As with the first of every month, some important rules affecting the common man’s life will change starting October 1, 2026. These changes will have a widespread impact, including changes to the prices of LPG cylinders used in household kitchens and to ATM cash withdrawals. Furthermore, starting October 1, purchasing other electronic items, including TVs, refrigerators, and ACs, will also become more expensive. Let’s look at some major rules changing in October 2026 that could directly affect your kitchen, bank account, and family matters.
Biometric Aadhaar mandatory for LPG subsidy
Biometric Aadhaar authentication (BAA) will be mandatory for subsidised LPG cylinders from October 1, 2026. Customers who haven’t yet completed this process will need to do so. Failure to authenticate will not stop cylinder supply. However, such customers may have to purchase the cylinder at the prevailing market price, meaning they will not receive the subsidy. The government says this will ensure the subsidy reaches the right families and prevent misuse of domestic LPG. By September 19, 2026, approximately 89.9 per cent of active LPG customers had completed BAA.
Changes in FD rules
The RBI has issued new rules regarding bulk deposits. Fixed deposits (FDs) of Rs 3 crore or more will now be considered bulk deposits, compared to the previous limit of Rs 2 crore. Banks can set different interest rates on bulk FDs based on their needs.
Along with this, a new rule is also being implemented regarding interest rates. Banks must update their rates on their websites by 10:00 am every working day. The RBI has provided a 10-minute grace period, meaning the new rates should be reflected on the website by 10:10 am.
Strictness in birth and death registration
The provisions of the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2026, will come into effect on October 1, 2026. The process for delayed registration will now be stricter. Delays exceeding two years will require an order from a first-class judicial magistrate. Registrations within one to two years will require the approval of the District Magistrate, Sub-District Magistrate, or authorised Executive Magistrate. Officials will verify the information and grant registration upon payment of the prescribed fee.
MDR proposed on UPI
Starting October 15, it is proposed to apply MDR to certain merchant UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000. However, merchants cannot charge this fee directly to individual customers. Person-to-person payments and many P2M transactions up to Rs 2,000 will be exempt. This will primarily impact merchant costs, and the average UPI user should not be directly charged extra.
Free facility for biometric update of children ends
Additionally, the free mandatory biometric update service for children ends on September 30. Starting October 1st, a fee of Rs 125 will be charged for updating fingerprints, photos, etc.
TDS eased on property purchase from NRI
The CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) has amended the TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) rules for purchasing a house, land, or other property from an NRI, effective October 1, 2026. Resident individuals and HUFs will no longer need to obtain a separate TAN for this purpose. Instead, TDS will be reported through a challan-cum-statement based on the PAN. However, the responsibility to deduct tax has not been abolished. (Note: For the exact procedure and updates on any regulations, please check the official website of the relevant department, bank, or UIDAI.)
Buying TVs, refrigerators, and ACs can be expensive
Buying household electronics during the festive season can be costly. If you’re planning to buy a TV, refrigerator, AC, or other home electronics, be aware that prices may increase starting October 1st.
According to a PTI report, prices are set to rise because of a sharp increase in the cost of key raw materials such as copper, steel, aluminium, and crude oil, along with higher freight charges. It says these goods could see a price increase of up to 8 per cent.
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