All-Party Meet Called Ahead of Budget Session; Parliament Set to Begin on January 28

New Delhi | January 24, 2026 Ahead of the upcoming Budget Session, the central government has called an all-party meeting on January 27 to discuss the legislative agenda and other key issues. This meeting comes just a day before the Budget Session begins, as the government prepares to set the tone for the parliamentary proceedings. The Budget Session will officially begin on January 28, with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In an unusual move, the Union Budget will be presented on February 1, which is a Sunday a rare occurrence in India’s parliamentary history. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her ninth consecutive budget. The all-party meeting, convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, will take place at 11 am in the main committee room of the Parliament House annexe, according to government sources. The Budget Session is scheduled to run until April 2, with the first phase ending on February 13 and Parliament reconvening on March 9. The session is expected to witness strong debates, especially as the opposition Congress continues its nationwide campaign against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, which replaces the earlier MGNREGA scheme. The ruling BJP is running a counter-campaign to highlight the new law as a reform-driven step aimed at correcting loopholes. Meanwhile, global economic concerns are also expected to influence discussions, especially following U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, which have disrupted global trade dynamics. As per an internal circular, the Lok Sabha has allocated February 2 to 4 for discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address. Notably, there will be no Zero Hour on January 28 and February 1. Parliament is also reviewing several pending bills, including the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, the Securities Markets Code, 2025, and the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, which are currently under scrutiny by Parliamentary committees. : Parliament’s Budget Session Begins on January 28; Govt Calls All-Party Meet Before Key Discussions The government has called an all-party meeting on January 27 to discuss the upcoming Budget Session’s agenda, just a day before Parliament meets. The meeting has been convened by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and it will take place at 11 am in the main committee room of the Parliament House annexe. The Budget Session will start on January 28, with President Droupadi Murmu addressing the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In a rare move, the Union Budget will be presented on February 1, which falls on a Sunday. This will be Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive budget. The session is set to run until April 2, with the first phase ending on February 13 and Parliament resuming on March 9. Political discussions are expected to be intense, especially as the opposition Congress continues its nationwide campaign against the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, while the BJP counters by calling the law reformist and necessary. The Lok Sabha has provisionally allocated February 2 to 4 for the Motion of Thanks debate on the President’s address, and there will be no Zero Hour on January 28 and February 1. Several important bills are pending, including the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, the Securities Markets Code, 2025, and the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, which are currently under review by Parliamentary committees.