Finance Minister Arun Jaitley holds forth on the GST Bill in the Lok Sabha. After several adjournments since morning, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up the GST Bill after the Speaker rejected the demand for referring it to Standing Committee.


The Congress party supported the GST but wanted Constitutional Ammendment Bill to be sent to select panel.

Jaitley said, "What existed in the original Constitution, if it exists in a constitutional amendment, then that isn't a violation since we are moving to a different system of taxation.

"Power to remove difficulties lies with the President, and therefore with the council of ministers. It is not indefinite. It is only in the transitional phase.   


"This argument is no longer valid that it has not gone to a standing committee. It spent two and a half years in front of a standing committee    If you want to further delay the GST Bill, the deadline of April 1, 2016 will be lost.

"State finance ministers and Centre must work together. I beseech you, rise above party considerations. If all our chief ministers agree, why are we delaying ?"