Yashwant Sinha, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, on Thursday said the goods and services tax (GST) Bill might not be rolled out during the current Government’s tenure.

According to him, there are only 11 working days in the upcoming winter session of Parliament and the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill for GST is “unlikely” to be passed by Parliament during the session.

“I don’t see GST being implemented in the next few months,” Sinha said here on the sidelines of a seminar on stable growth of the Indian economy, organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce.         

Sinha, senior BJP leader and former Union Finance Minister, said a report with some suggestions and recommendations on GST were submitted a couple of months back and the Ministry of Finance is considering it.

 Stating that “GST is a very progressive piece of legislation,” he said: “It should be pushed forward.”

 Differences between the States and the Centre over compensation and the structure of GST have delayed the implementation of the legislation, which is aimed at empowering the Centre and States to tax supply of goods and services simultaneously.

  ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in