The GST Council has approved a series of enforcement and procedural reforms aimed at easing compliance for businesses, particularly MSMEs and e-commerce players, according to government sources, India Today reported. The Council has approved the removal of arrest powers for GST officers in specified cases and raised the threshold for launching prosecution from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore.
The reforms are expected to provide greater compliance relief to businesses and reduce the scope for criminal proceedings in cases that do not involve serious tax evasion. Government sources said the decisions form part of a broader set of comprehensive enforcement and procedural reforms approved by the Council. Separately, ET Now reported, citing sources, that the Council has also approved cutting GST on unregistered rider delivery services from 18% to 5% and setting a Rs 10,000 floor for show-cause notices.
