UPI MDR Row: John Brittas Vs Nirmala Sitharaman Over Who Will Pay The Charges

The Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 sparks a sharp exchange in Parliament over the future of UPI payments and the possibility of a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR). CPI(M) MP John Brittas questions whether charges imposed on merchants could eventually be passed on to consumers, arguing that millions of Indians were encouraged to adopt digital payments and UPI. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman counters that the Bill does not impose any tax or transaction charge on UPI users, and says no MDR framework has been finalised. She explains that an enabling provision would allow the government to specify electronic payment modes protected from charges, while the UPI and Services Steering Committee would decide whether any MDR should be introduced and what its scope and structure would be. Watch this Brittas vs Sitharaman face-off for the key arguments on UPI charges, MDR and the future of digital payments in India.