As of 28 September 2026, the next GST Council date operators should have on the wall is 7 October, the same day the Reserve Bank’s policy statement is due. The 57th meeting, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, was moved from 12 September because of the BRICS summit in Delhi. An officers’ meeting is set for 5–6 October. Nothing in that calendar lets a shop change tomorrow’s invoice.
What reporters say is actually on the table
Business Today, on 25 September, quoted government sources saying the Delhi meeting is about process, not rates: invoice filing and matching, input tax credit, buyer-seller mismatches, disputes over whether credit is eligible, compliance cost, and litigation. Rate matters were described as not currently on the agenda. The same report said the Council might still look at the 18% GST on merchant discount rate, but that this was not on the agenda either. A source saying “might” is not a cut.
IBTimes India reported the Finance Minister pointing the session at GST 2.0 process work — e-invoicing and credit rules — a year after the rate reset. That reset, effective 22 September 2025, left two main slabs of 5% and 18%, with 40% on specified luxury and sin goods. Do not plan a third slab from a process meeting.
The working-capital ask that is still only an ask
Industry has asked the Council to let businesses pay reverse-charge GST from the credit ledger instead of paying cash and then claiming the same amount back. Tax advisers quoted by A2Z Taxcorp say the cash-first rule blocks working capital, especially where GST 2.0 rate cuts left firms sitting on credit they cannot use — FMCG, pharma, footwear, and autos were named. Inverted-duty importers of services were described as paying 18% in cash while credit sits unused.
That is a request. It is not a notification. If you pay reverse charge in cash today, keep paying it in cash until a rule says the credit ledger is enough. A WhatsApp “Council will allow it” does not protect a return.
What to leave alone this week
- Do not reissue price lists for a slab change that sources say is not on the 7 October agenda.
- Do not stop reverse-charge cash payments in anticipation. Track the cash outflow in Wiserlytics so you can see the block if the rule never moves.
- Clean invoice mismatches you already know about. A process meeting makes those disputes more visible, not less.
- Keep the RBI meeting and the GST meeting as two decisions. A repo line and a credit-ledger line do not land in the same bank debit.
FAQ
Will GST rates change on 7 October?
Not on the agenda described by government sources on 25 September. Wait for the Council’s own communication. A process reform can still change how you file; it is not the same as a new rate.
Should I delay this month’s return?
No. The postponement of the Council does not postpone your due date.
This is informational analysis, not tax advice. Your return follows the notified law, not a preview. Wiserdusk Blog.