Left, BJP demand amendment of GST Bill clause

The standing committee of finance headed by Yashwant Sinha on Friday held a meeting on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Amendment Bill at Delhi, reports Siddharth Zarabi of CNBC-TV18.

A comprehensive analysis on the 115th Constitutional Amendment Bill, dealing with the basic structure of amending the constitution to allow the advent of GST has been pursued by the committee. A clause-by-clause reading of the bill took place during the meeting. However, the left parties, represented by Asim Dasgupta, a former finance minister of West Bengal and the head of the state empowered committee of finance ministers on GST cautioned against Clause 279B of the amendment bill.
Clause 279B allows the centre to have extra discretionary powers, as far as the GST dispute authority is concerned. Sources informed that the BJP leaders as well as Dasgupta have asked for an amendment of this clause to prevent unilateral central decisions. The standing committee is expected to seek significant and substantial amendments to this bill. Hence, the Union Finance Ministry is yet to receive a green signal regarding GST.
The house panel on finance will meet every week to discuss amendments to the GST Bill with an aim of clearing it by the monsoon session. Sushil Modi, Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers for the implementation of Goods and Service Tax is also expected to depose before the house panel next week. Also watch the accompanying video.