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The Parliamentary Business Committee has decided to hold the second reading of the budget, or the Appropriation Bill, for the upcoming year 2027, and the President's budget speech on November 12. The Secretary-General of Parliament, Attorney Kushani Rohanadeera, has officially announced this decision.
These agreements were reached at the Parliamentary Business Committee meeting held on the 25th, chaired by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, and the first reading of the budget is scheduled for November 07. After the President, who is also the Minister of Finance, delivers the budget speech on Thursday, November 12, the full budget debate is planned to take place from November 13 to December 14.
The Second Reading debate of the budget will be held for seven days from November 13 to 20, with the vote scheduled for 6:00 PM on November 20. Subsequently, the Committee Stage debate will take place for nineteen days from November 21 to December 14. Decisions have been made regarding the final vote for the Third Reading of the budget, to be held at 6:00 PM on December 14.
During this budget debate period, Parliament will convene every day of the week, including Saturdays, except for public holidays and Sundays, at 9:30 AM. Time has been allocated for parliamentary business under Standing Orders 22(1) to (6) from 9:30 AM to 10:00 AM to commence daily proceedings, for five questions seeking oral answers from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM, and for one question referred under Standing Order 27(2) from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM.
The main budget debate will begin daily at 11:00 AM and continue until 6:00 PM. On all days except the two days when votes are held, the period from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM has been allocated for adjournment motions, with a 50:50 equal ratio for the government and the opposition.
The committee has approved the allocation of time such that the government party receives 60 percent and the opposition 40 percent during the Second Reading debate, and the government party receives 40 percent and the opposition 60 percent during the Committee Stage. The Secretary-General further stated that if a vote is required on the expenditure head of any ministry, it is scheduled to be held at 6:00 PM at the end of the relevant day.