{
  "id": 12061856,
  "title": "GST 2.0 may replace arrests with fines for tax defaulters",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/gst-2-0-may-replace-arrests-with-fines-for-tax-defaulters",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-05T02:34:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times",
    "slug": "hindustan-times",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/business/gst-2-0-reforms-may-replace-arrests-with-fines-for-tax-defaulters-goods-and-services-tax-gst-council-news-101791167149777.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Goods and Services Tax Council will consider extensive process reforms, including abolishing the ability to arrest tax defaulters, during the GST 2.0 reform process. This \"GST 2.0\" initiative, as the government refers to it, aims to simplify the registration process, allow taxpayers to correct errors in their sales statements, and use data analytics to approve most refund claims without paperwork. The reform will also likely introduce a single annual tax return for small businesses and ensure stability in both tax rates and process changes. As part of the reforms, the council will examine proposals to decriminalize the indirect tax regime, removing the power of tax officials to arrest and detaining tax evasion through fines instead.",
  "summary": "The second phase of reforming GST follows revenue stabilisation after last year’s rate rationalisation.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}