New Delhi: The long-delayed Constitution Amendment Bill on GST was cleared by Parliament on Monday evening with the Lok Sabha approving the version passed in the Upper House last week. This marks a historic step for tax reform in India, that Prime Minister Narendra Modi said was “crucial” for ending tax terrorism, reducing corruption and black money, and making the consumer the “king”.
The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in May 2015, was taken up again by the Lower House to approve the changes made by the Rajya Sabha. The government had moved six official amendments, including scrapping of one per cent additional tax, to the Bill cleared by the Upper House.
After a six-hour debate, the Lower House passed the Bill with all 443 members present voting in favour after AIADMK members staged a walkout in protest.
Intervening in the Lok Sabha debate, Mr Modi “humbly” thanked all parties for supporting GST, and said it reflected the “maturity” of Indian democracy as such a crucial law was approved with a consensus than on the basis of numbers.
Mr Modi, who was under attack by the Opposition, particularly the Congress, for being absent when the bill was cleared in the Rajya Sabha, said its passage was a “victory of democracy” and a “great step by Team India” that will help transform the economy, bring in transparency and usher in a system of “one country, one tax”.
