For GST Bill, BJP Orders Full Attendance In Parliament For 3 Days

New Delhi: The BJP has ordered full attendance in the Rajya Sabha for the next three days in a whip issued to party MPs as the government preps to present the crucial Goods and Services Tax bill in the upper house of parliament.

That could happen either tomorrow or Wednesday, said sources, depending on when the government can circulate the proposed bill with amendments cleared by the cabinet among lawmakers of all parties.  

The Congress, which has so far used its superior numbers in the upper house to stall the bill, is making its own preparations. Congress members from both houses will be briefed tomorrow by former ministers and senior leaders P Chidambaram and senior leader Anand Sharma about discussions with the government and the changes being made to the bill.

Congress sources say while the government has made several concessions to build consensus around the crucial reform, there is still no agreement over the Congress's key demand of mentioning a cap on the rate of GST in the bill.

The monsoon session of parliament ends next week on August 12, so the government is racing against the clock for GST, which replaces a mesh of state and central levies with a national sales tax.

Last week, the government held extensive negotiations winning the support of most parties. The GST bill, which needs the constitution to be amended, must get the support of two-thirds of the Rajya Sabha.

The centre believes it has enough backing now to push the reform through even without the Congress' help, but the single largest party needs to abstain from disrupting the house to allow the bill to be discussed.

Today, it led opposition parties in an attack on the government over Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's comments over the weekend on Aamir Khan being taught an appropriate "lesson" after the actor expressed concern last year over about what he called an atmosphere of "intolerance".

The opposition has demanded an explanation accusing the minister of "spreading insecurity." Mr Parrikar, who says he has been misquoted by the media, is expected to make a statement and table the transcript of his speech in the Rajya Sabha, as the government tries to ensure that nothing comes in the way of a final push for its landmark reform.