The politics of GST

Officials from states usually reach a broad consensus on various issues concerning the long-pending Goods & Services Tax (GST). But when these matters are discussed among state finance ministers and the Centre, there is little agreement on anything. The reason for this discrepancy has more to do with politics than economics. "My minister told me, 'you bureaucrats will be in office for 35 years, but I'm here only for five years and will have to face elections after that. So, I have to look at the political repercussions of any decisions'," says an official.