Union Budget 2025 | FAQs: What is a Finance Bill?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget on February 1, 2025, which will outline the government's economic and fiscal roadmap for the year.

In light of the upcoming Budget, we take a look at some of the terms associated with the exercise.

What is a Finance Bill?

Every year, the Finance Minister proposes numerous changes in taxes for the upcoming financial year. These changes relate to various existing laws, such as the Income Tax law, the Stamp Act, and the Money Laundering law, which govern different taxes in the country.

The Finance Bill serves the purpose of incorporating amendments with all the proposed changes into the relevant laws without necessitating separate amendments for each Act. Following the presentation of the annual budget in Parliament, the Finance Minister introduces the bill in the Lok Sabha.

Accompanied by a memo justifying the inclusion of provisions, the Finance Bill must be approved by Parliament within 75 days. It is crucial to note that while a Finance Bill is also a Money Bill, the two terms represent distinct concepts.

Money Bills specifically address matters outlined in Article 110 of the Constitution. According to Article 110, a Bill is classified as a Money Bill if it solely deals with:

1. The imposition, abolition, remission, alteration, or regulation of any tax.

2. The regulation of borrowing money or providing guarantees by the Government of India, or amending laws related to financial obligations undertaken by the government.

3. The custody of the consolidated fund or the Contingency fund of India, and the withdrawal or payment of funds.

4. The appropriation of funds from the Consolidated Fund of India.

5. The declaration of any expenditure as charged on the Consolidated Fund of India or an increase in such expenditure.

6. The receipt of money for the Consolidated Fund of India or the public account of India, the custody or issue of such money, or the audit of the Union or State accounts.

The determination of whether a bill is a Finance or a Money Bill, or neither, rests with the Speaker. According to Article 110, "If any question arises whether a bill is a Money Bill or not, the decision of the Speaker of the House of the People thereon shall be final."