Congress leader P. Chidambaram said on Wednesday that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill should be passed after serious debate as it was far too important a measure to be passed on a partisan basis.

“If we pass, it will be on the basis of a serious debate. It is far too important a legislation to be passed on a partisan basis,” Chidambaram said while participating in the debate on the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

Chidambaram, a former finance minister, said that the idea of the GST Bill was floated by the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in 2005.

“It has taken 11 years (for the bill to be at stage of passing),” Chidambaram said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley earlier moved the bill, considered India’s biggest tax reform legislation since Independence, for passage.

The bill has been pending in the Rajya Sabha after being passed by the Lok Sabha.