Dual GST model consolidates Centre and State levies into a harmonised tax on supplies, enabling a unified national market.
The reform established a dual GST model with Centre and States levying concurrent taxes on a common base-CGST and SGST/UTGST for intra State supplies and IGST for inter State supplies-supported by a consensus based GST Council, extensive subordinate notifications and a nationwide e way bill to facilitate movement of goods; implementation measures include anti profiteering investigations, expedited refund processes, clarificatory guidance and IT grievance redressal to address taxpayer and administrative challenges.

Tax Incidence on Fuel: states may levy additional taxes above GST, keeping retail prices similar.
If petrol and diesel are brought into GST, they would attract the peak GST rate supplemented by additional state levies so that the combined GST-plus-state tax equals the current aggregate tax incidence (central excise plus state VAT), preserving centre and state revenues and keeping retail prices broadly unchanged; exclusion persists because current total taxation exceeds the highest GST slab and states rely heavily on petroleum-derived revenues.

GST Council meeting scheduled with preparatory officers' conference to advance agenda and indirect tax governance.
The GST Council will meet in New Delhi on the 21st of July, 2018 from 11:00 hours to transact its agenda, preceded by a preparatory officers' meeting on the 20th of July, 2018 from 10:00 hours to finalize documents and brief delegates.

GST transparency and self-policing hailed as a unified tax to prevent cascading taxation and streamline goods movement.
The Goods and Services Tax is presented as a transparent and self-policing tax regime formed by subsuming various central and state taxes into a single levy to prevent cascading taxation, ensure uninterrupted flow of Input Tax Credit, rationalise tax incidence, and create a common national market; administrative measures such as abolition of checkposts and logistics streamlining are noted as facilitating movement of goods and enhancing competitiveness.

GST evasion uncovered via fake invoices enabling input tax credit and refund fraud; enforcement to be intensified and data-driven.
Detection of extensive GST evasion revealed concentrated tax payment among a tiny fraction of registrants and compliance shortfalls among composition-scheme dealers. Investigations uncovered a recurring modus operandi of generating fake invoices to claim input tax credit and to obtain fraudulent GST refunds, including refunds purportedly tied to non-existent exports. GST intelligence identified substantial evasion in a short period and announced stepped-up data-driven enforcement to curb invoice-based credit and refund fraud and to strengthen compliance.

GST refund processing accelerated through a special administrative fortnight, focusing on sanctioning claims and exporter compliance.
CBIC conducted a Special Refund Fortnight to expedite disposal of pending GST refunds, activating special refund cells, issuing clarifications, and carrying out exporter outreach. Centre and State field formations processed shipping bills and sanctioned IGST and RFD 01A claims while accounting for rejected claims; exporters were reminded to follow correct filing procedures, provide accurate Shipping Bill information, and submit RFD 01A applications to jurisdictional offices for prompt disbursal.

Formalization of economy under GST expands the tax base and strengthens compliance through digitized data sharing.
GST establishes a common, digitized indirect tax framework that promotes formalization of the economy and widening of the tax base by enabling seamless data sharing between central and state administrations, incentivizing previously unregistered agents and documented supply chains where input tax credit claims require verifiable invoices.

Dual GST framework establishes concurrent central and state taxation with a GST Council to coordinate rates and rules.
Introduction of GST establishes a dual GST with CGST and SGST/UTGST and an IGST for inter State supplies and imports; a constitutional amendment and creation of the GST Council govern rates, exemptions, thresholds and harmonisation. The design fixes input tax credit usage rules, destination based taxation, threshold and composition schemes, procedural rules (registration, returns, e way bills) and institutional mechanisms (anti profiteering, advance rulings, appellate tribunal) to effect transition from legacy indirect taxes.

SEZ supply classification: services to SEZs treated as inter State, with zero rating only for authorised, endorsed operations.
Supplies of services such as short term accommodation, conferencing and banqueting to SEZ developers or units are to be treated as inter State supplies. Supplies to SEZ recipients qualify as zero rated only when received for authorised operations with an endorsement by the specified officer of the Zone, enabling suppliers to claim refund of integrated tax paid or unutilised input tax credit. Independent fabric processors performing job work are eligible for refund of unutilised input tax credit under the inverted duty provision because their output is a service, even if the input fabrics are covered by the restrictive notification.

Change of authorized signatory contact details: jurisdictional tax officer may update email and mobile to restore taxpayer access.
Change of contact details permits the jurisdictional tax officer to update an authorized signatory's email and mobile on the GST Portal after verifying identity and validating business details. The officer must confirm Stakeholder or Authorized Signatory status, upload supporting proof, enter new contact information, and reset the GSTIN password so that username and temporary password are sent to the updated email for the taxpayer's first-time login and password change.

GST refund extension: exporters urged to submit IGST payment proof and supporting documents to jurisdictional tax offices promptly.
Extension of a special GST refund drive to clear pending refund claims filed on or before 30.04.2018; exporters with refunds held for IGST short payment must pay the shortfall and submit proof - small exporters may provide self certified proof to the Customs office at the port of export, others must provide a Chartered Accountant's certificate with proof. FORM GST RFD 01A and all supporting documents must be physically submitted to the jurisdictional tax office for processing; ICEGATE registration is recommended to track refunds.

GST treatment of financial services clarified: place of supply, ITC allocation, and taxation of ancillary fees and charges.
Banks, insurers and stock brokers must follow GST rules on registration, place of business and time of supply: ATMs and third party service points are not places of business; transitional taxation for services up to 30 June 2017 depends on invoice/payment dates; invoices for pre July supplies issued after 1 July 2017 attract GST unless advance payment fixed the earlier tax point. Consolidated invoicing and non serial documents are permitted with identification numbers; self invoices and payment vouchers are required where recipient is liable. ITC may be apportioned via ISD, the 50% optional restriction applies per registration, reversals for capital goods are proportional to credit availed, and securities/interest represented transactions are generally exempt while fees and charges remain taxable.

GST revenue collection exceeds last fiscal year monthly average; central and state shares settled and compensation paid.
Total gross GST revenue for May 2018 exceeded the previous financial year's monthly average, with receipts itemised into CGST, SGST, IGST (including imports) and Cess, and GSTR 3B filings reported; post settlement shares for Centre and States are stated and GST compensation payments to States for the fiscal period are noted.