specified uses. ETCFO reports that industry has asked for relief on employee-related costs such as rent-a-cab, cafeteria and canteen services. Tax advisers quoted in the report point out that income tax allows these costs as business expenses.
• Protection for honest buyers: experts quoted by Mint expect legal and technology changes to protect buyers whose credit is at risk when a supplier fails to pay tax. They cite the Gujarat High Court’s Maruti Enterprises ruling and the Supreme Court’s decision in Bhandari Scrap Traders.

Experts also want businesses to be allowed to pay reverse-charge tax on imported services from existing credit rather than in cash, according to ETCFO. No proposal on this has been published.

Refund and registration changes

ETCFO reports that the Council is likely to consider faster GST registration. Experts told the publication that registration is meant to be done in three to seven working days but often takes longer. E-commerce operators have also faced demands to add extra places of business, which may be simplified.

Refunds are one of the areas where GST law committees were set up this year, ETCFO reports. The details of any proposal will be known only after the meeting.

If you are applying now, our GST registration guide covers the current process.

How a Council decision becomes law

The Council only recommends. Changes take effect when the government notifies them. After the 56th meeting on 3 September 2025, CBIC issued rate notifications dated 17 September 2025, and the new rates applied from 22 September 2025.

Rate and exemption changes can be notified quickly. Changes to the CGST Act itself need an amendment passed by Parliament. So a recommendation on 7 October may take effect weeks later, or only after the next Finance Act. Read the notification before changing your invoices or returns.

What small businesses should watch

1. Check the Council’s press release on the day of the meeting for the list of recommendations.
2. Wait for the CBIC notification or circular, and note its effective date.
3. If a rate changes for your goods or services, update the rate in your billing software from that date.
4. If ITC rules change, review which purchase invoices you can now claim, and from when.
5. Track filing deadlines on our GST returns and due dates page, since process changes can alter forms.

For questions about how a change affects your own credit or refunds, a GST practitioner can review your records.

Decisions (updated after the meeting)

The meeting has not taken place yet. We will update this section with the Council’s recommendations and the notification dates once they are announced.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 57th GST Council meeting?

It is reported to be on 7 October 2026 in New Delhi, moved from 12 September 2026. The Council website had not posted a notice as of 16 September 2026.

Why was the meeting postponed?

No official reason was given. Mint noted that India hosted the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi on 12 and 13 September.

Will GST rates change at the 57th meeting?

Reports expect a review of the 2025 rate changes and of the 18% rate on mobile phones. No rate proposal has been officially announced.

What is the new update of GST for businesses?

The last major change was GST 2.0 from 22 September 2025, which moved most items to 5% or 18%. The 57th meeting is expected to focus on ITC, refunds and registration.

When will decisions of the meeting apply?

Only from the date given in the CBIC notification that follows. Changes to the CGST Act need Parliament’s approval.

Where can I read the official outcome?

On the GST Council website and in the Finance Ministry’s release on PIB, usually issued after the meeting.

Sources

• GST Council home page and What’s New — GST Council Secretariat (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• GST Council meetings list — GST Council Secretariat (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Recommendations of the 56th meeting of the GST Council — PIB (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• GST rate changes effective 22 September 2025 — PIB (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• Section 17, CGST Act, 2017 — CBIC (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• 57th GST Council meeting to be held on September 12 — ANI (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• GST Council meeting postponed to 7 October — Mint (checked 16 Sep 2026)
• GST Council may ease compliance burden — ETCFO (checked 16 Sep 2026)