Union Budget can be presented on February 1 but schemes related to poll-bound states cannot be announced: Election Commission

Delhi: The Election Commission on Monday evening gave its nod to the Centre to present the Union Budget on February 01 but said that no schemes related to poll-bound states could be announced.

It added that Finance Minister's speech should not refer to the government's achievements in these states.

At the same time, the EC reminded the government of a 2009 advisory which said vote-on-account instead of a full-fledged Budget is presented ahead of elections as per convention.

"The Commission hereby directs that in the interest of free and fair elections and in order to maintain level playing field... No state-specific schemes shall be announced which may have the effect of influencing the electors of the five poll going states in favour of the ruling parties," the EC told Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha, as per PTI.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Punjab and Goa will be held between February 4 and March 8. 

Earlier today, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea seeking postponement of Union Budget presentation ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in five states, saying that there was no illustration that it would influence voters.

A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar refused to admit the plea saying "there was not even a single concrete example that the presentation of Union Budget would influence the minds of electorate in state elections".

The bench, also comprising Justices NV Ramana and DY Chandrachud, did not grant opportunity to lawyer ML Sharma, who had filed the PIL in personal capacity, to come back to it if the Centre violated the model code of conduct in its budget, to be presented on February one.

Referring to constitutional provisions, the court said there are clear divisions of subjects, Union, State and concurrent, in the Constitution and the presentation of Union budget cannot be dependant on state polls "which keep happening."

It was not impressed with the arguments that the Centre may announce sops for the voters of the states going for polls in the budget, saying "Your argument is absurd. This way you will say the party in power at Centre should not contest state polls".

(With PTI inputs)