NC decides to oppose GST amendment in legislature

Jammu and Kashmir's opposition National Conference on Wednesday decided to oppose the constitutional amendment being moved by the PDP-BJP government on the GST in the forthcoming special session of the state legislature.

Addressing a media conference here, senior NC leader and former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather said: "The state government is confused on the GST implementation in J&K."

Claiming Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu was "speaking in two voices on the issue", he said: "If the state government tables an amendment regarding the implementation of the GST in the state in its present form, the NC will oppose it tooth and nail".

Rather said the state government's presumption that the bill would be passed in its present form as Drabu had indicated, was mispla ced.

"The irony is that the bill is yet to be tabled in the state assembly, but the state Commercial Taxes Department has already issued a notification asking businessmen to register themselves under the proposed GST rules.

"Let us have our own tax rules. Instead of the tax share devolving to the s ate from the centre, let us enact our own tax laws so that we give centre its share of taxes collected by the state government," he said.

Rather also threatened an agitation by the NC if GST was implemented in state as proposed by the state government, saying this could compromise the state's special status.

The state government had called an all party meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, to evolve a consensus on the GST bill which will be tabled in the special session beginning here on July 17.

J&K is the only state in the country that has a Constitution of its own which is applicable here concomitantly with the Indian Constitution.

--IANS

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