New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a PIL which sought the postponement of the Union Budget in view of Assembly elections in five states. The Budget will be presented as scheduled on February 1.
There is no illustration to support that the presentation of Union Budget would influence voters' mind in state elections, the top court said while disposing of the PIL filed by advocate ML Sharma.
The PIL had sought a direction to the Centre for the Budget to be presented in financial year 2017-18 which would commence from April 1, instead of February 1. It had also asked for the central government be restrained from declaring "any relief, programme, financial budget until the states' elections are over" as they would violate the Model Code of Conduct.
The Election Commission had on January 4 come out with the schedule of Assembly elections to be held in five states, including Uttar Pradesh. The first states to go to polls will be Goa and Punjab on February 4, three days after Budget presentation. The last phase of polls in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur will be held on March 8. Counting of votes will be held on March 11.
The Budget Session of Parliament has already been convened from January 31 when the President will address the joint sitting of the two Houses. The Union Budget and the Economic Survey are slated to be presented the next day.
The Opposition parties had written to the President and the Election Commission objecting to the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1 ahead of the Assembly elections and demanded that the government be asked to defer the annual exercise.
(With PTI inputs)
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