Budget: Govt to seek AG's opinion
January 10, 2017  10:37
image
Rajeev Sharma tells us:  The Modi government is likely to seek Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi's legal opinion on the controversy about the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1, three days before the voting process for five state assemblies begins.


The AG will be asked to give his considered opinion on whether the Union government is well within its rights to choose a date for presentation of the Budget irrespective of external factors like the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur.


The Congress party has petitioned the Election Commission and President Pranab Mukherjee seeking a directive to the Modi government to present the Budget only after the poll process is over with the counting of votes on March 11.


The Congress party's argument is that presentation of the Budget before the voting process would influence voters and would thus be violative of the Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct.


The Modi government's move to seek the AG's opinion on the controversial issue is to prepare itself for a legal haul as Opposition parties have already knocked at the Supreme Court's doors in this context.
« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES