🔑 In one line
The Council meeting originally set for 12 September has been pushed to 7 October 2026 — it clashed with India hosting the BRICS Summit the same week. The reported agenda itself hasn't changed.
7 Oct
New Council meeting date
1 year+
Gap since 56th meeting
5–6 Oct
Officers' preparatory meeting
Why the date changed
The 57th meeting was originally notified for 12 September 2026. It has since been rescheduled to 7 October 2026, with the officers' preparatory meeting moved to 5–6 October — confirmed via a fresh Office Memorandum from the GST Council Secretariat. The reason: India is hosting the BRICS Leaders' Summit in New Delhi on 12–13 September, and the security and logistics needed for that made it impractical to run the Council meeting the same week.
The last GST Council meeting was on 3 September 2025, which delivered the big GST 2.0 rate overhaul — the move to a simpler 5/18/40% slab structure. This 57th meeting, now more than a year since the last one, shifts focus from rates to the operational side of GST: credit protection, refunds, valuation clarity, and cutting down compliance disputes.
Protecting buyers' input tax credit when a supplier fails to deposit tax — connected to the law committee proposal cleared earlier this year, plus accumulated ITC linked to the inverted duty structure.
A uniform registration process for businesses passing on more than ₹2.5 lakh/month in tax credit — ending state-by-state inconsistency, plus automation in registration cancellation.
90% provisional ITC refund automation and broader relief measures for small businesses are among the items being pushed by state finance ministers ahead of the meeting.
Nothing here is final. These remain matters "under contemplation," reported by people familiar with the deliberations — not yet Council decisions. The extra month gives the Centre and states more time to refine proposals before deciding anything.
What to do before October 7
1
Don't act on rumoured changes yet — today's rules remain fully in force until the Council formally approves and notifies anything.
2
If you're in the ₹2.5 lakh+ ITC bracket, keep registration documents audit-ready — this segment is directly named in the reported agenda.
3
Keep GSTR-2B reconciliation current — whatever the ITC protection outcome, clean records benefit either way.
4
Watch for the official press release after 7 October — that's when reported items become actual decisions.
Stay reconciliation-ready, whatever the Council decides
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