GST: Special Session Ruled Out, Winter Session can be Held Sooner

Government to propose winter session to begin right after Bihar Elections are over.

In another attempt to pass the Goods and Services Tax Bill, the government is trying to schedule the winter session of Parliament earlier, after it had to give up on a special session and an extended session for GST.

Still there is scope. Once the Bihar elections are over, we can make one more effort. We have the Winter Session. It can be preponed. We can still meet the deadline.
— Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs

The winter session, which generally begins in the third week of November, is proposed to start right after the Bihar Elections to pass roll out GST by April 2016.

I am terribly disappointed that we could not have the extended session to take up an important legislation like GST Bill, which is the need of the hour. But I have not given up my hope.
— Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs

Naidu, who is still hopeful about the GST, maintained that the public opinion is largely in favour of GST and that the Congress should reconsider its stand on the it.

(With inputs from PTI)