New Delhi: The long-pending GST Bill was on Monday listed for consideration and passage in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday amidst strong indications that the most far- reaching taxation reform in independent India would be supported by Congress and all other major political parties.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, which has been in the making for over a decade, entails introduction of a single indirect tax regime across the country.

“The GST Bill is listed for consideration and passage on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha and we seek support of all political parties. The mood is in favour of its passage,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.

According to top government sources, a fresh round of talks was held on Monday with the main opposition Congress and other parties, including the Left and Samajwadi Party, for building a consensus on the key tax reform legislation.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley held further consultations with senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma and chalked out details of the contentious bill aimed at bringing about a consensus on the key bill, sources said.

Jaitley also met Communist Party of India (Marxist),CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury, besides some other leaders.

Later, along with Kumar, he met Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Another round of talks to clarify on the language of key parts of the bill is likely to be held with Congress tomorrow.

Sources added that government was to initially bring the bill on Tuesday, but Congress was not keen on the proposal due to the roadshow of Sonia Gandhi in Varanasi tomorrow which may be attended by some party MPs.

The government, sources say, is keen to bring about four key amendments in the Constitution Amendment Bill which will include the scrapping of 1 per cent additional tax provision and grant of more powers to states for providing them full compensation for a period of five years.

The key Congress demand for rephrasing of the language for setting up of dispute resolution mechanism in the GST Council has also been agreed to by the government.

At the AICC briefing, Congress leader P L Punia said GST is very important for the economy, industry and the business as also for the consumer.

“With that objection in mind, it was the Congress party which brought the idea of GST. We have raised certain issues and negotiations are still on. We are prepared to accept every reasonable solution which does not adversely affect the business, industry and consumer.

“There has to be one more round of talks. Party feels the bill should be passed and our best wishes that this bill be passed,” he said.

GST Bill: BJP issues whip, asks RS members to be present

New Delhi:With the GST bill set to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, BJP today issued a whip to its members asking them to be present in the House for the next three days during which the party expects the legislation to be passed.

Party sources said the whip has been issued in connection with the key reform bill, which has been high on the government’s agenda but stalled by Congress over some provisions.

The BJP-led NDA lacks a majority in the Upper House but has managed to get support of several regional parties on the GST bill.

To bring Congress on board, the government last week cleared changes in the constitutional amendment bill, including doing away with the additional 1 per cent tax by producing states and compensating all states for any revenue loss in the first five years post the GST roll out.

The main Opposition party, which has the most numbers in the Rajya Sabha, has indicated softening of its stand but made no categorical assurance of its support so far.

BJP parliamentary party is also meeting tomorrow and senior ministers may brief the members about the bill and other important issues on the agenda in the coming days. PTI