Explorer

Budget gets postponed if sitting MP dies?: Explained

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 04 Jan 2019 02:47 PM (IST)

Some quarters even demanded putting off the Budget presentation till tomorrow following the tradition of Lok Sabha adjourning for the day as a mark of respect whenever a sitting MP passes away. Photo: FILE (PTI)

NEW DELHI: Brushing aside doubt in the wake of death of a sitting member, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today announced that he will present the Union Budget for 2017-18 as scheduled at 11 am.

Some quarters even demanded putting off the Budget presentation till tomorrow following the tradition of Lok Sabha adjourning for the day as a mark of respect whenever a sitting MP passes away.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said in view of the death of such a senior leader, the budget must be postponed by a day as there is nothing pressing for it to be presented on Wednesday itself.
As per precedent, if a sitting MP dies, the House gets adjourned after making obituary reference to the deceased.
The government, however, felt that performing a constitutional duty did not mean any disrespect to the departed soul and there were two precedents where death of a sitting MP and minister did not prevent the then government from presenting the Budget on the scheduled day.
Sources said the government cited death of minister M B Rana on the Budget day on August 31, 1974. The then Speaker G S Dhillon decided to go ahead with the Budget presentation. Indira Gandhi was the prime minister then.
Also, on April 19, 1954, sitting member Jujhar Pal Sorein passed away on the day of presentation of the Railway Budget, but the House proceedings were held as scheduled.
Sources said that on both occasions, the Lok Sabha met in the morning and was adjourned for a few hours as mark of respect to the departed and the Budget was unveiled in the evening, in line with the schedule.
In those days, the Budget was presented in evening, usually at 5 pm.
Also, all Budget papers are printed with today's date, postponement will cause many hassles, the government argued.
Sources said Jaitley met President Pranab Mukherjee in the morning to fulfil the constitutional obligation of getting a go-ahead from the head of state for the Budget presentation.