Budget 2017: EC bars Modi government from announcing schemes for poll bound states

The Modi govt is set to present its Union Budget on February 1 just days ahead of the polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur scheduled between Feb 4 and March 8.

By ET Bureau | Updated: Jan 24, 2017, 02.00 AM IST

Don't announce any scheme for poll-bound states in Union Budget, EC tells government

NEW DELHI: After the Supreme Court’s go ahead to the Union Budget on February 1, the Election Commission of India followed suit with a late night order that has paved way for the Budget presentation next month, but warned against any announcement pertaining to the five poll-bound states.

It reminded the government of its 2009 order where it had advised a Vote on Account instead of a full Budget, terming it a “healthy democratic practice”.

The Congress and other opposition parties had gone to the EC demanding that the February 1 Budget announcement be stayed in the interest of free and fair elections in UP, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand.

The EC has directed in its order that “no state-specific schemes shall be announced in the Budget which may have the effect of influencing the electors in the five poll-bound states in favour of the ruling party”.

The order marked to the Cabinet Secretary further reminded that in the Budget speech, the government’s achievements in the five states must also not be highlighted.

What do taxpayers want in Budget 2017?

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The Budget is just around the corner. It will be presented by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. As always, there’s a flurry of expectations and speculations about what it has in store. Read on for the Deloitte Pre-Budget Expectations Survey Report, 2017.