The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition to defer Budget presentation in view of the upcoming elections to five States.
The bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar failed to find any legal ground to entertain the petition and told the petitioner advocate Ml Sharma that the real forum to make this plea was before the Election Commission. The Bench, also comprising Justices NV Ramana and DY Chandrachud left it open for the EC to take an independent call as it told the petitioner, “If EC is satisfied there are going to be political consequences, it can stop the Centre.”
Sharma who was given two occasions in the past for bringing material to support his petition failed to give a single illustration in order to suggest that Budget declaration can affect free and fair polls by playing on the minds of voters. “State elections have nothing to do with Central Budget,” Bench said.