GST BILLS IN LOK SABHA TODAY

The Central Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and three other related bills on GST are listed for consideration together in the Lok Sabha from Wednesday.

Instead of forcing discussion on the four Bills from Tuesday itself, the government gave a day’s break in view of the Opposition’s protest on Monday at not getting time to study them.

The Bills could reach the MPs’ residences here only on Saturday when most had gone home and so they could learn about them only on Monday on arrival.

All four Bills are listed as "money bills" and as such they are not required to be passed by the Rajya Sabha since the Constitution stipulates the Rajya Sabha to consider the money bills and then return them to the Lok Sabha, which may or may not concede any amendments proposed by the Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha is already planning to push for some amendments in the Finance Bill that was discussed inconclusively on Monday and could not come up on Tuesday because of the disruptions washing out all business for the day.

The Finance Bill as well as two appropriation bills of Railways are now listed for consideration and return on Wednesday. Also listed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday is a short duration discussion sought by Congress member Jairam Ramesh and others on Aadhaar - its implementation and implications.

The opposition members have been badgering on the deputy chairman daily for not listing the discussion despite admitted by the Chairman.