First phase of Himachal budget session from Feb 16

Shimla: The first phase of the Himachal Pradesh assembly's budget session will be held from February 16 to 18, followed by a break. The dates for the second phase will be announced once the state government submits its business schedule to the House.Sharing the details on Tuesday, assembly speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said the session will open on February 16 at 2pm with the governor's address, as it is the first sitting of the year. This will be followed by obituary references and legislative business. The House is slated to meet on February 16, 17 and 18, and the assembly portal has been opened for MLAs to submit questions and notices of all types.Pathania said the recent discontinuation of the revenue deficit grant (RDF) by the Centre has forced the state government to rework the 2026–27 budget, which may take additional time. Information about the second phase of the budget session will be shared once the government finalises the budget presentation.The speaker also chaired a meeting on Tuesday to review preparations for the session. Senior state government officers attended the meeting, including DGP Ashok Tiwari, who said around 500 police personnel will be deployed to ensure tight security.