GST · 25 June 2026
What Is TDS Under GST (Section 51)? Who Deducts and When
TDS under GST, governed by Section 51 of the CGST Act, is a 2% deduction that specified buyers, mainly government departments, government agencies, and public-sector undertakings, make from payments to their suppliers. It applies when the value of a taxable supply under a single contract exceeds Rs. 2.5 lakh, calculated on the value excluding GST. The deductor files Form GSTR-7 by the 10th of the next month, and the deducted amount lands in the supplier electronic cash ledger to set off against tax. This GST TDS is entirely separate from income-tax TDS under Sections 194C, 194J, and 194I.
By Mrs. Swapna Patel
Last reviewed
25 June 2026
In this section
Answers
- What Is TDS Under GST (Section 51)? Who Deducts and When
- What Is a Pakka Bill? The GST Invoice That Counts as Valid
- What Is a Kaccha Bill? Why the Rough Slip Has No GST Standing
- Why Move From a Kaccha Bill to a Pakka Bill?
- How to Upgrade From a Kaccha Bill to a Pakka Bill (GST Invoice)
- 5 GST Invoice Mistakes That Trigger a Tax Notice (And How to Fix Them)
- 7 Fields Every Skilled Professional Must Put on a GST Invoice: Rule 46 Checklist
- What Makes a GST Invoice Legally Binding — And Why Clients Pay Faster When It Is
- What Is a Bill of Supply? The GST Document Without Tax
- What Is an IRN (Invoice Reference Number) Under GST?
TDS under GST is the same thing as the TDS your client deducts under the Income Tax Act.
They are two separate systems. Section 51 of the CGST Act is a 2% GST deduction made only by specified government and public-sector buyers, not by ordinary business clients.
What is TDS under GST?
Short answer
It is a 2% tax deducted at source by specified buyers under Section 51 of the CGST Act, taken from the payment due to a supplier and paid to the government on the supplier behalf.
When a notified buyer pays a supplier, it holds back 2% of the taxable value and deposits it as the supplier GST. The supplier then claims that amount back in their electronic cash ledger. It is a collection mechanism, not an extra tax: the supplier eventually gets full credit for it.
Who has to deduct it?
Short answer
Only specified persons, not ordinary business clients. The list is narrow.
- Central and State Government departments and establishments.
- Local authorities and government agencies.
- Bodies set up by Parliament or a State Legislature, and authorities or societies with at least 51% government equity.
- Notified public-sector undertakings.
When does the deduction apply?
Short answer
When the taxable value under a single contract exceeds Rs. 2.5 lakh. The rate is 2%, split as 1% CGST plus 1% SGST, or 2% IGST for inter-state supply.
- The Rs. 2.5 lakh threshold is measured on the value excluding GST, not the gross invoice.
- A common error is deducting on the GST-inclusive total. TDS is computed on the taxable value alone.
- No deduction is needed when the supplier and the place of supply are in a different state from the deductor registration in certain cases, so confirm the supply type first.
How is this different from income-tax TDS?
Short answer
GST TDS under Section 51 is separate from income-tax TDS under Sections 194C, 194J, and 194-IB. Two laws, two deductions, two returns.
- GST TDS is 2% on the taxable value, reported in Form GSTR-7, and credited to your GST cash ledger.
- Income-tax TDS is deducted under the Income Tax Act on professional fees, contracts, or rent, and reflected in your Form 26AS.
- A government contract can attract both at once, so your invoice value and your net receipt can differ on two counts.
References & related
Primary sources
- Section 51, Central Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 — deduction of tax at sourceWho must deduct, the rate, and the Rs. 2.5 lakh contract threshold.
- Central Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 (full text) — CBICStatutory basis for the GST TDS mechanism and the specified deductors.
- Form GSTR-7 (TDS return) — GST portalThe monthly TDS return deductors file; the credit then reaches the supplier ledger.
Last reviewed: 25 June 2026