After Telangana, Bihar Becomes Second State to Pass GST Bill

Bihar Legislative Assembly has flagged off the Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill along with the Bihar taxation (Amendment) Bill. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has termed it as ‘a historic moment‘. Reportedly, Telangana was the first state to pass the GST bill in its assembly. Notedly, Rajasthan government will pass state goods and services tax (SGST) Bill on Monday. The GST is likely to roll out in the nation by July 1.

Both the Legislative Council and the Bihar Legislative Assembly adopted the GST bills in one go. The GST needs state government nod against the GST after its clearance in Parliament. As the bill has already been cleared by both the houses of the parliament, it’s now the states turn to ratify GST at earliest.

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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar speaking in the state Legislative Council expressed the passing of GST by all the parties together as “a historic moment.” Expressing thanks to all the members, Kumar said right from the beginning, Bihar has been in favour of GST.

“Even after the change of government, Bihar continued with its support to GST,” Kumar, who is heading the Grand Alliance government of JD(U), RJD and Congress, said.

He said the budget session of the two Houses were proposed on March 31 in expectation of passing of GST in Parliament and its arrival to the state for the same.

In the Legislative Assembly, bills related to GST were taken up in the early session and with ruling JD(U), RJD, Congress and even opposition BJP and its NDA partners in support of GST bill, it was adopted via voice vote.

Commercial Tax minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav had passed the Bihar Goods and Service Bill, 2017 and the Bihar Taxation (Amendment) bill, 2017.

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While all the major political parties were in support of GST, JD(U), BJP and Congress tried to score over each other in earning credit in state Legislative Assembly over it.