Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: In a significant step towards fiscal alignment, the Lok Sabha on December 1, passed the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill-2025, despite ongoing disruptions in the Winter Session. Introduced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on December 1, the bill replaces the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, promulgated on October 7 amid the President’s Rule in the state. Telugu Desam Party’s Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who chaired the session later adjourned the House till Tuesday, as Opposition members were adamant on the demand for discussion on SIR (special intensive revision) underway in 12 states.
The legislation amends the Manipur Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, to synchronise it with recent changes in the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act via Sections 121–134 of the Finance Act, 2025. Key provisions include streamlined tax slabs, merging overlapping rates to simplify compliance, and introducing a 40 per cent levy on ultra-luxury items. These reforms, recommended by the 56th GST Council meeting, aim to boost revenue, curb evasion, and foster ease of doing business in the northeastern state.
Speaking during the three-hour debate allocated for the Bill, Finance Minister Sitharaman highlighted its timeliness. “Under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025, Manipur’s GST framework needed urgent parity with national norms. This amendment ensures seamless integration, benefitting traders and consumers alike,” she said. The Finance Minister emphasised how the changes would enhance fiscal autonomy and support economic recovery in a region grappling with ethnic tensions and insurgency.
Shashank Mani of the Bharatiya Janata Party from Deoria (Uttar Pradesh) seconded the proposal and advocated for the passage of the Bill. The Bill’s passage was not without hurdles through voice vote. Opposition members, including those from Congress and Trinamool Congress, held protests over electoral issue and the SIR of electoral rolls, leading to two adjournments.
