 "Numbers change in Rajya Sabha will permit GST passage: Arun Jaitley")
The government hopes biennial elections in Rajya Sabha will give it enough seats in the upper house of parliament to pass the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Thursday.
"Numbers are going to significantly change in the Rajya Sabha with the biennial elections. Every political party in parliament, barring one, has told me it will support GST," Jaitley said, fielding questions at the annual India Today Conclave in New Delhi.
The GST Bill has been approved by the Lok Sabha and is currently stalled in the upper house, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lacks a majority.
Referring to the Congress party, that is opposing the bill in its current form, Jaitley said the party has an "issue on constitutional capping" of GST tariffs.
"Our tariffs are not decided by constitutional caps," the finance minister said, adding that such a move would limit the scope of making future changes.
"Today state governments tell me they are all in favour of GST. Even Karnataka, which has a Congress government, wants the GST," he added.