GST Bill in Lok Sabha today; Modi to intervene

On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha had approved the GST bill with an overwhelming majority The GST Bill has to be ratified by at least 16 states in 30 days after Parliament passes it

Lok Sabha is set to take up the GST Bill for passage on Monday during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will intervene, even as the Centre today continued efforts for its early ratification by the state assemblies.   

Giving the information that Lok Sabha will take up the GST Bill on Monday, a senior Union minister said that the measure is likely to be passed the same day.   

"The Prime Minister will intervene during his debate on the GST Bill in Lok Sabha," the minister said.    

The opposition had attacked Modi for not speaking during the discussion on the bill in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.    

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had said this was the first occasion in independent India that the Prime Minister was not present during the passage of a Constitution amendment bill.

He had dubbed it as "PM-mukt Parliament".    

Meanwhile, BJP issued a whip to its members in the Lower House to remain present on August 8.    

Aiming for early implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), top central ministers have spoken with nine chief ministers of NDA-ruled states to ensure that state assemblies ratify the constitutional amendment at the earliest.   

Some chief ministers of BJP-ruled states have given an assurance to call special sessions of their respective assemblies to approve the bill.    

On Wednesday, Rajya Sabha had approved the bill with an overwhelming majority.   

Six official amendments, including the scrapping of one percent additional tax, were moved by the government which have been endorsed by an overwhelming majority in the Upper House.   

The bill was passed by Lok Sabha earlier. Now it has to go back to the Lower House for incorporating the amendments approved by Rajya Sabha.   

Once implemented, GST will subsume various taxes including excise, services tax, octroi and other levies and the proceeds will be shared between the Centre and the states.