'Budget before polls will influence voters'

Interview with former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi

Former chief election commission S Y Quraishi tells Sahil Makkar it would be wiser to defer the Union Budget, as its presentation on February 1 may influence the outcome of the Assembly elections ahead.

How right is it to have the general Budget just three days before the Punjab and Goa elections? 

It has become a point of debate. Earlier, the Budget used to be on February 28 and this practice had continued for over 70 years. The Election Commission (EC) had got accustomed to this practice and it scheduled the elections accordingly. But the government of India’s intention of advancing