The Supreme Court has refused to accord urgent hearing to the plea seeking postponement of presentation of the Union Budget due to Assembly elections in five states.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud asked lawyers to present material and legal provisions in support of a PIL and tell the court what provisions have been violated.
The court told the petitioner lawyer M L Sharma that they didn’t find any material in support of the petition. The bench asked Mr. Sharma to take time and prepare “hard” and come out with material in support of the PIL. The court has set January 20th for further hearing of the plea. The PIL sought to direct the Centre to present the Union Budget in the financial year 2017-18 on 1st April instead of the proposed February 1 date.
It also said that the central government be restrained from declaring “any relief, programme, financial budget until the states’ elections are over” as they would violate the Model Code of Conduct.