Opposition parties led by the Congress approached the Election Commission on Thursday asking it to reschedule the budget date- just three days before the commencement of Assembly polls in five states.
The Congress, Trinamool, Samajwadi party, BSP, Janata Dal (United) and RJD argued that the NDA government might announce “populist schemes” which would give it an unfair advantage in the upcoming elections.
Opposition, led by Ghulam Nabi Azad, met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi and asked the poll panel to direct the government to postpone Budget presentation to a day after March 8, the last day of polling in UP.
“There can be no concession to any political party, this is against the constitution and the ideal of democracy. We said that to ensure fair elections, the budget must be deferred to after the election results on March 11,” Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said after the meeting.
The Opposition has also sought President Pranab Mukherjee’s intervention on the issue.
In 2012, then Opposition BJP had objected to presentation of the Budget by UPA government in the midst of the election campaign in five states. The budget was moved to mid- March after the voting was completed.
Assembly polls will be held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand and Manipur from February 4 to March 8.
