SC to hear plea to postpone Union budget on Jan 23

Govt should be restrained from declaring 'any relief programme' until state polls are over, said PIL

The Supreme Court on Friday deferred to January 23 the hearing on a plea seeking postponement of Union Budget presentation ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in five states.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud, which has sought material and legal provisions in support of the PIL, preferred to go through the additional affidavit filed by the petitioner.

Advocate M L Sharma, who has filed the PIL, also expressed his readiness to argue the matter on Monday.

The PIL has said that the Centre be directed to present the Budget in the financial year 2017-18 which would commence from April 1, instead of the proposed February 1 date.

It has also said that 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 Centre has already decided to convene the Budget Session of Parliament from January 31 to present the Budget for 2017-18 fiscal the very next day.