Budget 2026: Government Calls Crucial All-Party Meeting Ahead of Parliament Session
The Union government has convened a significant all-party meeting on January 27, just one day before the commencement of the Budget Session of Parliament. This preparatory gathering aims to foster consensus and discuss the extensive legislative and other agendas slated for the session.
Budget Session Schedule and Presidential Address
The Budget Session will officially begin on January 28, marked by a momentous address from President Draupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. This address traditionally outlines the government's vision and policy priorities for the coming fiscal year.
Key Dates: Economic Survey and Union Budget Presentation
The Economic Survey, a comprehensive review of the nation's economic performance, will be tabled in Parliament on January 29. Following this, the much-anticipated Union Budget for 2026 will be presented on February 1, which falls on a Sunday. This presentation will be a historic moment as it constitutes Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's ninth consecutive budget, underscoring her prolonged stewardship of the nation's finances.
Details of the All-Party Meeting
The all-party meeting, convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, is scheduled for 11 am on January 27. It will be held at the main committee room of the Parliament House annexe. This meeting is a standard parliamentary practice intended to ensure smooth proceedings and bipartisan cooperation during the critical budget discussions.
Session Timeline and Parliamentary Business
The Budget Session is set to continue until April 2, structured in two phases. The first phase will conclude on February 13, after which Parliament will adjourn and reassemble on March 9 for the second phase. Notably, there will be no Zero Hour on January 28 and February 1, focusing proceedings on the President's address and the budget presentation.
In terms of legislative business, the Lok Sabha has provisionally allotted three days—February 2 to 4—for discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address. This debate is a key parliamentary exercise following the presidential speech.
Pending Legislative Agenda and Political Context
A substantial legislative agenda awaits Parliament, with as many as nine bills pending before the Lok Sabha. Prominent among these are:
- The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025
- The Securities Markets Code, 2025
- The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024
These bills are currently under rigorous scrutiny by Parliamentary Standing or Select Committees, reflecting the detailed legislative process.
The session unfolds against a backdrop of heightened political activity. The opposition Congress is conducting a nationwide campaign against the recently enacted Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, which replaces the UPA-era Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. In response, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is running a counter-campaign to highlight this new legislation as a reformist measure designed to address loopholes in the previous law.
Global Economic Backdrop
This budget presentation is also set against a complex global economic landscape, notably influenced by US President Donald Trump's tariffs, which have significantly disrupted the global economic order. This external factor adds a layer of complexity to the domestic fiscal planning and economic strategies that will be outlined in the budget.
The upcoming Budget Session of 2026 is poised to be a pivotal period of legislative activity, economic policy unveiling, and political discourse, setting the tone for India's fiscal trajectory in the coming year.
