The 57th GST Council has scrapped GST officers’ arrest powers, raised the prosecution threshold fivefold and set up a panel to examine safeguards for genuine input tax credit claims.

The GST Council on Thursday approved scrapping the arrest powers of GST officers and raised the threshold to launch prosecution to Rs 5 crore from Rs 1 crore."The rate structure is settled, so the Council has turned to how the tax works day to day," the finance ministry said, adding that GST rate changes will now happen once a year.

On input tax credit claims, the 57th GST Council decided to set up a Committee of Officers to examine how to protect a genuine buyer who holds a proper invoice, has received the goods, and has paid his supplier in full.
"The Committee of Officers will complete its study within three months, and an agenda will be placed before the next Council meeting," the ministry said. The GST Council revoked GST officers' arrest powers.
The threshold for prosecution goes up from Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore. The minimum punishment stands removed, and the punishment- whether fine, imprisonment, or both- is left to judicial discretion in every case, as per the council decision. The general penalty, which applies where no specific penalty is provided, comes down from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10,000, the ministry said. 
Tags: