Doubts are being raised over the presentation of the Union Budget on Wednesday, after the death of former Union Minister and sitting Member of Parliament E Ahamed.
Former Union Minister and Indian Union Muslim League leader E Ahamed passed away in the wee hours of Wednesday morning at the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital in Delhi, after he suffered a cardiac arrest in the Parliament on Tuesday.
The minister was admitted in a critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest during the President’s address in both Houses on Tuesday.
The House, as per convention, adjourns for a day after mourning the departed sitting member. However, postponement of Budget is unlikely as there has been a precedent where a Budget presentation went ahead after passing an obit reference.
The budget can be presented in the Rajya Sabha as E-Ahamed was not the member of the Upper House. The Lok Sabha can be called and mourn the death of the MP and get adjourned, and the Budget can be taken to the Rajya Sabha.
The 2017 Union Budget is scheduled to be presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and there will be no separate Rail budget from this year, as it has been merged with the General Budget.
The government has advanced the date of budget presentation so as to complete the entire process before the end of financial year.
The first part of the budget session has been kept brief in view of ongoing assembly polls in five states.
Meanwhile, the Congress has firmly stated that any proposal made in the name to ‘lure’ the population should not be suggested in the Budget.
“The Election Commission (EC) along with the Supreme Court is suggesting that no new schemes should be introduced in the poll-bounded states. Also, proposals merely to lure people should not be taken into consideration,” said Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
Source: dnaindia.com