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What is a vote-on-account?

February 10, 2009

If there are no external reasons, like an election or a caretaker government in the saddle, does a vote-on-account take place?

Yes, it does. Actually, a vote-on-account takes place very year.

While the Budget is presented on the last day of February every year, it takes a couple of months before the Budget is actually passed by both houses of Parliament. Once of the reasons for this is that Parliament adjourns the winter session before meeting again during the summer session, when the Budget is passed after modifications, if necessary.

Parliamentary scrutiny of the financial proposals and the passage of the Budget is normally not completed until the second week of May, well after the commencement of the new fiscal year.

So, the government presents a vote-on-account, estimating the expenditure for the first few months of the fiscal year, which is approved by Parliament. These expenses are then debited to the Consolidated Fund of India. But what is the Consolidated Fund of India?

Image: Security officers and a police snifer dog scan the budget papers to be distributed to Parliamentarians. | Photograph: Sondeep Shankar/Saab Press

Also read: These Indians have the golden touch

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