Face-off between govt, Opposition expected on GST Bill

The long-pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill was taken up for consideration in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after Union finance minister Arun Jaitley appealed to the Opposition to rise above partisan considerations to support the move.

But with the Congress striking a defiant pose demanding that the Bill be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for scrutiny, a face-off between the Opposition and government is expected.

While the Bill is expected to sail through in the Lok Sabha as the government has a huge majority, getting it through the Rajya Sabha poses a problem as it lacks the requisite numbers.

Parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu convened a meeting of floor leaders of NDA allies in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha asking them to ensure the presence of each and every member on Wednesday for smooth passage of the measure in the Lower House.

Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma was firm in the demand.

"We are for legislative scrutiny of the Bill," said Sharma.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill for introducing GST was taken up in the Lok Sabha after the chair rejected the Opposition's demands to refer the key reform measure to the Standing Committee.

After a heated half-hour exchange over procedures, the debate on the Bill began with Jaitley dismissing the Opposition demand saying it was wrong to argue that the measure had never been to a Standing Committee.