From 1 November: GST Refund Rules, Life Certificates, LPG Price Review

Sections 153 to 155 of the Finance Act, 2026 come into force on 1 November, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said in Notification No. 03/2026–Central Tax, dated 26 October. The date also opens the annual life-certificate window for pensioners under 80, and it is the day oil companies review LPG prices. Not every “1 November change” circulating online is new, so here is what is confirmed and what is not.

GST Refund and Discount Provisions Start

The notification appoints 1 November 2026 as the date the three sections take effect. IBTimes India and The Sunday Guardian describe them as covering post-sale discounts and credit notes and faster provisional refunds for businesses with an inverted duty structure, where tax on inputs is higher than on the finished product. The Sunday Guardian puts provisional refunds at up to 90 per cent of the claim. The notification itself gives only the date, so the exact rules sit in the Finance Act text.

Pensioners Under 80 Have Until 30 November

According to the State Bank of India, as reported by The Sunday Guardian, pensioners under 80 can submit their Jeevan Pramaan life certificate from 1 to 30 November. Pensioners aged 80 and above have been able to submit since 1 October.

LPG Rates Are Reviewed, Not Yet Changed

Oil marketing companies revise commercial LPG prices at the start of each month. No November rate had been announced when the reports above were published. Goodreturns lists the 19 kg commercial cylinder at ₹2,810 in Delhi, after a rise of ₹62.50, and the 14.2 kg domestic cylinder at ₹942, unchanged since 7 June. The new rates will show up on oil company price lists on Sunday.

Tax Return Deadline Is Already Fixed

The 21 November return deadline for audited taxpayers is not a 1 November change. The Central Board of Direct Taxes moved it from 31 October for Assessment Year 2026-27, as All India Radio reported on 29 September. Other changes this month: mutual fund direct plans become the default on AMC platforms, and the ₹1,500 annual toll pass for residents near plazas starts too. The disability pension reform approved by the Cabinet on 14 October does not start on 1 November; guidelines are still to come.

Source: CBIC Notification No. 03/2026–Central Tax (copy). Also based on reporting by IBTimes India, The Sunday Guardian and Goodreturns.

Image: CBDT (via All India Radio).