The GST Council has been hailed as a model federal institution, where both the States and the Centre are represented and consensus is arrived through a detailed deliberative processes. So far, there has not been a single instance of voting, despite strong differences of opinion voiced on many issues. They were settled in a spirit of give and take. But today, the Council is on the brink of a serious disruption of its tradition, with the Centre and States sharply diverging in their stand regarding the payment of GST compensation.