CPM pins hope on Govt. to bring GST into effect in Winter Session

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday pinned hope on the BJP-led NDA Government to bring the much awaited Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill into effect in the Winter Session of the Parliament.

"Without the Constitution Amendment, the GST Bill cannot be brought. The Constitution doesn't give the right. The first step is to amend the Constitution. The President will notify it after the Parliament passes it. Then it will go to all the state assemblies. It should get consent in 50 percent of the states. After that it would be notified," CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury told ANI.

He said it has been two years and the government has not been able to do an amendment of the Constitution.

"The government produced amendment over that amendment. We will consider about that. It is our request to the government to bring the GST in the Winter Session. It should not delay much as it did for the last two years," he added.

The much awaited Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill is all set to be approved by the Rajya Sabha today.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will move four amendments to the Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, meant for the rollout of the GST in the Rajya Sabha, when it is taken up for consideration and passage.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar yesterday said the leaders of the various political parties have assured support to the government in the passage of the GST Bill.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has issued whip to all its members in the Rajya Sabha asking them to be present in the House for the next three days.

The Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha has earmarked five hours discussion for the bill, which seeks to introduce a system for uniform taxation across the country.

The Congress yesterday assured full support with regard to the GST Bill passage in the Rajya Sabha and said if the Centre doesn't come up with something new then this tax reform might get its nod.

The Union Cabinet had cleared changes in the Bill earlier on Wednesday dropping one percent additional tax on inter-state sales and providing guarantee to compensate states for any revenue loss in the first five years of rollout.

The government needs the support of two-third members of the Upper House to amend the Constitution to turn the GST into law.

The GST Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in May last year but is stuck in the Rajya Sabha due to resistance from the opposition.