The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council will hold its 56th meeting on September 3-4 in New Delhi, the Council said in a memorandum issued on Friday (August 22, 2025) night.

During this meeting, the GST Council is expected to discuss the recommendations of the various Groups of Ministers it has constituted, including the issue of reforming the GST system into a two-rate structure in line with the Central Government’s recommendations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in his Independence Day speech spoken about the Centre’s “Deepavali gift” of next generation GST reforms. Later that same day, the Ministry of Finance said it had sent its proposals for a two-rate GST system to the GoM on Rate Rationalisation.

The chairperson of this GoM — Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary — on Thursday (August 21) said that the GoM had deliberated on the issue and had forwarded the Centre’s proposals to the GST Council.

The GST Council, however, is not expected to approve the proposals without considerable debate. On Thursday (August 21, 2025), Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, a member of the GoM, told The Hindu that the States were concerned about the revenue implications of Centre’s rate cut proposals. 

He added that the GoM had suggested to the GST Council that, if the States incur any losses due to this rate rationalisation, there should be a mechanism to compensate them.

The GST Council’s 56th meeting will take place more than eight months after the last one in December 2024. According to the rules, the Council is to meet at least once a quarter.