GST Reforms: Arrest powers scrapped, refunds automated; businesses set to see faster relief

The GST Council approved a series of changes aimed at easing compliance, including removing the power of tax officials to make arrests and raising the prosecution threshold fivefold to Rs 5 crore. FM Nirmala Sitharaman said the GST Council had largely dealt with anomalies arising from input tax credit (ITC) and addressed the issue of duty inversion.