The Rajya Sabha on Thursday passed four Goods and Services Tax bills without amendments. This practically facilitates the launch on 1 July. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervened and asked Congress to not seek any changes and "maintain consensus and federal agreement."
While the Congress did not move amendments, those moved by Trinamool Congress MP Derek O' Brien were negated
after division.
The four Bills are the Central Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017, the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017, and the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Bill, 2017.
Last month, the Lok Sabha had approved the four bills. GST is a unified tax that will subsume all indirect taxes.