Budget 2017 date: Simply explained what the controversy is all about

New Delhi: Opposition parties have moved the Election Commission objecting to the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1 ahead of the Assembly elections in five states and demanded that the government be asked to defer the annual exercise till March 8, the last day of voting.

Punjab and Goa will go for polls on February 4 and the last phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur will be held on March 8.

Why are parties opposing Budget plan on Feb 1?

The opposition parties feel that Budget on February 1 will tilt the balance in favour of BJP as it would use the exercise to influence voters by doling out sops.

What is the counter argument?

A senior BJP leader has rubbished the opposition claims saying it is a constitutional exercise that should not be linked to election cycle. Union budgets have been presented in the past during elections and it cannot be any different this year.

Which parties are opposing the Budget date?

Sixteen parties have already written to the President and EC opposing the decision to have an early Budget session beginning January 31.

A delegation of opposition parties comprising Congress, JD U(), BSP, SP, DMK and RJD met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi to press that the government be asked to defer the Budget presentation till at least March 8.

Congress says when the poll dates clashed with Budget in 2012, it did this...

"When the opposition had objected in 2012 during the Assembly polls to these five states, Congress had accepted their stand and postponed presentation of the Union Budget from February 28 to March 16. We want that there should be no presentation of the Budget till the elections are over," Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has said

What does FM Jaitley have to say?

While the commission has said it will examine a representation made by parties opposing the February 1 Budget plan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has defended the move asking why the opposition parties are afraid of it when they have claimed that demonetisation is an unpopular decision.

With PTI Inputs