GST suffers a setback … well, almost!
FINANCE Minister Abdul Rahim Rather's record in J&K Assembly ended yesterday when he lost the 2014 elections.
Rather was a legislator for a record 36 years in the Assembly lost this one.
Rather (70) was first elected to the assembly in 1977.
A law graduate, Rather was a practicing lawyer from 1971 to 1982 and earlier held the post of Speaker.
He was Finance Minister several times.
But, why this election results in DDT column, one may ask?
Incidentally, Abdul Rahim Rather had been elected as the new Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on GST in June 2013 after the Bihar Finance Minister Sushil Kumar Modi resigned following the JD(U)-BJP split in Bihar.
With the GST Bill having been introduced in the LokSabha, the responsibilities of the Chairman have grown manifold.
So, in the days to come, we may have a new Chairman.