Status: Meeting date not yet announced — expected end-May or June 2026, post state election results. The 56th Council Meeting was held on 21 December 2025; the gap is the longest in recent years.
Agenda item 1 — Electricity and natural gas under GST: Long-pending proposal to bring electricity (currently outside GST) and natural gas (petroleum products excluded under Article 279A) within the GST ambit. If approved, significant impact on (a) power sector — input credit chains open up for generators and distributors; (b) manufacturing — gas-intensive industries (fertilisers, petrochemicals, ceramics) gain ITC on fuel input; (c) state revenues — revenue-neutral rate calibration will be contentious.
Agenda item 2 — Compensation Cess fate: The GST Compensation Cess (levied under s.8 GST (Compensation to States) Act, 2017) expired on 31 March 2026 after the extended period. Council must decide: (a) discontinue and absorb into base rate; (b) rename and continue as a surcharge for loan repayment; or (c) restructure. Directly affects pricing of luxury goods, tobacco, aerated beverages, motor vehicles.
Agenda item 3 — GST amnesty scheme: Proposed amnesty for early-period non-compliances (FY 2017-18 through FY 2019-20) — waiver or reduction of interest and penalty for taxpayers who file overdue returns and pay principal tax. Would parallel the Income Tax's Vivad Se Vishwas model.
Agenda item 4 — ITC refund on input services: Current restriction under s.54(3)(ii) CGST Act limits inverted-duty-structure refund to input goods only — input services are excluded from the refund formula. Council may consider including input services in the refund computation, addressing a long-standing industry demand validated by multiple High Court decisions.
Practice note: No client action required at this stage — these are watch items. However, for clients in power, gas-intensive manufacturing, or those with significant Compensation Cess exposure, flag the Council meeting date as soon as announced. If the amnesty scheme materialises, it could be the last window to regularise FY 2017-20 non-compliances at reduced cost.