President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development will deliver the 2026 Budget Speech in Parliament at 1:30 pm today (7).
This is the second budget to be presented by the present administration.
President Dissanayake reviewed the final draft of the 2026 Budget Proposal at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday night (5), with Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma also in attendance, according to the President’s Office.
Following the presentation, the Budget Debate on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill will commence on November 8 and continue for six days. The vote on the Second Reading is scheduled for 14 Nov (Friday) at 6 pm.
The Committee Stage Debate is set to begin on November 15 and will continue for 17 sitting days, including three Saturdays, until Dec 5. The vote on the Third Reading of the Appropriation Bill is to be taken up at 6 pm on Dec 5.
During the budget period, Parliament will meet daily except on Sundays and public holidays. Sessions will begin at 9.30 am on Mondays and at 9 am on other days. Each day’s sittings will continue until 6 pm, with time from 6 to 6.30 pm allocated for adjournment motions, shared equally between the Government and the Opposition, except on voting days.
In addition, during the Committee Stage Debate, provision has been made for five Questions for Oral Answers and one Question under Standing Orders 27(2), apart from the regular business under Standing Orders 22(1) to (6).
