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The second phase of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly's Budget Session will be held from March 18 to April 2, with 13 sittings scheduled and as many as 834 questions listed for discussion in the House, the Speaker said on Tuesday.
Addressing mediapersons, the Himachal Assembly speaker, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, said the Chief Minister will present his fourth budget on March 21 for the financial year 2026-27. The session will begin with the Motion of Thanks on the Governor's Address from March 18 to 20, followed by the Chief Minister's reply on March 20. Discussions on the budget estimates will take place from March 23 to 25, while deliberations on demands for grants and cut motions are scheduled from March 27 to 30. The budget is expected to be passed on March 30. The Speaker informed us that a total of 834 questions will be taken up during the session, including 665 starred and 169 unstarred questions. Additionally, issues raised under various rules, 8 under Rule 62, 3 under Rule 102, and 5 under Rule 130 will also be discussed in the House. Pathania urged both the treasury and opposition benches to ensure the smooth and peaceful conduct of the proceedings and to raise matters of public importance through structured discussions as well as Zero Hour. He also reiterated concerns over cross-voting by legislators, stating that such actions undermine democratic values and breach public trust. He noted that necessary action has been taken in accordance with constitutional provisions in past instances. The Speaker further highlighted that international developments, including the ongoing one, may have wider implications and could be discussed during the session, particularly in the context of their potential impact on sectors like tourism and essential supplies in Himachal Pradesh. On the functioning of House committees, Pathania expressed satisfaction with the work of the Petitions Committee. He added that a meeting of the Privileges Committee has been convened in the evening, with the Chief Secretary asked to appear and explain delays in responses related to breach of privilege cases. Around seven such cases are currently pending before the committee. (ANI)
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