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RS passes Bill on service tax

By Gargi Parsai

New Delhi May 8. Even as AIADMK members opposed it, the Rajya Sabha today adopted the Constitution (Ninetyfifth) Amendment Bill empowering the Centre to levy service tax and allow both the Centre and the States to collect and appropriate service tax. The Bill, already approved by the Lok Sabha, was passed in the upper house by a division of 150 favouring it with eight against it.

The AIADMK members voted against the Bill on the ground that the right to levy service tax should be with the States in a federal structure. Speaking on behalf of his party, N. Jothi said service tax should be brought on the concurrent list. The Shiv Sena also wanted sectors such as bio-tech, health and education exempted from service tax.

Describing the AIADMK's criticism as "misplaced'', the Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, said the Act was not an "attack'' on the States.

It is to enable a further accrual of revenue resources to States. Explaining the rationale behind the Bill, the Finance Minister, Jaswant Singh, said the service tax had been brought under union list to ensure uniformity and equal sharing of revenue.

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