After Assam and Bihar, Jharkhand ratifies GST Bill

Ranchi, Aug 17 (PTI) Jharkhand today became the thirdstate to ratify the Goods and Services Tax Amendment Bill in aspecial session of the Legislative Assembly. Thanking all the MLAs of the House for rising above partylines to ratify the bill, Chief Minister Raghubar Das saidthat the unanimity demonstrated by the legislators oninitiating one country, one tax was exemplary. The GST Bill, described as India’s biggest tax reform,needs to be ratified by at least 15 state legislatures beforethe President can notify the GST Council which will decide thetax rate. The Central has set a deadline of April 2017 for itsrollout. Assam was the first state to ratify the bill. Telangana government has also decided to call an Assemblysession this month to pass the GST bill, Telangana FinanceMinister Etela Rajender said today. Bihar yesterday became the first non-NDA state to ratifythe Constitution Amendment Bill on GST after Chief MinisterNitish Kumar counted virtues of the tax reform. With all the major parties in the state including JD(U),RJD, Congress and BJP in favour of the tax legislation, theHouse approved the GST Bill through a voice vote. PTI PVR MDASV