Opposition parties petition Commission against its presentation; Centre yet to reveal stance.

Leaders of the Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD (U), RJD and the DMK met the Election Commission on Thursday and sought a recommendation to the Central government to defer the Union Budget presentation in the wake of coming Assembly elections in five States.

The Budget session is to start on February 1.

Rajya Sabha Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad demanded that the Budget be presented after March 8. The Centre could announce populist measures and under such circumstances, a just and fair election could not be conducted, he said.

Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien tweeted, stating that that the Budget date was too close to the elections and that he, along two other senior party members, were part of the delegation that met the Election Commissioners.

On Wednesday, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi said that a representation for deferment of the Budget was being examined and a decision on the issue would be taken in due course.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati had also urged the Commisssion to recommend that the Budget presentation be deferred, pointing out that during the 2012 Assembly polls it was presented after the elections.

However, the Central government has maintained that there is no need to postpone the Budget presentation, saying that otherwise developmental works in other States would suffer.