2024 Budget Debate dates announced: President Wickremesinghe to deliver Budget speech

The government has officially announced the schedule for the 2024 budget debate, with President Ranil Wickremesinghe set to deliver the Budget speech on Nov 13 at 12:00 noon.A seven-day debate on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill is scheduled to take place from Nov 14 to 20. The sessions will run from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The voting on the Second Reading, is set for Nov 21 at 6:00 p.m., the following Tuesday. This phase marks a pivotal point in the process, where the budget’s general principles and direction will be endorsed or potentially amended by parliamentary members.

Following the conclusion of the Second Reading, the budget process will enter the Committee Stage debate, which will span 19 days, starting from November 22 and concluding on Dec 12. During these deliberations, MPs will have the opportunity to scrutinize the budget line by line, propose amendments, and engage in in-depth discussions on the finer details of the fiscal plan.The final decision on the budget, the division on the Third Reading, will commence at 6:00 p.m. on December 13.