GST bill taken up in LS; fate uncertain in RS

New Delhi: The long-delayed Goods and Services (GST) Bill was taken up for consideration in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley appealed to parties to rise above partisan considerations to support it but its fate in Rajya Sabha was still a matter of speculation.

The Parliamentary Parties of both BJP and the Congress are meeting on Wednesday to take stock of the situation. Congress Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma, however, made his party's position clear when he said while they supported GST regime, the present bill needs legislative scrutiny, an apparent demand for reference to the standing committee.