Data archival policy: archived GST return data restored on portal; users advised to download copies.
Restoration of archived GST return data on the Common Portal following implementation of the data archival policy. The policy provided for archival of return data after seven years on a monthly schedule. In response to trade requests, archived return records have been restored to the portal and users are advised to download and preserve required data because the archival policy will be re-applied after advance notice.

Biometric Aadhaar Authentication enabled for GST registration; appointment-based verification at designated centres required for some applicants.
Amendment to Rule 8 permits portal identification using data analysis and risk parameters to initiate Biometric-based Aadhaar Authentication and on-site document verification; GSTN's Odisha rollout sends applicants either an OTP authentication link or an appointment link to book a visit to a designated GST Suvidha Kendra for biometric authentication and original document verification, and ARNs are issued only after these verifications are completed.

GST notices and orders issued via the common portal are authenticated by officers' digital signatures; verify via RFN.
Notices, assessment orders, refund orders and similar communications are generated from an officer's portal login that requires digital signature authentication and the system stores the underlying JSON containing order details and the issuing officer's digital signature; taxpayers can verify issuing authority and purpose via the Reference File Number (RFN) verification feature on the portal.

Return filing deadline bars submission after a three-year window; portal viewability will be archived after seven years.
Section 39(11) of the CGST Act, 2017 establishes a three-year statutory limitation on filing GST returns; separately, the GST portal enforces a seven-year data viewability window and will monthly archive return data that reach that retention threshold, requiring taxpayers to download required records before archival.

Invoice Management System IMS controls invoice actions affecting input tax credit flow and GSTR-2B/GSTR-3B reconciliation.
IMS allows recipients to accept, reject, or mark supplier filed invoices pending. Accepted and deemed accepted records populate the ITC Available section of draft GSTR 2B and auto populate ITC in GSTR 3B; rejected records appear in ITC Rejected and do not auto populate. Pending records are excluded from GSTR 2B/GSTR 3B until acted upon or until they pass the statutory ITC cut off. Amendments, deletions or cross period original/amendment interactions affect availability and reset recipient actions. Draft GSTR 2B is generated monthly and must be recomputed if IMS actions are taken after draft generation prior to filing GSTR 3B.

Invoice Management System (IMS) enables taxpayers to accept, reject, or keep invoices pending, affecting ITC and GSTR-2B.
The Invoice Management System allows recipient taxpayers to accept, reject, or mark supplier-reported invoices as pending to facilitate invoice-level reconciliation for claiming Input Tax Credit. Records with no recipient action are deemed accepted and included in the draft GSTR-2B; actions are optional for GSTR-2B generation but may be changed until filing of Form GSTR-3B. The IMS provides inward and outward dashboards, search and filter functionality, Excel download, reset of actions, and a recompute mechanism for draft GSTR-2B.

Reopening of ITC reversal opening balance permits taxpayers to record cumulative reversed ITC in the electronic ledger before final lock.
Taxpayers may report cumulative previously reversed but unclaimed Input Tax Credit as an opening balance in the Electronic Credit Reversal and Re claimed Statement on the GST portal within a final opportunity window; monthly and quarterly filers must limit reporting to reversals up to specified return periods. Once the ledger is hard locked, the system will prevent reclaiming ITC in excess of the recorded reversal balance.

GST on life and health insurance: GoM to review treatment while multiple GST rate and compliance changes are recommended.
Council recommended formation of GoMs to review GST on life and health insurance and the compensation cess; reduced GST on specified cancer drugs and on certain extruded savoury products; prospective reclassification and rate alignment for certain car seats and railway roof mounted AC units; introduction of RCM and TDS measures for metal scrap and RCM for renting of commercial property; exemption for specified R&D services by government or notified institutions funded by grants; a voluntary B2C e invoicing pilot; and procedural reforms including new ledgers, an Invoice Management System and amendments to refund and input tax credit rules.

Biometric Aadhaar Authentication required for GST registration applicants; appointment or OTP pathways determine completion and verification process.
An amendment implements Aadhaar-based biometric authentication and in-person document verification for GST registration: applicants receive either an OTP-based Aadhaar authentication link or an appointment-booking link to visit a designated GST Suvidha Kendra with appointment confirmation, jurisdiction details, original Aadhaar and PAN, and original uploaded documents; biometric authentication and verification at the GSK for individuals named in Form GST REG-01 must be completed before ARNs are generated.

Invoice-wise reporting threshold reduced; continue existing reporting practice for higher-value supplies until portal functionality is deployed.
The Central Tax notification reduces the invoice-wise reporting threshold for inter-state taxable outward supplies to unregistered dealers, mandating reporting in GSTR-1 Table 5 and GSTR-5 Table 6. Portal changes to implement the new threshold are under development; meanwhile, taxpayers should continue to report invoice-wise details for supplies exceeding the previous threshold in the existing tables of GSTR-1 and GSTR-5 until the portal is updated.

