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Written by Liz Matthew | New Delhi |
Updated: December 13, 2015 2:01:55 am
Updated: December 13, 2015 2:01:55 am
A view of Parliament House on the eve winter session in New Delhi. (Source: PTI photo)
With the Congress clarifying that there is no link between the National Herald case and the GST bill, the government is set to make a fresh bid to pass the long-pending tax reform bill in Rajya Sabha this week.
The GST tops the list of bills in the Rajya Sabha’s legislative and financial business agenda in the coming week. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also make a statement on her recent visit to Islamabad and developments relating to ties between India and Pakistan in both Houses of Parliament Monday.
Debates on the price of essential commodities and food grain in the country as well as “growing intolerance endangering the unity and diversity of the country” are also listed for discussion in the upper house.
Four hours have been allotted for the passage of the GST bill, three hours for the Real Estate bill and two hours for the anti-graft measure, the Whistleblower bill. Other bills listed in the coming eight days include the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2015, the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, 2015, the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2012 and the Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014.
The government has proposed to take up nine legislative agenda in Lok Sabha in the coming week. “A heavy agenda of 16 items is due to be taken up in Rajya Sabha, which lagged behind Lok Sabha in transaction of business this week due to disruptions and forced adjournments,” said an official in the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry.
While Lok Sabha has passed six bills and introduced six, only one bill could be passed in Rajya Sabha. The lower house also will hold a debate on price rise.
Government sources said there have been signs of forward development in breaking the GST stalemate. Congress leaders are expected to meet Sunday, when the party’s top leadership will finalise its stand on the passage of the key tax reform bill.
