Who should generally make the decision to shift a release?

The decision to shift a release is usually made by a team that includes the product manager, development team lead, and QA lead. The product manager plays an important role as they are responsible for business goals and priorities. Opinions from QA and development are also considered, especially if there are critical bugs or technical risks.

Ultimately, the decision is made collectively based on the product's readiness, quality, risks, and business priorities. Sometimes, in large companies, there is a dedicated release manager who coordinates this process.