New Delhi: The Election Commission on Wednesday announced the dates for the Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa elections and said it had taken all things under consideration before taking its decision, including the possibility of an early budget.
The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) had recommended advancing the holding of the Budget Session to January 31 followed by the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1. But many parties have protested against the advancing of the budget session as they feel it would impact the polls that commence from February 4.
Read: Govt trying to win elections by advancing budget: Oppn
Opposition parties have questioned Modi government’s intentions, saying the government could announce populist schemes in the middle of the election campaign in order to win the polls. 16 parties including the Congress have written a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi.
The CEC when questioned on whether an early budget would violate the Model Code of Conduct said that his team had taken all factors under consideration, indicating that the poll panel may not have any issues with the advancing of the budget session. But a final decision is yet to be taken by the panel.
"Commission has received one representation with regard to presentation of budget; examining it and will take call on it in due course," Zaidi said.
The CCPA, headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, met in New Delhi on Tuesday and made the recommendation to advance the budget session to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Early presentation of the Budget would mean that the entire exercise is over by March 31 and expenditure as well as tax proposals will come into effect right from the beginning of the new fiscal, thereby ensuring better implementation.
As per the earlier practice, the budgetary exercise was completed only by mid-May and with the monsoon arriving in June, most of the schemes and spendings by states did not take off until October, leaving just half-a-year for their implementation.
