How Arun Jaitley Navigated Presenting The Union Budget 2017 On Time Today

New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today used Twitter to confirm that his fourth budget would be presented on time - at 11 am, just as scheduled. "Watch me live presenting the Union Budget 2017 at 11 am February 1, 2017," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted. His assertion followed doubts about whether the government's annual budget would have to be delayed, as demanded by the opposition Congress, over the death of Kerala parliamentarian E Ahamed. Yesterday, Mr Ahamed, who was 78, fainted in parliament during President Pranab Mukherjee's joint address to both houses. Mr Ahamed was rushed to hospital and died hours later after a cardiac arrest.

The Congress said that parliamentary guidelines demand that the house be adjourned or dismissed for the day over the death of a sitting member.  However, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there is a "constitutional obligation" to present the budget on time, and that as a mark of respect for Mr Ahamed, it will not meet tomorrow.

The government referred to earlier examples of the death of a sitting MP and minister which did not stop the presentation of the budget on the scheduled day.

President Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the presentation of the budget this morning. Mr Jaitley then briefed the cabinet on details before moving to parliament.

For the first time, the budget has been advanced from the customary last working day in February so that the government can implement its new policies and schemes at the start of April, when the new financial year begins.