New Grievance Redressal System Introduced to Speed Up GST Registration

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) under the Ministry of Finance issued Instruction No. 04/2025-GST dated May 2, 2025, that announces a new grievance redressal mechanism to help GST registration applicants resolve delays and any sort of disputes more easily. 

The initiative comes into response to raising concerns from applicants whose GST registration processes have been slowed down due to unclear queries or rejections. This step builds upon Instruction No. 03/2025, issued on April 17, 2025, outlining the dos and don’ts for officers handling GST registrations.

What the New Mechanism Offers?

The main goal of this system is to provide a quicker and fairer resolution process for grievances related to GST registration applications. It works as follows;

Dedicated Email Address: Each Central GST zone will provide an official email address where applicants can send their complaints. The mail should have:

• Application Reference Number (ARN)
• Jurisdiction (Central or State)
• A summary of the issue

Forwarding to State Jurisdictions: If the grievance falls under State jurisdiction, the respective CGST zone will forward it to the concerned authority. A copy of the same will also be sent to the GST Council Secretariat for record-keeping. 

Timely Resolution: The jurisdictional Principal Chief Commissioner or Chief Commissioner is responsible for reviewing complaints immediately and responding to applicants. In case the officer’s original query was legitimate, the applicant will be informed accordingly. 

Monthly Reporting: All zones must submit a monthly report to the Directorate General of GST (DGGST), compiling the information and presenting it to the CBIC board for review.

Along with implementing the mechanism at the central level, the GST Council Secretariat has been asked to encourage all states and union territories to think upon setting up similar dedicated redressal systems.

This grievance redressal system is expected to reduce uncertainty and waiting time for new businesses and startups going for GST Registration. By providing applicants a clear and direct way to raise concerns, the CBIC aims to improve trust and transparency in the GST as well as taxation system across India.