Rules Changing from October 1: As the new month begins, several key regulatory, banking, and public utility updates will come into effect across India starting October 1, 2026.
Issued by central ministries, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and various state authorities, these revised guidelines cover fixed deposits, digital identity verification, pension procedures, property transactions, and regional security measures.
Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the major changes taking effect from October 1 and how they may impact your finances and day-to-day operations.
Mandatory Biometric E-KYC for Domestic LPG Subsidies
Rules Changing from October 1: According to media reports, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has mandated Biometric Aadhaar Authentication (BAA) or e-KYC for all domestic Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) consumers seeking government subsidies.
Subsidy Impact: Consumers who have not completed their e-KYC verification will still be able to purchase 14.2 kg domestic cylinders, but they will be charged the non-subsidized market rate.
Coverage: Official estimates indicate that around 90% (27.43 crore) of active LPG subscribers have completed the verification process.
Verification Methods: Consumers can complete their e-KYC through official distributor applications (such as IndianOil ONE, Hello BPCL, or HP PAY) using facial recognition or fingerprint scanning, at local gas agencies, or during home delivery.
RBI Fixed Deposit Guidelines: Uniform Interest Rates Across Branches
Rules Changing from October 1: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is introducing new operational rules for commercial banks offering Fixed Deposits (FDs) to enforce transparency and eliminate branch-level interest rate discrepancies.
Single Interest Rate Standard: Under the new mandate, a bank must offer identical interest rates for the same deposit amount and tenure across all its branches nationwide.
Bulk Deposit Transparency: For large bulk deposits (typically ₹3 crore and above), banks are required to publish their prevailing interest rates on their official websites by 10:00 AM every business day, ensuring uniform rates for all qualifying depositors on that day.
Digital Life Certificates for Super-Senior Pensioners
Rules Changing from October 1: To streamline pension disbursements, central authorities have opened an early submission window for super-senior pensioners aged 80 and above to submit their annual Digital Life Certificate (Jeevan Pramaan).
Early Timeline: Pensioners in the 80+ age bracket can submit their digital life certificates starting October 1, ahead of the general November window for younger retirees.
Submission Channels: Certificates can be submitted digitally using the Face RD mobile application, at Common Service Centres (CSCs), or directly through designated pension-disbursing bank branches.
Revised Timeline Rules for Birth and Death Certificates
The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026, introduces stricter administrative procedures for delayed registrations:
1 to 2 Years Delay: If a birth or death registration is delayed by more than one year but less than two years, the certificate will only be issued following a formal inquiry by the designated registration authority.
Over 2 Years Delay: For delays exceeding two years, registration can no longer be processed directly by local municipal bodies. An official written order from a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) will be mandatory to issue the certificate.
Simplified Property Transactions with NRIs (TAN Exemption)
Tax rules governing real estate purchases from Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have been updated under the Income Tax framework to simplify compliance for resident buyers.
TAN Exemption: Individual buyers and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) purchasing real estate from an NRI seller will no longer be required to obtain a Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN) to deduct tax at source (TDS).
PAN-Based Filing: Buyers can now deduct and deposit the required TDS directly using their Permanent Account Number (PAN), reducing administrative friction while preserving tax compliance requirements.
Banking Charges, Export Declarations, and AFSPA Extensions
According to media reports, several other sector-specific rules are also coming into force:
SBI BSBD Account Withdrawal Limits: State Bank of India (SBI) Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) accounts permit four free cash withdrawals per month. Any additional cash withdrawal beyond the limit will incur a fee of ₹15 plus applicable GST.
Revised Export Framework: The statutory export declaration mechanism undergoes structural updates, replacing older documentation forms (such as SOFTEX) with a consolidated Export Declaration Form. Additionally, existing rebate rates under the RoDTEP scheme face scheduled reviews.
AFSPA Extension in the Northeast: The Ministry of Home Affairs has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) for an additional six months starting October 1 in designated disturbed areas across Manipur, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh following security reviews.
Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) Note: While several banking and utility changes take effect on October 1, proposed updates regarding a 0.4% MDR on select merchant UPI transactions above ₹2,000 are scheduled to take effect later in the month on October 15, applying strictly to merchants rather than end consumers.