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Govt to decide today on special session for GST bill

Posted Date : 26-Aug-2015 , 08:09:12 am | Posted By CASANSAAR print Print
Looking to turn the Chinese stocks crisis to its advantage, the government is preparing to bat for a special session of Parliament to pass the GST bill, arguing that this will boost India's ability to buffer the Indian economy. 

The Cabinet is expected to take a call whether to convene a special session of Parliament to pass the Goods and Services Tax bill on Wednesday. The issue needs to be clinched, as the government has to also decide whether the ordinance on the land bill should be re-promulgated a fourth time. 

Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu hinted that allowing the ordinance to lapse might be a difficult decision as this will lead to the 2013 land acquisition Act being revived. This will lead to 13 Acts exempted under the ordinance being re-included in the law, posing serious developmental hurdles.

Political sources said there was an added complication relating to compensation as the provision came into effect with the ordinance. The ordinance lapsing will immediately affect compensation for land acquired near Delhi. 

If the land ordinance is to be re-promulgated after it lapses on August 31, the government will have to prorogue Parliament, a decision it put off at the end of the monsoon session in order to keep the window for a special session open. 

So the option before the government is to call a special session soon to pass the GST bill. Passing the land bill is not an option as the joint committee of Parliament examining the legislation will submit its report only in November. 

"Bills like GST, real estate regulation bill and land bill are very important. The government has an open mind on amendments so that the bills can be passed," Naidu said on Tuesday. He met Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge later in the day. 

Though most parties are on board for the GST bill, Congress continued to indicate that it wants changes like fixing the tax rate at 18% to be incorporated into the law. 

The government finds it difficult to accept the stipulation, arguing the tax rate, while reasonable, should be left to the GST council. Similarly, it does not seem to be in a position to agree to reduce the Centre's weight in the council. 

Keen to pass the GST bill so that its implementation deadline of April 2016 is not missed, the government is trying to rally support and put Congress under pressure by arguing it would be in "national interest" to back the reform to help India avoid a blowback from the Chinese crisis. 

The government has managed to get regional players like Trinamool Congress on board and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent meeting with Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa is expected to secure AIADMK's support. (Times of India)

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