Centre, States working on GST e-way bill reform, says Official

The Centre is engaging with States on revamping the e-way bill framework, which will come up in the next meeting of the GST Council, a source said.The Economic Survey last week said that the next wave of GST reforms could focus on reimagining the e-way bill system as a facilitator of smooth logistics rather than only as a tool for enforcement and control.

The e-way bill reforms would amount to a significant deregulation of the logistics ecosystem, reducing costs and delays for trade while maintaining effective, non-intrusive oversight for tax administration.

“We are working with the states on e-way bill reform and will bring it before the GST Council,” the source said. The GST Council, chaired by union Finance Minister and comprising state ministers, last met on September 3, 2025, in which it decided to cut tax rates on 375 items and rationalise slabs.

The e-way bill proposal will be placed before the GST Council once the consultations are over, the source added.The Survey suggested wider use of e-seals and electronic locking systems, integrated with e-way bills and vehicle-tracking technologies, to ensure secure, end-to-end tracking of consignments without routine stoppages on the road.

State governments, which play a key role in field-level enforcement, would have to be a key partner in the transition to a risk-based, system generated alerts and limiting discretionary checks.The Survey also suggested a policy design with increased reliance on trust-based and technology-driven compliance models, such as a “trusted dealer” framework under which taxpayers with a strong compliance record face minimal physical checks and enjoy greater certainty in the movement of goods.

When the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was introduced on July 1, 2017, physical check posts across states were abolished, marking a major structural reform, significantly improving the free movement of goods and reducing transit delays.

The e-way bill system emerged as an effective digital substitute, enabling online tracking of goods movement while supporting tax administration objectives without reintroducing physical barriers at the State borders.Under GST, a person carrying goods valued over INR 50,000 has to carry an e-way bill. The document is required to be generated from the GST Portal by a GST registered person or transporter before transporting the goods.