GST Ready Reckoner – Budget 2026 Edition is a comprehensive, practice-integrated and litigation-conscious reference manual on India's Goods and Services Tax law. This publication reflects the GST position as amended, incorporating statutory amendments, rate rationalisation measures, procedural developments, and structural shifts introduced in the Budget 2026 framework. This book is not merely a commentary on GST provisions. It is designed as a working professional manual that translates statutory architecture into operational clarity. It bridges the gap between:
The language of the Act and Rules,
The compliance mechanics of the GSTN ecosystem, and
The realities of audit, assessment, and appellate proceedings.
The work integrates legislative provisions, delegated legislation, circulars, clarifications, portal-level procedural changes, and interpretative insights into a structured, applied framework. It enables professionals not only to understand what the law states, but also to determine how it operates in practice, how it impacts transactions, and how positions can be sustained in scrutiny and appeal.
This book is intended for professionals and organisations requiring clarity, precision and defensibility in GST matters, including:
Chartered Accountants, Cost Accountants and Company Secretaries
GST Practitioners and Tax Consultants
Tax Advocates and Litigation Professionals
CFOs, Finance Controllers and In-house Indirect Tax Teams
Compliance Managers and Internal Auditors
Businesses operating across multiple states and sectors
Advanced Students and Trainees seeking a structured, applied GST understanding
The Present Publication is the 28th Edition | Budget 2026, updated till 1st February 2026. It is authored by Mr V.S. Datey, with the following noteworthy features:
[Budget 2026–Aligned Content] Reflects statutory amendments, rate rationalisation, cess-related changes and other developments effective up to 1st February 2026
[End-to-end GST Lifecycle Coverage] Covers levy, classification, valuation, ITC, place/time of supply, compliance, audit, enforcement and appeals
[Sector-specific Chapters] Dedicated treatment of construction, real estate, TDR/FSI, transport, financial services, leasing, software/IPR, telecom, government-related activities, e-commerce and tobacco products
[Comprehensive ITC Framework] Detailed analysis of eligibility, restrictions, reversals, apportionment and ISD mechanism, supported by structured explanatory tools
[Compliance Execution Focus] Covers registration, invoicing, e-way bill, returns, payment mechanisms, TDS/TCS and job work in an operationally practical manner
[Dispute & Litigation Orientation] Includes assessment, audit, refund, demand and recovery, powers of officers, offences, prosecution and multi-level appeals.
[Professional Navigation Tools] Includes Acronyms in GST, a detailed Section Index mapping statutory provisions to paragraph references, and a comprehensive Subject Index
[Integration of Circulars & System Updates] Incorporates portal-level and compliance-system developments relevant to practitioners
The book is organised to reflect the logical flow of GST in practice:
Foundational Framework
Constitutional background of GST
Structure of CGST, SGST/UTGST and IGST
Charge of tax and concept of 'supply'
Determination of Taxability
Classification of goods and services
Valuation of supply
Time of supply (goods and services)
Place of supply (domestic and cross-border)
Input Tax Credit Architecture
Conditions and eligibility
Blocked credits and reversals
ITC in mixed supplies
Input Service Distributor (ISD)
Special Transactions & Sectoral Coverage
Reverse charge mechanism
Exemptions and concessions
Composition scheme
Construction and works contract
Real estate and TDR/FSI
Passenger and goods transport
Financial and leasing services
Software and IPR
Government-related services
E-commerce
Special provisions relating to tobacco products
Compliance & Procedural Framework
Registration under GST
Tax invoice, credit and debit notes
E-way bill mechanism
Payment of tax
GST returns
Audit, Enforcement & Remedies
Assessment and audit
Refund framework
Demands and recovery
Powers of GST officers
Offences, penalties and prosecution
Appeals up to the Supreme Court
The structure mirrors the practical workflow of GST implementation:
Conceptual and Charging Provisions
Tax Determination (Classification, Valuation, Time & Place)
Credit Mechanism and Special Schemes
Sector-Specific Applications
Compliance and Documentation Framework
Audit, Enforcement and Litigation Process
The book is paragraph-numbered and cross-referenced, enabling precise statutory anchoring. The Section Index maps legal provisions directly to the relevant discussion paragraphs, while the Subject Index allows rapid retrieval of specific issues during professional work
