• The GST Council made the recommendations relating to changes in GST tax rates, measures for facilitation of trade and measures for streamlining compliances in GST in 50th Meeting of the GST Council was held on 11th July, 2023 in New Delhi.
• RBL Bank and ICBC banks are included in the list of specified banks for which IGST exemption is available on imports of gold, silver or platinum and update the list of banks /entities eligible for such IGST exemption as per Annexure 4B (HBP) of Foreign Trade Policy 2023. 
• GTAs will not be required to file declaration for paying GST under forward charge every year. It has also been decided that the last date of exercising the option by GTAs to pay GST under forward charge shall be 31st March of preceding Financial Year instead of 15th March. 1st January of preceding Financial Year shall be the start date for exercise of option.
• Services supplied by a director of a company to the company in his private or personal capacity such as supplying services by way of renting of immovable property to the company or body corporate are not taxable under RCM. 
• To clarify that supply of food and beverages in cinema halls is taxable as restaurant service. Where the sale of cinema ticket and supply of food and beverages are clubbed together, and such bundled supply satisfies the test of composite supply, the entire supply will attract GST at the rate applicable to service of exhibition of cinema, the principal supply. 
• Suitable amendments to be made to law to include online gaming and horse racing in schedule III as taxable actionable claims. All three namely Casino, Horse Racing and Online gaming to be taxed at the uniform rate of 28%. 
• Council recommended for further issuance of a circular to provide for similar procedure for verification of input tax credit in cases involving difference in Input Tax Credit availed in FORM GSTR-3B vis a vis that available as per FORM GSTR-2A during the period 01.04.2019 to 31.12.2021.
• The Council also recommended that provisions of Finance Act, 2023 pertaining to GST Appellate Tribunal may be notified by the Centre with effect from 01.08.2023, so that the same can be brought into operation at the earliest.
• The relaxations provided in FY 2021-22 in respect of various tables of FORM GSTR-9 and FORM GSTR-9C be continued for FY 2022-23.
• It has been clarified that Input Services Distributor (ISD) mechanism is not mandatory for distribution of input tax credit of common input services procured from third parties to the distinct persons as per the present provisions of GST law.
• Circular to be issued to provide clarity in cases involving warranty replacement of parts and repair services during warranty period without any consideration from the customers, clarifying inter alia that no GST is chargeable by the manufacturer on such replacement of parts and/ or repair service and also, no reversal of input tax credit is required to be made by the manufacturer.
• Clarifying that mere holding of securities of a subsidiary company by a holding company cannot be treated as a supply of services and therefore, cannot be taxed under GST.
• In cases of wrong availment of IGST credit, the balance of input tax credit (ITC) in electronic credit ledger, under the heads of IGST, CGST and SGST taken together, has to be taken in consideration while calculating such interest liability as per rule 88B of CGST Rules, 2017.  
• The Council has recommended amendments in CGST Rules, 2017 to strengthen the registration process and to effectively deal with the menace of fake and fraudulent registrations in GST.
• The Council has recommended insertion of a clause (ca) in sub-section (1) of section 10 of the IGST Act, 2017 to clarify the place of supply in respect of supply of goods to unregistered persons. 

Need for GST in India