GST bill listed for discussion and passage in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The goods and services tax (GST) bill has been listed for discussion and passage in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Considering the turmoil in the House, the passage of the Constitution (One Hundred-and-Twenty-Second) Amendment Bill in the monsoon session, however, will be difficult. If passage of the bill is pushed to the winter session, the delay is likely to effect implementation of GST on April 1, 2016.

A Constitution amendment bill requires presence of at least half the members in the House and two-thirds of those present voting in favour for passage. Hence, the chances of passing the bill in the remaining three days is tough, given the current mood of the Congress and CPM.

Sources said Congress is firm that its 10 amendments should be incorporated, though the government insists that other than the 1 per cent additional tax, almost all provisions were broadly there in the bill that UPA had introduced. Finance minister Arun Jaitley accused the Congress of using the Lalit Modi and other controversies only as a pretext to not allow the crucial legislation to be passed.

Back-channel talks are on and the government is yet to give up. Jaitley hinted at this when he said in the RS that the Opposition charge of government not holding confabulations with other parties was misplaced.