Will Union Budget be postponed?
Insufficient time for discussions on Budget proposals as majority of leaders busy with election campaign; NDA govt seems to be in favour of full-fledged Budget in March after elections in all 8 States; However, Election Code not a barrier for presenting Budget
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Uttar Pradesh would go to polls on February 10, 14, 20, 23 and March 3 and 7; Goa and Uttarakhand would vote on February 14; while Manipur will vote in two phases, on February 27 and March 3. Punjab polls were deferred to February 20 on Monday
Mumbai: If sources are to be believed, the central government may be deferring the forthcoming Union Budget by a month or so. It is being seriously discussed among the North Block mandarins in New Delhi. As of now, Union Budget is scheduled to be presented on February 1.
The reason is simple. The election code of conduct has come in force after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the Assembly elections in the five poll-bound States early this month and official machinery is busy with the polls.
However, the central government has already taken a go-ahead from the EC well before the election code of conduct came into force. Hence, there should not be any problem in going for the Budget on February 1.
The Election Commission would not like to interfere in the presentation of the Budget, Chief Election Commission Sushil Chandra had said in a media briefing a week ago, immediately after announcing the election dates for five poll-bound States - Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.
"Budget is a yearly exercise, and a statement has to be placed in the House for it. The Election Commission would not like to interfere in the presentation of the budget because that is for the whole country, not limited to these five states only," he had said.
"(The Budget is) the allocation of expenditure, and revenue raising measures. How will the Budget presentation disturb the level playing field?" the CEC asked at that time.
But, there lies another problem. As the government officials concerned and the parliamentarians will get busy during the elections, they will not be able to give time for Budget proposal discussion in Parliament.
Keeping these points in view, the central government may go for a full-fledged Budget in March on completion of the polling in all five States.
The other option being explored is that the Union Budget will be presented on February 1, first part of the Budget session will be held till February 10 and second & final part after the polls, according to another source.
The election procedure has already kicked off on January 14, when the notification for the first phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh was issued. Uttar Pradesh would go to polls on February 10, 14, 20, 23 and March 3 and 7; Punjab, Goa and Uttarakhand would vote on February 14; while Manipur will vote in two phases, on February 27 and March 3.
