SHILLONG, Sept 9 - Meghalaya Assembly today ratified the 122nd Constitution amendment, Goods and Service Tax Bill, 2016, unanimously without any discussion.
Law Minister Roshan Warjri moved a Government resolution to ratify the Bill on the first day of the Autumn session, which was approved by the House by voice vote.
Taxation Minister Zenith Sangma explained that the cascading effect of taxes would be reduced drastically when the GST Bill is passed.
�After GST is implemented, States like Meghalaya would benefit a lot. There may be losses for manufacturing as well as other States, but the losses would be compensated by the Centre for the next five years�, he said. He added, Meghalaya would get share from service taxes which until now was levied by the Central Government. Petroleum products are outside the ambit of GST and also alcohol, Sangma informed.
Eventually, the yet-to-be-constituted GST Council will decide whether to keep petroleum products within GST or outside GST.
No-confidence motion: Meanwhile, a No-Confidence Motion against the Assembly Speaker, Abu Taher Mondal would be taken up on September 16. The Motion was moved by Opposition member James Sangma from the National People�s Party.
Thirteen members supported the Motion after which Speaker Abu Taher Mandal ruled that the No-Confidence Motion would be taken up on the last day of the Assembly after disposing of all the businesses of that day.
