Lok Sabha passes RS amendments on Constitutional Amendment Bill (122nd)

The Bill was passed  with 443 members voting in favour of it.

The Goods and Services Tax Bill was taken up for discussion in the Lok sabha on Monday.

The Bill that amends the constitution to enable the GST reform for a one nation one tax regime,  was passed by the Rajya Sabha with a unanimous majority last week with the AIADMK staging a walkout.

The Bill,  passed in the Lok Sabha in May 2015, was sent  back to the lower house to ratify the amendments cleared in the Rajya Sabha.

Even after approval by the Lok Sabha, the Bill requires the assent of at least 15 state Governments and the President for legislation.

Joining the debate in the Lok Sabha  over the GST bill issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the move will help the country in gaining freedom from tax terrorism.

"Today, an important move to free the nation from tax terrorism has begun," Modi said in the Lok Sabha.

Defining GST, the Prime Minister said: "Great Step by Team India, Great Step towards Transformation, Great Steps towards Transparency, this is GST."

"Lot of flaws have been overcome as far as the GST is concerned," he said.

Modi, who had earlier served as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, said he could realize the troubles faced by the CMs with regard to the GST.

"Having been a CM, now it became easier for me to address issues that CMs could have faced with the GST," he said.

Calling small business as the strength of the nation, Modi said: "Consumer & small businesses will gain tremendously. Small business will feel more secure with this. Small business is our strength."