November 06, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Parliament is set to convene tomorrow (07) for the presentation of the second annual budget of the National People’s Power (NPP) government.
This occasion also marks the nation’s 80th budget since gaining independence.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is expected to deliver the second reading of the Appropriation Bill — commonly known as the Budget Speech — outlining the government’s financial framework and policy priorities for 2026. The first reading of the Bill was tabled before Parliament on September 26 this year.
Once the budget has been presented, parliamentary proceedings will move into debate on the second reading of the Appropriation Bill, beginning on Saturday (08). Lawmakers have been allotted six days for this stage of discussion, with the final vote on the second reading scheduled for 6.00 p.m. on November 14.
Following this, the Committee Stage debate — where individual expenditures of ministries and state institutions are examined in detail — will continue for 17 sitting days from November 15 to December 05.
The third reading and final vote on the 2026 Budget are due to take place at 6.00 p.m. on 5 December, bringing the comprehensive budget process to a close.
