Pranab cautious on budget delay reports

As speculation over the delay in the presentation of the union budget due to assembly elections in five states made the rounds, union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday chose to sidestep the issue.

"Normally, the day of presentation of budget is the last working day of the month of February. And as this year is a leap year so it will be 29th. And I think all the elections will be over before that except Goa,” said Mukherjee while talking to reporters in Kolkata.
Asked whether it meant there will be no delay in budget presentation, Mukherjee said: “No, I am not saying any such thing. When the date will be fixed, then I will let you know.”
Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi Saturday announced the poll dates for Manipur, Punjab Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Goa and said the model code of conduct would be applicable with "immediate effect from now".

The code, announced to prevent governments from giving out sops to the electorate, remains operational till the election process is completed, which is March 9 in this case.
Asked about the poll schedule clashing with the presentation of the budget, Quraishi said: "The government will have to take care of it."