Invoice acceptance under IMS determines ITC entitlement: recipients accept, reject or pend supplier invoices affecting GSTR 2B.
The Invoice Management System (IMS) enables recipients to accept, reject or keep supplier invoices pending on the GST portal; invoices not acted upon are deemed accepted and included in GSTR 2B as eligible ITC. Supplier saved outward supplies populate the recipient's IMS dashboard and amended invoices replace originals. Draft GSTR 2B is generated based on supplier filings and recipient actions, requires recomputation if actions change after draft generation, and finalization is constrained by filing of GSTR 3B. Rejected records are excluded from GSTR 2B and can affect supplier liability in a subsequent period.

GST revenue collections: provisional gross receipts minus refunds yield higher net receipts and state settlements.
Provisional GST receipts for August 2024 distinguish gross domestic and import GST components and subtract domestic and export refunds to produce net domestic, net IGST and total net GST revenue; state level settlement is shown by pre and post settlement SGST figures reflecting SGST plus the SGST share of IGST settled to States/UTs, with a state wise breakdown and a note that figures are provisional and subject to finalisation.

Biometric Aadhaar Authentication enabled for GST registration applicants; appointment booking directs applicants to GST Suvidha Kendras for verification.
After submission of Form GST REG-01 applicants will receive either an OTP-based Aadhaar Authentication link or a link to book an appointment at a designated GST Suvidha Kendra for Biometric-based Aadhaar Authentication and document verification. Applicants who book must attend the GSK with the appointment confirmation, jurisdiction details, original Aadhaar and PAN, and the original documents uploaded with the application. Biometric authentication and document verification will be completed for all required individuals, and ARNs will be generated only after those processes are successfully completed.

Reverse charge mechanism reporting: new statement requires matching RCM liability and ITC reporting and opening balance reconciliation.
A new RCM Liability/ITC Statement on the GST Portal requires reporting of RCM liabilities from Table 3.1(d) of GSTR-3B and corresponding ITC from Table 4A(2) and 4A(3) of GSTR-3B for each return period. Taxpayers must report an opening balance reflecting excess paid liability (positive) or excess claimed ITC (negative). RCM ITC reversals previously recorded in Table 4(B)2 may be reclaimed only through Table 4A(5) and are not to be included in the opening balance. Deadlines and a limited amendment window for declaring and rectifying opening balances are prescribed.

Bank account requirement blocks GSTR-1 and IFF filing until taxpayers add valid account details in their GST registration.
A bank account requirement mandates taxpayers to furnish a valid bank account in GST registration before submitting outward supply details in FORM GSTR-1 or via the Invoice Furnishing Facility; failure to add such details will prevent filing GSTR-1 or IFF from the August 2024 return period, and taxpayers must amend registration via Services > Registration > Amendment of Registration > Non Core Fields on the GST Portal.

Tax compliance innovation through predictive analytics: GSTN launches a 45 day hackathon for Indian academics and professionals.
GSTN is launching a 45 day GST Analytics Hackathon inviting Indian nationals affiliated with academic institutions or business organisations to develop predictive-analytics prototypes for a GST analytics framework using provided data sets and competition guidelines. Eligible participants must register via the official event portal, submit reproducible prototype solutions within the event window, and will be evaluated for multiple prizes including a special award for the best all women team.

Fake registration enforcement: coordinated drive targets fraudulent GST registrants and masterminds with tech-enabled tracking and interagency coordination.
A coordinated two month special drive by Central and State GST formations targets fake registrations and contrived Input Tax Credit schemes using risk based identification, technological support from GSTN, and interagency verification to apprehend masterminds and beneficiaries. The initiative prioritises substantive evasion over interpretative disputes, seeks to balance enforcement with ease of doing business, and promotes case tracking, uniform best practices, and a proposed national register for real time enforcement information sharing.

TCS rate change: reduced rate applies from mid July; taxpayers must update systems and ensure correct GSTR 8 reporting.
The advisory notifies a reduction in the TCS rate effective from 10 July 2024 and instructs taxpayers to collect and report TCS at the rate applicable to the transaction date; transactions before that date remain subject to the prior rate. Taxpayers must update systems and processes to apply the revised rate for transactions on or after the effective date. GSTN will implement system changes to address GSTR 8 validation errors and expects filing to resume from 6 August 2024 midnight.

GST revenue collections published: approved monthly gross and net data released online for public access.
GST revenue collections for the month of July 2024 have been published as approved monthly data presenting both gross and net receipts, with a direct link to the PDF providing the detailed figures and dataset for public access.

Biometric-based Aadhaar Authentication now required for GST registration applicants; appointment-based GSK verification and document checks follow.
The Rule 8 amendment enables identification via data analysis and risk parameters using Biometric-based Aadhaar Authentication, photograph capture and original document verification; after filing Form GST REG-01 applicants receive either an OTP-based Aadhaar authentication link or a link to book an appointment at a designated GST Suvidha Kendra for biometric authentication and document verification, with ARNs generated after completion of biometric authentication and verification.