Constitution Amendment Bill News

Another amendment bill of the Constitution has been passed in the Lok Sabha with a two-thirds majority. The bill aims to restore the power to states and union territories to prepare and maintain their own lists of socially and educationally backward classes (OBCs).

Stage is set for the launch of a nationwide goods and services tax at midnight Friday amid protests from opposition parties who see hardships to small businesses in pushing through the biggest economic reform without preparations.

The ruling alliance and the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) have agreed to go for the local polls in two phases and fast track passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill.

Prime Minister Prachanda's efforts to achieve reconciliation with the Madhesi issue received a setback on Thursday when the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) and the Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal (FSF-N) refused to back the Constitution Amendment Bill.

 With the government moving at "ultra-fast" pace on GST, the cut-off date of April 1, 2017, for rolling out the new indirect tax regime now seems achievable, tax experts said today.

Addressing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Bill will take India closer to achieving financial equality, adding that the Bill is an important legislation for "ek bharat shreshth bharat (One India Excellent India)" initiative.

Expecting an early passage of GST bill by Parliament, Economic Affair Secretary Shaktikanta Das Monday said administrative machinery is ready to implement the new indirect tax regime, which will be a key component in improving ease of doing business.

The GST bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha and is pending ratification by the Upper House, where the ruling NDA does not have a majority. After it is approved by the Rajya Sabha, the legislation needs to be ratified by half of the 29 states so as to roll out GST possibly by October 1.

18-year-old Tavrej Alam was killed when police opened fire on protesters led by United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) in Rautahat district headquarter Gaur when a crowd of about 1,500 demonstrators started throwing stones and bottles at security personnel.

On Congress demands for inclusion of a GST rate of 18 percent in Constitution Amendment Bill, Jaitley said tax rates are not mentioned in Constitution anywhere in the world. 

Prime Minister K P Oli called a meeting of all major political parties at his residence this morning to find a way out of the ongoing political crisis in the nation.

The government on Tuesday introduced the much-awaited bill on GST for passage in the Rajya Sabha even as doubts persists if the opposition Congress will allow passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill.

The Revised List of Business of Rajya Sabha said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will move the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-second Amendment) Bill, 2014, incorporating recommendations made by a House Select Committee.

The passage of the bill however seems unlikely in this session.

The government is hopeful of getting the GST Constitution Amendment Bill passed in the Lok Sabha next week, paving the way for implementation of the new indirect tax regime from April 2016.

The government, Friday, is likely to take up for consideration and passage a Constitution Amendment bill in the Lok Sabha to roll out the Goods and Services Tax (GST).