Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said no merchant discount rate (MDR) matter was discussed at the 57th GST Council meeting on 8 October 2026. That statement does not settle the separate question of when a proposed UPI merchant fee might take effect: same-day reports described an intended 15 October start but also said a deferment was possible.
What did the Finance Minister say about MDR?
At a post-meeting press briefing on 8 October 2026, Sitharaman said: “There was no MDR-related discussion in the GST Council meeting today.” The New Indian Express reported her remarks after the Council’s 57th meeting.
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Her statement is specifically about what was discussed at that meeting. It is not an announcement that the Council approved, rejected or changed an MDR policy that day.
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MDR stands for Merchant Discount Rate. In the coverage, it refers to a fee charged to merchants for processing a payment. The New Indian Express reported that GST on MDR was 18%; this was reported context, not a new rate decision announced at the 8 October meeting.
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The article also described states’ concerns about the GST treatment of MDR, particularly in relation to UPI transactions. Those concerns do not contradict the Minister’s statement that MDR was not discussed at that specific Council meeting.
Was a UPI MDR charge due to start on 15 October?
Moneycontrol reported a proposal for a 0.4% MDR on specified UPI merchant transactions above ₹2,000, with 15 October 2026 described as the intended start date. The same report said deferment was possible and that stakeholders would handle it. Read Moneycontrol’s report on the proposed fee and timing.
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The reporting does not establish a final effective date or a formal deferment. One account mentioned January 2027 as a possible replacement date, but it was not confirmed. So 15 October should be understood as the reported intended date, not proof that the charge took effect then.
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The report described the proposal as applying to specified merchant transactions above ₹2,000. It does not establish a fee for every UPI payment, nor does it describe person-to-person transfers as covered. It also does not establish what happened to transactions at or below ₹2,000.
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Has the GST Council discussed MDR before?
Yes. The Council’s official minutes record an agenda item on splitting MDR charges between the Centre and states at its 14th meeting, held on 18–19 May 2017. The official 14th-meeting minutes provide historical context only; they do not show that MDR was discussed at the October 2026 meeting.
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