EC panel seeks response from Goverment on Oppositions’ demand to postpone Budget

New Delhi: The EC has sought the govt’s reaction on opposition’s demand to postpone the Union Budget presentation after Mar 8.

Opposition parties met the ECI on Thursday. They demanded that Budget 2017 be presented after March 8, which is the last day of voting in poll-bound five states.

ECI on Wednesday said dates for the Assembly polls in five states between February 4 and March 8 demanding a seven-phase polling for Uttar Pradesh, the biggest of all, with 403 seats.

The Union Budget is likely to be presented on Feb 4. The Railway Budget, which used to be presented prior to the General Budget so long, will be merged with the latter, from this year.

The member delgation of Opposition parties from the DMK,Congress, the TMC, JD (U), met the EC on Thursday, saying that the BJP is likely to declare sops and programs to sway the voters and this will be in violation of the model code of conduct.

However, BJP has reacted and said that the demand for postponement of the Budget by the Opposition is an attempt to politicalise the governments constitutional duties.