Constitution Section 203 — Procedure in Legislature with respect to estimates

Part VI — THE STATES — Procedure in Financial Matters

Constitutional

Summary

The part of the budget that covers spending that must be paid from the State’s main fund cannot be voted on by the Legislative Assembly, but the Assembly can still discuss it. The rest of the budget is presented to the Assembly as requests for money, and the Assembly can approve or reject any request, or approve it with a lower amount. No request for money can be made unless the Governor recommends it.

Official Text

(1) So much of the estimates as relates to expenditure charged upon the Consolidated Fund of a State shall not be submitted to the vote of the Legislative Assembly, but nothing in this clause shall be construed as preventing the discussion in the Legislature of any of those estimates.

(2) So much of the said estimates as relates to other expenditure shall be submitted in the form of demands for grants to the Legislative Assembly, and the Legislative Assembly shall have power to assent, or to refuse to assent, to any demand, or to assent to any demand subject to a reduction of the amount specified therein.

(3) No demand for a grant shall be made except on the recommendation of the Governor.