GST Bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha next week

The Modi government is all set to introduce the tax reform in the Rajya Sabha next week. 

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the Constitution (122nd Amendment) or GST Bill will be introduced in the Upper House next week. 

After two rounds of talks on Thursday, the government interlocutors were confident of getting the Congress, the key opponent, onboard to ensure that the GST Bill has smooth sailing in the Rajya Sabha, where it needs to be passed with two-thirds majority. 

“We will give a notice on Saturday. The Bill will come on Monday,” one of the government interlocutors told. However, the Congress showed no signs of relenting before getting all the concession it sought to support the legislation. 

“No final decision has been arrived at with the Congress or other Opposition parties… we are happy that the



government has seen some reason and removed the 1% additional entry tax. The other two issues still remain (unaddressed),” Congress chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala told reporters here.

The Congress has been insisting on capping the GST rate at 18% with a statutory cover and setting up an independent dispute resolution mechanism to settle inter-state issues.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi summoned senior ministers and BJP president Amit Shah to his residence to chart out the party strategy on the GST Bill. On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved amendments to the draft legislation, dropping the 1% entry tax and providing guarantee to compensate states for any revenue loss for the first five years of the rollout.

The GST Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in May last year, but has been stuck in the Rajya Sabha with the Congress insisting on the three amendments.