Parliament Opens Winter Session With Manipur GST, Highways, and Corporate Reform Bills

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday introduced the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, formalising the state’s adoption of the nationwide GST rate rationalisation approved at the 56th GST Council meeting. The bill replaces the ordinance issued on October 7 and ensures that Manipur currently under President’s Rule aligns with the revised GST structure implemented across the country on September 22. The GST Council had earlier approved a significant simplification of the indirect tax system by merging the 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% slabs into two consolidated rates of 5% and 18%, with a 40% rate levied on ultra-luxury products. Since state laws must reflect these structural changes, the Manipur amendment is primarily procedural and mirrors the national GST framework without introducing any state-specific provisions.

During the discussion on the Manipur GST Bill, several members sought clarity on how GST rationalisation would impact ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in Manipur, given the state’s administrative situation under President’s Rule. Questions were raised about revenue compensation mechanisms and whether they would apply uniformly to the state. Some members also expressed concern about the impact of merging GST slabs on essential goods and small businesses. Responding to these points, the Finance Minister stressed that the amendment is only intended to bring Manipur into formal alignment with the Council’s decisions, with no change in benefits or exemptions that the state currently receives.

Alongside the Manipur bill, two other major bills were introduced today: the National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The National Highways amendment aims to streamline land acquisition processes, update compensation structures and strengthen project execution for highway development. Members highlighted persistent delays in compensating displaced landowners, especially in rural and tribal belts, and pushed for greater transparency in contractor selection. There were also calls for mandatory social impact assessments before large-scale expansions. Government representatives argued that the amendments would accelerate highway construction, reduce bottlenecks and strengthen national connectivity.

The Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill also drew significant attention. While many members welcomed the move toward easier compliance for businesses, especially startups and MSMEs, others cautioned that relaxing certain disclosure norms could reduce corporate accountability. Concerns were raised about strengthening fraud detection mechanisms and improving coordination between regulatory bodies such as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, SEBI and enforcement agencies. The government assured the House that the proposed changes strike a balance between promoting ease of doing business and maintaining robust oversight.

With these three introductions forming the core of the day’s legislative business, the government has lined up ten more key bills for the remaining duration of the Winter Session. These include amendments to the Jan Vishwas Act, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the Atomic Energy Act, the Securities Markets Code and the Insurance Laws, as well as new legislation relating to arbitration, higher education regulation, central excise reforms and a proposed Health Security and National Security Cess. These bills are expected to be taken up progressively as the session moves forward.

The day’s proceedings signalled the beginning of an active and reform-driven Winter Session. With major discussions already underway and several more bills queued, Parliament is set for an intensive legislative phase covering taxation, infrastructure, corporate regulation and broader governance reforms.