GST refund stuck beyond 60 days in 2026? Use RTI to unblock it (and claim §56 interest)

The ICEGATE-BRC mismatch is now the single biggest reason export refunds get stuck under the LUT route. The portal won't tell you. The helpline won't tell you. Only an RTI surfaces it.

You may have already tried the GST Helpdesk (selfservice.gstsystem.in), the GSTN call centre, or your jurisdictional officer's email. These can work — when they work. But:

• GST Helpdesk: the agent can mark your ticket “resolved” with a copy-paste line. No reasoning. No deadline. No appeal.
• RTI: the PIO must give you a written reply with reasons within 30 days under §7(1) of the RTI Act 2005. If silent, you get a free First Appeal under §19(1) and then a Second Appeal to the Central Information Commission with penalties up to Rs 25,000 on the silent PIO under §20.

In short: helpdesks issue assurances. An RTI issues a paper trail with a legal deadline.

GST jurisdiction is split between Centre (CGST) and State (SGST) based on a 90:10 / 50:50 turnover-based assignment done in 2017 and updated periodically. Your refund is processed by whichever administration you fall under.

• Open https://cbic-gst.gov.in/know-your-jurisdiction.html
• Enter your GSTIN
• It returns: Zone → Commissionerate → Division → Range (for CGST) OR your State GST Ward / Circle (for SGST)
• Note the full Division/Range office address from the Commissionerate website.

If you are unsure whether Centre or State is processing, file the RTI to the Range Officer of your CGST Division — they will route under §6(3) if it belongs to SGST.

• For CGST: the Superintendent of the Range is usually the PIO; sometimes the Assistant Commissioner of the Division. The Commissionerate website lists PIO names.
• For SGST: the State has its own PIO designation — typically the Joint Commissioner / Assistant Commissioner of the Ward.

You don't strictly need the personal name — the title and address line is enough:

The Public Information Officer
(Superintendent / Assistant Commissioner)
[Range], [Division], CGST & Central Excise Commissionerate, [city]
[full postal address]

• Indian Postal Order (IPO) for Rs 10 payable to “Pay & Accounts Officer, CBIC” (for Central GST) or “DDO, [State] GST Department” (for State GST). Buy at any post office. Most reliable.
• Demand Draft for Rs 10 — allowed.
• Court fee stamp — only some states accept; check first.
• BPL/MSME: the BPL fee waiver under §7(5) applies; MSMEs do not get a special exemption but the Rs 10 fee is trivial.

[Your name / firm name]
[Address]
GSTIN: [15-digit GSTIN]
[Phone] | [Email]
[Date]

To,
The Public Information Officer
(Superintendent, [Range])
[Division], CGST & Central Excise Commissionerate, [city]
[postal address]

Subject: RTI application under §6(1), RTI Act 2005 — status of GST refund application RFD-01 ARN [ARN number]

Sir/Madam,

I am a registered taxpayer under the CGST Act 2017. I request the following information under §6(1) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, regarding my pending refund application:

GSTIN: [15-digit GSTIN]
Legal name: [name]
Trade name: [trade name]
Refund type: [Export under LUT / Inverted duty structure / Excess balance in Cash Ledger / Deemed export / Other]
Tax period covered: [from-month to-month YYYY]
RFD-01 filed on: [DD-MM-YYYY]
ARN: [Application Reference Number]
RFD-02 acknowledgement date (if received): [DD-MM-YYYY]
RFD-03 deficiency memo received (Y/N, with date): [details]
Refund claimed: Rs [amount]

Information sought:

1. The current status of the above refund application in the records of the Range / Division, in writing.
2. The name and designation of the proper officer to whom the file is presently allocated, with the date of allocation.
3. Whether any deficiency memo (RFD-03) has been issued; if so, the date of issue and a copy of the memo.
4. Whether any show-cause notice (RFD-08) has been issued; if so, the date of issue and a copy.
5. Whether scrutiny under §61 of the CGST Act 2017 has been initiated against the application; if so, the date and grounds.
6. Whether any mismatch has been flagged between GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B, or between the GSTN and ICEGATE systems (for export cases including LUT and IGST refund); if so, the specific invoice numbers, shipping bill numbers, and the nature of mismatch.
7. Whether the refund has been referred to the Refund Sanctioning Committee (mandatory for refunds above Rs 1 crore); if so, the date of reference and the next committee meeting date.
8. The interest payable under §56 of the CGST Act 2017 calculated up to the most recent month-end (6% per annum from the date of expiry of 60 days from the date of RFD-01 application).
9. The exact action required from me, if any, to release the refund — specific document, specific format, specific portal step.

Fee: I enclose Indian Postal Order No. [number] dated [date] for Rs 10 in favour of "Pay & Accounts Officer, CBIC".

I declare that I am a citizen of India.

Thank you,

[Signature]
[Name and designation in firm]

• Speed Post with tracking is fast (3-5 days nationwide) and gives a delivery confirmation on https://www.indiapost.gov.in.
• Registered AD gives a signed pink card back to you in 7-10 days.
• Hand-delivery with a stamped duplicate is also valid — useful if you have a CA or office boy in the same city.

Keep the postal receipt — that is your dated proof.

The 30-day clock runs from the date the office receives your application (not the posting date).

• Day 30: Reply due.
• Day 31: §7(2) deemed refusal — file First Appeal immediately.

