Parliament meets on Wednesday for the start of its Budget Session, the most important legislative stretch of the year.
President Droupadi Murmu will formally open proceedings by addressing a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha at 11 PM. The address sets the tone for the session and will be followed by a Motion of Thanks, which traditionally triggers wide-ranging political debate.
The Budget Session is when the government outlines its economic priorities, and Parliament scrutinises spending, taxation, and policy direction.
Budget on February 1, Economic Survey on January 29
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to present the Union Budget for 2026–27 on February 1.
The date falls on a Sunday. That is unusual and will require special arrangements in Parliament.
Ahead of the Budget, the Economic Survey is likely to be tabled on January 29. The document, prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the supervision of the Chief Economic Adviser, reviews the state of the economy and provides the context for Budget proposals.
The 65-day Budget Session includes 30 sittings. It will run in two phases.
In the first, Parliament will take up the Budget and hold initial discussions. During the break, standing committees will examine demands for grants. Final debates and voting will follow when Parliament meets again in March.
Parliament will adjourn on February 13 and reconvene on March 9.
The first part of the session will focus largely on financial business related to the Budget and the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. Legislative and other business is expected to be taken up mainly during the second phase.
All-party meeting held ahead of session
Ahead of the session, an all-party meeting was held on Tuesday to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament.
The meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, was attended by 51 leaders from 39 political parties, including several Union ministers.
Addressing the meeting, Rijiju said the government was hopeful of a constructive session. “We are hopeful for a fruitful Budget Session for a Viksit Bharat,” he said, while urging parties to cooperate and assuring that the government was prepared to discuss all important issues in accordance with parliamentary rules.
Leaders were briefed on the session’s schedule and business, including the two-phase structure and the role of Standing Committees during the recess.
The government is expected to use the session to advance its agenda on economic growth, fiscal consolidation, infrastructure, employment and sustainability, while the opposition is likely to press for accountability on policy and governance issues.