Based on wide consultations with all the states and Union Territories, Kerala Finance Minister, K M Mani has been appointed as the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST), an indirect tax regime, which is to be rolled out from April 2016. Earlier on March 20, the GST Empowered Committee met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley wherein state Finance Ministers asked the FM to select the new Chairman. The meeting although saw the attendance of 14 Ministers from the States and Union Territories, a decision could not be taken at that meeting as some ministers could not attend it due to preoccupation with state budgets.
The Empowered Committee Chairman's post fell vacant after Abdul Rahim Rather, the former finance minister of Jammu & Kashmir, quit following the defeat of National Conference in state elections held in December. The chairman of this Empowered Committee has generally been from an opposition-ruled state and the Mani, who represents Kerala Congress (M) and is also a senior finance minister, perfectly fits the bill.
Mani holds the records of having presented the maximum number of 13 Budgets in the Kerala Legislative Assembly as finance minister and also as the longest-serving member of Kerala Assembly.
Notably, this development comes right after Jaitley expressed the hope that the constitutional amendment Bill to roll out the GST would be passed in the next leg of the Budget session beginning on April 20, 2015. However, this wouldn’t be an easy task as GST requires to be passed by each House of Parliament by a two-third majority. Besides, consent of at least half of the states --15-- has to be obtained for the Bill. Post to which, GST Bills have to be passed by Parliament and respective state Assemblies.
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