Bihar becomes first non-NDA state to ratify GST

Patna, Aug 16 (KNN) After Assam, Bihar on Tuesday became the second state in a row to ratify the Constitution Amendment Bill on Goods and Service Tax (GST)

With all the major parties in the State including JD (U), RJD, Congress and BJP in favour of the tax legislation, the House approved the GST Bill through a voice vote.

CPI-ML MLA Mehboob Alam opposed the GST and staged a walkout. CPI-ML has three MLAs, but only Mr. Alam was present.

After ratification by the Legislative Assembly, the GST Bill was introduced in State’s Upper House. Passage of GST by Bihar Legislative Council is a mere formality after its ratification with consent of all major parties in the State.

Bihar also became the first non-NDA State who passed GST.

The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014, on GST has already been passed by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

The GST Bill, seen as single biggest tax reform after Independence, needs to be ratified by at least 15 State legislatures out of a total of 29 before the President notifies the GST Council, which will decide new tax rate and other issues.

The Central government has set a deadline of April 2017, for its rollout.

Intervening in the discussion on the GST Bill piloted by Commercial Tax minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar highlighted virtues of the new tax legislation.

The Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that he has been in support of the GST from the beginning as it was beneficial for a consumer State like Bihar and has been in favour of it when it was piloted first during the UPA time in 2006-7 by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Counting virtues of the GST, Mr. Kumar said it would bring transparency in tax collection and distribution among the Centre and the States. (KNN Bureau)