J&K Governor records concurrence to draft Presidential Order

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today recorded concurrence to the draft Presidential Order of the state government required for implementing Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the state.
The J&K Asembly had yesterday passed a resolution on implementing GST in the state while ensuring protection of the special status of the state.
Jammu and Kashmir is the only state which is yet to implement the GST which was rolled out in rest of the country on July 1.
"The governor has recorded concurrence to the draft Presidential Order, approved by the state government, which relates to the application of certain provisions of the Constitution of India, in a modified form, through an order of President which is issued under Clause 1 of Article 370 of the Constitution of India," an official spokesman said here.

He said these provisions would enable the extension of the GST framework to the state and would facilitate enacting of the Jammu and Kashmir Goods and Services Tax Act 2017.
"The draft Presidential order contains safeguards to maintain the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the legislative powers under the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir," the spokesman said.

"The Presidential Order will come into force immediately after it receives the assent of the President of India," he added.
The Presidential Order will be received under Article 370 of the Constitution that grants special status to the state.
After the Presidential Order is received, the state government will take it to the Assembly for enacting an SGST (state goods and services tax) bill, state's Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu said today.

Drabu had said yesterday, while replying to a debate on GST in the Assembly, that the government was not required to bring the resolution but it did so to "get a sense of the House on the issue".