Four-day Delhi Assembly session to discuss GST, other bills from today

The four-day special session of the Delhi State Assembly beginning from today is expected to be a charged one with the house meeting for the first time after the Delhi High Court's verdict which held that the capital continues to be a Union Territory under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is also likely to place the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill for ratification before the assembly, and will table two Bills, including the proposal of doing away with imposition of luxury tax on hotel rooms where the rent is up to Rs. 1,500 and another one related to the Ambedkar University.

The Delhi government has already made it clear that it is in favour of the GST, which would subsume a number of indirect central and state levies.

The GST Bill needs to be ratified by at least 15 state legislatures before the President can notify the GST Council which will decide the new tax rate and other issues.