Government circulates amendments to GST bill

Ahead of taking up the GST bill in the Rajya Sabha, the government on Tuesday circulated the amendments to the draft leislation among the members of the house.

Some members, however, demanded that the bill should be circulated again as there were new members in the house, to which government agreed.

The bill, which will lead to introduction of Goods and Services Tax across India, will be taken up by the upper house on Wednesday.

The amendments, according to sources, correspond to issues including setting up a mechanism for dispute resolution between states or between states and centre and removing the 1 percent inter-state tax.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley briefed his party's members about the bill at the meeting of BJP's parliamentary party on Tuesday morning.

Sources said Jaitley asked the members to read and understand the bill before it is taken up.

Both the BJP and the Congress have already issued a whip to their members making it compulsory for them to be present in the house on Wednesday when debate and vote on the GST bill are expected.

--IANS

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