The budget speech for the financial year 2027 is scheduled to be presented to Parliament on November 12, according to Secretary-General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera.
The schedule and key details for the upcoming budget process are outlined below:
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First Reading: The Appropriation Bill for 2027 will be presented for its first reading on October 7.
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Second Reading (Budget Speech): The President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, will present the second reading of the Appropriation Bill—commonly known as the budget speech—on November 12.
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Second Reading Debate & Vote: The debate on the second reading will take place from November 13 to November 20, with the vote scheduled for 6:00 PM on November 20.
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Committee Stage Debate & Final Vote: The Committee Stage debate will run from November 21 to December 14. The vote on the third reading will be held at 6:00 PM on December 14.
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Sittings: Throughout the budget debate period, Parliament will convene on Saturdays, excluding public holidays and Sundays.
Time allocation during the debates has been structured to balance government and opposition contributions. For the second reading debate, 60% of the time will be allocated to the government and 40% to the opposition. Conversely, during the Committee Stage debate, 40% of the time will be given to the government and 60% to the opposition.