Common reply patterns:

1. “Deficiency memo (RFD-03) issued on [date]“ — but you never received it (often issued only on portal). Refile RFD-01 (the deficiency memo restarts the clock; §54 timeline begins fresh).
2. “GSTR-1 / GSTR-3B mismatch on invoice(s) [list]“ — file rectification through GSTR-1A or amendments in next return; coordinate with supplier.
3. “ICEGATE BRC missing for shipping bill [no.]“ — coordinate with your AD-bank to push BRC to ICEGATE; this is the single most common LUT-refund block.
4. “Supplier non-compliance flagged in GSTR-2B” — supplier has not filed GSTR-1 or paid tax; you may need to recover ITC manually.
5. “Refund above Rs 1 crore — pending Committee approval” — note the next meeting date and follow up specifically on that.
6. “LUT not on white-list” — your LUT may have lapsed; file fresh LUT for the FY.
7. “Refund sanctioned vide RFD-06 dated [date], pending PFMS” — money is in PFMS pipeline; usually credits in 7-10 days.

This is the part most consultants forget. Under §56 of the CGST Act 2017:

• If the refund is not paid within 60 days from the date of RFD-01 application, 6% interest per annum is payable.
• The interest accrues automatically — the department must pay it without you asking.
• If they don't, file a fresh RFD-01 specifically claiming the §56 interest for the relevant period (separate refund type code).
• For refunds delayed beyond appeal/court orders: §56 proviso allows 9% interest.
• The Supreme Court in UoI v. Willowood Chemicals, (2022) 9 SCC 341 held that §56 interest is statutory and automatic — no separate prayer needed.

Your RTI question 8 forces them to compute and disclose this. Once disclosed in writing, they cannot deny it.

The First Appellate Authority is the Commissioner of CGST (or Joint/Additional Commissioner designated as FAA per Commissionerate notification — check the Commissionerate website).

To,
The First Appellate Authority
O/o the Commissioner, CGST & Central Excise Commissionerate, [city]

Subject: First Appeal under §19(1), RTI Act 2005

Sir/Madam,

I filed an RTI application dated [original date] (acknowledged by your office on [AD/Speed Post date]). The 30-day reply window under §7(1) ended on [day 30]. I have received [no reply / a vague reply not addressing my questions]. I therefore file a First Appeal under §19(1) of the RTI Act 2005.

I attach: (a) copy of the original RTI, (b) postal AD / Speed Post acknowledgement, (c) the PIO's reply if any.

I request that the FAA direct the PIO to provide the information sought, and pass any further orders the FAA deems fit including action under §20 for the deemed refusal.

[Signature]

If the FAA also fails (45-day cap under §19(6)), file a Second Appeal at the Central Information Commission (https://cic.gov.in) — fully online with VC hearings.

• “Information is commercially confidential — exempt under §8(1)(d).” — Wrong for your own refund file. Reliance Industries v. PIO, SEBI, CIC, 2014 — a party's own application file is not “commercial confidence” against that party.
• “Held in fiduciary capacity — exempt under §8(1)(e).” — Wrong. The fiduciary relationship in tax matters is with the assessee, not against. Aditya Bandopadhyay v. CBSE, (2011) 8 SCC 497.
• “Investigation pending — exempt under §8(1)(h).” — Valid only for formal investigations under §67/§70 with a recorded reason. Not for routine refund processing delays.
• “Approach the GST Helpdesk first.” — There is no exhaustion-of-remedies bar under the RTI Act. The PIO must accept and answer.
• “You're the taxpayer; you can see this on the portal.” — Wrong. If the portal showed it, you wouldn't be filing the RTI. The PIO must answer in writing.

1. Deficiency memo (RFD-03) issued on portal but not seen — restarts clock; check RFD-03 tab.
2. GSTR-1 vs GSTR-3B mismatch — usually a typo or supplier-side error.
3. ICEGATE - GSTN BRC mismatch — most common for LUT exports; bank-side fix.
4. Supplier-side GSTR-1 non-compliance — your ITC claim disallowed.
5. LUT not white-listed for the FY — file fresh LUT (RFD-11).
6. §61 scrutiny initiated — full scrutiny pulled out of refund flow.
7. Above Rs 1 crore — Committee referral adds 30-60 days extra.
8. PFMS technical hold — refund sanctioned but stuck in disbursement.

Q. My GST is registered under State (SGST), not Centre. Different procedure?
Same procedure, different PIO. State GST RTIs go to the State GST Department PIO (usually Joint Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner of the Ward). State RTI fees vary (some states Rs 10, some Rs 50, some Rs 100). Check state-wise RTI fees.

Q. Can I file RTI through my CA?
The RTI must be filed in the citizen's name (proprietor / partner / director). A CA cannot file as PIO-applicant on a firm's behalf — the firm itself isn't a “citizen” under §3.

Q. Will an RTI trigger a GST audit?
No. Audits under §65 are selected by risk-based criteria, not by RTI activity. Lakhs of GST refund RTIs are filed by exporters every year.

Q. The portal still says “Pending with Officer” after my RTI was answered. Should I file again?
No. The portal is just a status flag, often delayed. The RTI reply is the actual position. Use the dealing officer's name from the reply to follow up directly.

Q. Can I claim §56 interest in the same RFD-01 I'm currently filing?
No — §56 interest is a separate “Refund of Interest” type under RFD-01. File it after the principal refund is sanctioned.

• RTI in 12 simple steps — start here if this is your first RTI
• All government helpline numbers — every department, one page
• RTI forms + state-wise fees — exact format you need
• RTI for stuck income tax / TDS refund — sister guide for individuals
• RTI for missing LPG PAHAL subsidy — sister guide
• AI RTI Drafter — fill this template online in 60 seconds

Last reviewed: 26 April 2026.