CABINET-LD GST 2 LAST

As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GST As per Article 279A of the amended Constitution, the GSTCouncil, which will be a joint forum of the Centre and theStates, shall be headed by Union Finance Minister. While,Union Minister of State in-charge of Revenue will be itsmember and so will be minister in-charge of finance ortaxation or any other minister nominated by each StateGovernment. The Council will make recommendations to the Union and theStates on important issues related to GST, like the goods andservices that may be subjected or exempted from GST, model GSTLaws, principles that govern Place of Supply, thresholdlimits, GST rates including the floor rates with bands,special rates for raising additional resources during naturalcalamities/disasters and special provisions for certainStates. While the Centre will have one-third vote in the GSTCouncil, states together will have a two-third say. To adopt aresolution, three-fourth majority would be required. The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2016, forintroduction of Goods and Services tax in the country wasaccorded assent by the President on September 8, 2016, and thesame has been notified as the Constitution (One Hundred andFirst Amendment) Act, 2016. As per Article 279A (1) of the amended Constitution, theGST Council has to be constituted by the President within 60days of the commencement of Article 279A. The notification forbringing into force Article 279A with effect from September12, 2016 was issued on September 10, 2016. Parliament on August 8 had passed the bill, which thenwent to the states for ratification. A Constitution AmendmentBill needs to be ratified by the legislative Assemblies of atleast 50 per cent of the 29 states and 2 union territories. The bill was sent to the President’s secretariat after asmany as 19 states — BJP-ruled Assam being the first –ratified the bill. The other states, which passed the legislation includeBihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat,Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Haryana, Sikkim,Mizoram, Telangana, Goa, Odisha and Rajasthan. The states and the Centre are working overtime andtalking to stakeholders to draft the Central GST, State GSTand Integrated GST laws, which are to be passed in WinterSession of Parliament. The CGST and IGST will be drafted on the basis of themodel GST law. The states will draft their respective StateGST (SGST) laws with minor variation incorporating state-basedexemptions. The IGST law would deal with inter-state movementof goods and services. PTI JD ANZABK