Monsoon session of Parliament from July 18; govt hopes to pass GST Bill

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 29

The government on Wednesday scheduled the monsoon session of Parliament between July 18 and August 12, saying it would push the pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill for approval in the upcoming session.

“The GST Bill should be approved in the monsoon session of Parliament in larger interest of the country. There is larger consensus on the Bill across the country. We appeal to all political parties to pass it. We have been talking to all parties on the Bill, the Congress included, and will further engage them, “Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said today after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs.

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The monsoon session will have 20 sittings, with the government today asking all Union Ministers to submit a list of potential legislations for passage. “All ministers have been asked to submit the list by July 3,” Naidu said, hoping the session will be free from disruptions.

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He said three ordinances are due for approval, including the MCI and Dental Council Ordinances. He said 11 bills were pending for passage in the Lok Sabha, citing the Enemy Properties Bill as another crucial Bill awaiting parliamentary approval.

The government’s real test will however be on the GST Bill, with the Congress still not on board. Congress leader P. Chidambaram says the government is yet to respond to party’s three core demands for amendments to the current draft. Naidu on the contrary argues that the government has been engaging the Congress.

The BJP appears confident of the GST Bill passage in the monsoon session, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi securing some level of understanding on the issue from the J. Jayalalitha-led AIADMK, which has been opposed to the Bill.

Moreover, the new Rajya Sabha will look different with a marginal decline in Congress strength and a corresponding increase in BJP numbers. The Congress, however, is still in majority in the Upper House, with stalwarts P. Chidambaram and Kapil Sibal set to enter the Rajya Sabha to add muscle to Congress opposition to the GST Bill.