Tamil Nadu Assembly to meet on Feb 17 for interim Budget before elections
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly will reconvene on February 17 for the presentation of the state’s interim Budget for the financial year 2026-2027, Speaker M. Appavu announced on Saturday.
The session, scheduled to begin at 9.30 a.m., is being held in the run-up to the Assembly elections expected in April or May this year.
Addressing reporters in Tirunelveli, the Speaker said Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu would present the interim Budget on the opening day of the session.
The government will outline its financial plans and priorities while seeking the legislature’s approval to manage expenditure during the election period.
Apart from the interim Budget, the Finance Minister is also slated to table the demand for advance grants for 2026–2027 and proposals seeking approval for additional expenditure for the current financial year, 2025–2026.
These financial matters will be taken up in the House on February 20.
The duration of the Assembly session has not yet been finalised. Appavu said the Business Advisory Committee would meet shortly to determine the exact number of sittings and schedule the proceedings.
The Speaker also spoke about steps being taken to improve transparency and public access to Assembly debates.
Responding to questions about live telecasts, he said the State government, led by Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, intends to expand real-time coverage of legislative proceedings.
Currently, the question hour and ministers’ replies are broadcast live. Soon, discussions on the demand for grants will also be livestreamed.
He added that while some States air only edited or censored versions of proceedings, Tamil Nadu is working towards more comprehensive coverage.
“Digitisation of past Assembly records is progressing steadily. Once completed, people from anywhere in the world will be able to access them,” he noted.
Dismissing allegations from Opposition parties that their speeches were being deliberately interrupted during live telecasts, Appavu said each member is allotted a specific time slot and the coverage is carried without disruption.
With the interim Budget set to outline the government’s immediate fiscal roadmap, the upcoming session is expected to play a crucial role in shaping the state’s political and economic narrative ahead of the elections.
