The Centre has extended the deadline for filing appeals before the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) by one month to July 31, 2026, after taxpayers and industry raised concerns over technical glitches caused by a surge in filings on the GSTAT portal, PTI reported.“The government has extended the due date for filing of appeals before the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) to July 31, 2026,” the finance ministry said in a statement.Also Read : GST Appellate Tribunal rules notified – all you need to knowThe Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) was launched in September last year, and the government had then notified June 30, 2026.The ministry said it decided to extend the deadline after receiving representations from various stakeholders highlighting technical difficulties in filing appeals due to heavy traffic on the GSTAT portal.According to the ministry, around 30,000 appeals were filed in the last 15 days alone, with daily filings touching 5,500.The government has advised taxpayers to file their appeals well before the revised deadline instead of waiting until the last day.
Over 4.8 lakh cases expected
The Centre has already notified 31 state benches of the GSTAT, besides the Principal Bench in New Delhi.More than 4.80 lakh cases are currently pending before appellate authorities and are expected to be transferred to the GSTAT.The government had appointed Justice (Retired) Sanjaya Kumar Mishra as President of the Principal Bench of the tribunal in May 2024.
Faster GST dispute resolution
Since the rollout of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1, 2017, tax disputes were largely taken up before High Courts and the Supreme Court, resulting in longer resolution timelines.With the GSTAT becoming operational in September 2025, dispute resolution is expected to become faster.Rajat Mohan, Managing Partner at AMRG Global, said the extension is a pragmatic move that safeguards taxpayers’ right to appeal during the transition to a fully operational tribunal.“While the additional time offers much-needed relief, taxpayers should avoid waiting until the last date and instead complete their filings well in advance to minimise the risk of portal congestion and technical disruptions,” Mohan said, PTI quoted.Abhishek Jain, Indirect Tax Head and Partner at KPMG, said, “The extension will provide taxpayers and professionals adequate time to adapt to the newly operational Tribunal, ensure that genuine appeals are not lost on limitation, and support a smooth transition to the GSTAT framework.”
