GST Council clears big procedural overhaul, keeps rates largely unchanged

New Delhi: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, chaired by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Thursday cleared one of the biggest procedural overhauls of the indirect tax regime since its rollout in 2017, while leaving tax rates unchanged to provide greater stability.The apex decision-making body sought to expand and expedite refunds to unlock working capital for businesses, curb the power of officers to arrest people suspected of evasion, shift verification from discretionary checks…