Budget on Feb 6; Grants and Bills Lined Up Till April 4
FIRDOUS AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Jan 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will begin its fifth session on February 2, 2026, marking the start of an important Budget Session that will continue in different phases until April 4. As per the provisional calendar issued by the Legislative Assembly Secretariat, the session will open with the Lieutenant Governor’s address to the House, a key constitutional formality that outlines the government’s broad policy direction for the year ahead.
The address will be followed by three days of debate on the Motion of Thanks, beginning on February 3 and concluding on February 5, when the government will reply to the issues raised by members. These discussions are expected to set the political tone for the session, with legislators likely to raise concerns relating to governance, development, public services and the overall political situation in the Union Territory.
The most awaited event of the session, the presentation of the Budget, is scheduled for February 6. On this day, the government will place before the House the Annual Financial Statement of Expenditure for 2026–27 along with the Supplementary Statement of Expenditure for 2025–26. The Budget will provide a comprehensive picture of the government’s fiscal strategy, including its priorities for development, welfare spending and infrastructure at a time when economic revival and employment generation remain key public concerns.
Following the presentation of the Budget, the Assembly will take up a general discussion on the financial proposals from February 7, with further deliberations on February 9 and February 10, when the government will give its formal reply. These debates traditionally see intense exchanges between the treasury benches and the opposition, as members scrutinise the government’s spending plans and highlight the needs of their respective constituencies.
The House will then move to the detailed examination of departmental allocations through Demands for Grants from February 11 to February 13. After an off day on February 14 and a holiday on February 15, the process will resume from February 16 and continue until February 19. This stage is crucial as it determines how funds are distributed across departments such as health, education, public works, agriculture and social welfare, effectively shaping the delivery of government services for the coming year.
After a short break, the Assembly will reconvene in the last week of March to complete the financial business. On March 27, Appropriation Bills will be taken up, a mandatory step that gives legal backing to government expenditure. The following day, March 28, has been reserved for government business, while March 29 will be a holiday.
The session will also provide space for private members to raise legislative and policy issues. Private Members’ Bills are scheduled for March 30 and April 1, while Private Members’ Resolutions will be taken up on March 31 and April 2. April 3 has been declared a holiday on account of Good Friday, and the session will conclude with government business on April 4.
The provisional calendar has been issued by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather and circulated to all members of the Legislative Assembly and senior officials. With the Budget, voting on departmental grants and several legislative days earmarked for both government and private members’ business, the forthcoming session is expected to be a defining one for Jammu and Kashmir, laying down the financial and legislative roadmap for the Union Territory in 2026–27.
