Union Budget 2025-26: Why budget kept secret till it is presented in Parliament, how many times it was leaked?
Union Budget 2025: Preparations are going on in full swing for the general budget of the country. The entire team of the Finance Ministry, all the big officers, ministers work hard to prepare the budget. It is kept in mind how to give relief to the people through the budget. The entire plan of making the budget is kept completely confidential but do you know that the Union Budget has also been leaked twice?
Yes, you have read it absolutely right that the Union Budget has been leaked twice. In this news, we tell you when this Union Budget got leaked, why the entire process of making it is kept secret and if the Union Budget gets leaked, then what are the provisions of punishment for it.
Why is the process of making the budget kept secret?
The Union Budget is a very sensitive document. It contains information about the country's economic policies, taxes, government expenditure and development plans. If the budget information is revealed in advance, it can cause huge fluctuations in the stock market. If information about changes in taxes, subsidies or government expenditure is received before time, investors and businessmen can take undue advantage of it.
If information about reduction or increase in tax on anything is received in advance, then traders can increase the prices in advance, due to which the steps taken by the government will not be affected.
When was the budget leaked?
The first budget after independence was to be presented on November 26, 1947. The country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru entrusted the responsibility of presenting the budget to Sir RK Shanmukham Chetti. This budget contained information about India's plans for seven and a half months from August 15, 1947, to March 31, 1948.
It was leaked to the media before Chetti presented the budget. During that time, the budget documents were sent to Britain for consultation with the British government. But British Finance Minister Hugh Dalton had given information about tax policies to the media, due to which this news spread rapidly. Due to this incident, the British Finance Minister had to resign from his post.
Budget was leaked for the second time in 1950
The second incident of budget leak happened in 1950. Then John Mathai was the Finance Minister. During his tenure, some budget documents were leaked during printing. John Mathai was accused of bias, and he resigned from the post of Finance Minister. After this incident, the security of the budget was tightened.
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After this, many big steps were taken to maintain the confidentiality of the budget
During the process of preparing the budget, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and intelligence agencies are deployed. The phones of the officials associated with the budget are tracked and they are confined to the office. They are also not allowed to meet the family.
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Security is further tightened during the printing of the budget. Only the Finance Minister is allowed to meet the officials. The work of printing the budget is done in the basement of North Block and it is kept secret till the last moment.
What can be the punishment for leaking the budget?
The government has made strict rules to ensure the security of the budget. If a person leaks sensitive information related to the budget, serious legal action can be taken against him. If found guilty under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, the guilty person can be given severe punishment. There is a provision of jail sentence in this.
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