Former MP M. Ramadass on Sunday claimed that the sanctity of the budget had been compromised with the posting of some key information on the public domain.
In a press statement, Mr. Ramadass said even as the budget for the financial year 2016-17 of the Government of Puducherry was to be presented by the Chief Minister on Monday, a part of the Budget information has been available in the public domain through the Government website since August 22.
“According to the cherished tradition and convention, no part of budget detail should be known to the public before it is presented to the Assembly for the information of the members,”Mr. Ramadass said.
Financial statement
According to him, the budget was an annual financial statement detailing the schemes and anticipated revenue and expenditure of the Government. “The placing of information publicly a week before it is informed to the Members of the Legislative Assembly is unprecedented and constitutes a breach of privilege of the House,” Mr. Ramadass said.
He demanded an explanation from the Chief Minister for “the administrative laxity of the Government and obliviousness of the procedures on the part of the officers.”
The Chief Minister and the Speaker also have to decide whether 30 or 31 members should be present in the Assembly as the Union Territory’s Act Part II 3 (2) provides that the total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly shall be thirty. The legality of this Assembly has to be ensured before the Budget is presented, Mr. Ramadass said.
“Placing of information publicly before budget presentation, a breach of privilege ”
