Govt overlooks protests, calls Budget session on January 31

Mumbai: Overlooking massive protests from opposition parties, the government on Saturday said that it has called the annual Budget session of Parliament on January 31.

Earlier the government, while breaking away from decades-old tradition of holding the Budget session in last week of February, had announced that it will advance the Budget date and present it on February 1 instead of last week of the same month.

The Congress along with key opposition parties has taken several representations to the President with a plea to change the dates of assembly polls as they think any ‘populist’ announcement in Budget would influence voters’ mind.

Earlier, chief election commissioner Nasim Zaidi had announced dates for elections to five state assemblies going to polls starting February 4.

The CEC who has also received complaints from opposition parties has written to Cabinet Secretary asking him to reply with government’s stand on the issue.