EC permits govt to present Union Budget on Feb 1

Election Commission, EC has given its nod to the Centre to present the Union Budget on 1st of February ahead of the Assembly polls in five States. The commission told Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha that in the interest of free and fair elections, no state-specific schemes shall be announced to influence voters in the five poll-bound states. The Commission also said that in the Finance Minister's speech, the government's achievements with respect to the five states should not be highlighted in any manner.

Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh,



Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab and Goa will be held between 4th of February and 8th of March. Opposition parties had demanded that the government be asked to defer it. Earlier, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking postponement of the Union Budget, saying there was no illustration that it will influence voters.Budget session of Parliament has already been convened from 31st of January when the President will address the joint sitting of the two Houses. Union Budget and the Economic Survey are slated to be presented the next day.