The West Bengal government has postponed a House debate on the GST bill indefinitely. According to a Trinamool Congress functionary, the debate scheduled for August 29, before passing the legislation, was deferred after the Centre's notification to monitor state treasuries was issued.

 
Minister for parliamentary affairs Partha Chatterjee informed the House business advisory committee that the discussion on GST has been postponed. Even though he did not give a reason a senior leader claimed that the government was running short of time this session. Incidentally, the special session that began Friday was convened specifically to ratify the GST bill and discuss the proposal to rename the state. 

Significantly, Banerjee lambasted the Centre on the notification that allows for digitally tracking central schemes and central funds given to states. "The prime minister is trying to break the federal structure and is in the process of running a presidential form of government," she alleged. Banerjee has always been vocal about GST's passage in Parliament and her finance minister Amit Mitra is the current chairman of the empowered committee of state finance ministers on GST. 
 
Even though more than the requisite number of state assemblies are set to pass the GST enabling Constitution amendment bill (see graphic), it would be an awkward situation for Mitra to preside over the empowered committee of finance ministers if his state government has not passed the legislation. Mitra is among the few state finance ministers who is well-versed on taxation and the economy. The fact that Banerjee has also claimed now that her government would lose revenue due to GST and that the .. 

Reacting to the decision to put off the GST debate CPM MLA Sujan Chakrabarty said, "This is hypocrisy. We do not understand why they are doing this. They supported the bill in Parliament and now they are retreating. The party and its leader are totally confused." PCC chief Adhir Choudhury said, "the Mamata Banerjee-led government has apparently postponed discussions on GST for an indefinite period as some burgeoning point has been badly hit."