Maharashtra gives its go-ahead for GST bill

Maharashtra on Monday ratified the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill in a special one-day session. It thus became the ninth state in the country to have given its go-ahead to the controversial piece of legislation. The bill, passed by Parliament in its Monsoon Session, needs to be ratified by 16 of the 31 state assemblies to become a law.

Deepak Kesarkar, the minister of state for finance in the Upper House, moved the resolution to ratify the 122nd constitutional amendment. The opposition Congress and NCP, while supporting the resolution, said the GST regime was initiated long ago by the UPA government, but it was the BJP that had opposed it back then.

The Shiv Sena, meanwhile, claimed that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation will face losses of Rs 7,000 crore annually after the implementation the of GST bill, with Octroi revenue going directly to the Centre.