<h1>GST Council Eases Rules: Decriminalizes Offenses, Adjusts Tax Rates, and Streamlines Compliance u/s 132.</h1> The 48th GST Council meeting, chaired by the Union Finance Minister, recommended several changes to GST regulations. Key decisions included decriminalizing certain offenses under section 132, raising the prosecution threshold to Rs. 2 crores, and reducing compounding amounts. Tax rate adjustments were made, such as reducing GST on ethyl alcohol for refineries from 18% to 5%. Measures to facilitate trade included allowing unregistered suppliers to use e-commerce platforms and clarifying refund procedures for unregistered buyers. Compliance streamlining involved amendments to rules for input tax credit, registration verification, and return filing limits. These recommendations aim to ease trade and reduce litigation.