Chennai, 26 December (H.S.) : The first session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for the year 2026 is scheduled to commence on January 20 at 9:30 am. Assembly Speaker M Appavu officially announced the date on Friday, stating that the session will begin with the customary address by Governor RN Ravi at the Secretariat complex in Fort St George. Following the address, the Business Advisory Committee will convene to determine the total duration of the session and the specific agenda for the following days.

Speaker Appavu expressed confidence that the upcoming session would proceed smoothly, upholding the dignity of the House. He noted that the established conventions of the Legislative Assembly would be strictly followed. This announcement comes after previous instances of procedural disagreements between the state government and the Governor’s office. The Speaker emphasized that the rights of the 234 elected representatives to express their views within the hall remain paramount.

The upcoming session is expected to include the presentation of an interim budget for the financial year 2026-2027. Since this marks the final year of the current 16th Assembly, the government is likely to adopt a vote on account Bill to facilitate necessary expenditures for the initial months of the next fiscal year.

While customary practices dictate that no major new schemes are typically announced in a vote on account, the session remains crucial for administrative approvals. The Speaker further clarified that the Governor has been formally invited to deliver the address in accordance with Article 176 of the Constitution, which mandates a gubernatorial speech at the start of the first session each year.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary