GST Bill likely to be discussed in UP assembly monsoon session

The Goods and Services Tax Bill (GST) is likely to be taken up for discussion and ratification during the monsoon session of the Uttar Pradesh State Assembly, which will begin from today. The session will last till August 30.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had presided over an all party meeting here on Sunday and appealed to all political parties to extend their cooperation in ensuring the smooth running of both Houses of the state assembly.

As per reports, the chief minister will also present a supplementary budget of around Rs.25,000 crores for approval.

In a move aimed at circumventing the Supreme Court order on eviction of former chief ministers from state bungalows within two months, the Cabinet had already approved crucial changes in a legislation allowing them to occupy the accommodation for life.

The proposed amendments would now be placed before the assembly, an official spokesman said.

There will also be a show of membership strength by various political parties during this week-long session in the wake of shifts in party loyalties over the past month.

While BSP MLA from Padrauna and leader of opposition Swami Prasad Maurya joined the BJP on August 8; Rudhauli's Congress MLA Sanjay Pratap Jaiswal, Khadda MLA Vijay Kumar Dubey and Nanpara MLA Madhuri Verma joined the BJP.

The Congress had expelled six MLAs, including these three, for anti-party activities after they cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh in June.

While two BSP MLAs, Bala Prasad Awasthi of Mohammadi and Rajesh Tripathi of Chillupar, too had joined BJP on August 11 along with SP's Jalalpur MLA Sher Bahadur.

Three more expelled Congress MLAs - Mohd Muslim of Tiloi, Dilnawaz Khan of Syana and Kazim Ali Khan Swar - had joined the BSP on August 10.

SP MLA from Budhana in Muzaffaranagar, Nawazish Alam Khan, joined BSP the same day.

Some MLAs from Congress and Samajwadi Party, who had been speaking against the BJP, would be seen seated with the saffron outfit.