A papier-mâché seller in Srinagar can reach buyers in Bengaluru through an online marketplace, but stocking goods in the marketplace’s Karnataka warehouse has meant taking GST registration there, which in turn demanded a principal place of business of the seller’s own in Karnataka. Renting premises in every State merely to register has kept small sellers confined to their home States. The 57th GST Council meeting, held on 8 October 2026, has addressed this by recommending a new Rule 14B in the CGST Rules, 2017, building on the in-principle approval of its 56th meeting. A senior Finance Ministry official has said the facility will go live on the GST portal from 1 November 2026.

The scheme is optional. An eligible seller can register in a State or Union Territory where it has no physical presence by declaring an e-commerce operator’s (ECO’s) warehouse there as its Principal Place of........

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