Will MAT queer PM Modi's pitch during foreign visit?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarks on a three-nation tour of China, Mongolia and South Korea on Thursday. Among the things to watch all signs of an "out of the box" settlement of the Sino-Indian border, promised by Sushma Swaraj, the external affairs minister, that has startled experts because many of them say there is no 'box' to circumscribe the border issue. Manmohan Singh was the latest Indian prime minister to visit South Korea, just after Pranab Mukherjee's Budget, where he had announced the launch of the General Anti Avoidance Rules. Singh had faced a hostile reception from foreign institutional investors. How Modi will be received in the context of the minimum alternate tax remains to be seen.

GST legislation might become a reality soon

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) legislation could become a reality this week. The Lok Sabha has already passed what is likely to be a game changer for the Indian economy and the Rajya Sabha is set to hear the Bill this week. If the Bill is passed, it will be a feather in the cap for the government and a credit to its parliamentary management. The Congress has been demanding that it be referred to a Select Committee. While government managers are confident the Bill will be passed and the next step - 15 state government passing it as well - won't be so challenging either, given that around 12 states are ruled by the BJP. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will have to embark on a persuasion trip to "beseech" (the phrase he used in the Lok Sabha to urge passage of the Bill) the governments of Gujarat and Maharashtra, both run by his party and loath to pass the Bill, to clear it.

Gridlock over process to appoint judges might end

The stand-off over the National Judicial Appointments Commission that could supplant the judiciary's monopoly over the appointment of judges might end temporarily. The government is arguing that the issue of ending the collegium system of appointing judges and replacing it with a commission should be referred to a larger nine or 11-judge Bench. Next week, the Supreme Court will decide the constitutionality of this contentious issue and whether to give the government the right to meanwhile decide whom to appoint a judge.

Ministerial reshuffle on cards

A reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers is due. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi wants to come on board and in view of the Bihar elections at the end of the year, it is possible more ministers are inducted from that state. The Jammu and Kashmir-based ally of the government, the People's Democratic Party, could be taken aboard as well. The Shiv Sena might be given another berth. The timing likely to be decided this week.