KATHMANDU: The government has yet to fix a date for the upcoming budget session of Parliament, but multiple signals from officials and political leaders suggest the House is likely to be convened by mid-May.
Despite growing criticism over the delay, sources close to Prime Minister Balendra Shah say preparations are underway to call the session soon, with some indicating it could begin by May 16 at the latest. Officials at Baluwatar have informally suggested that the session may be summoned after May 8, though no formal decision has been made public.
The uncertainty follows an earlier reversal by the government. A Cabinet meeting had recommended President Ramchandra Paudel to convene the session from April 30, and the President issued the call accordingly. However, the government later decided to defer the session through another Cabinet decision, creating confusion over its timeline.
The delay comes as the government faces a constitutional deadline to present the annual budget on May 29. This has increased pressure to convene the House in time for pre-budget discussions, including deliberations on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill.
Chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rabi Lamichhane, said discussions are ongoing with the prime minister regarding the session date, emphasizing that the government is currently focused on budget preparation. “We are in the middle of budget work. There will be pre-budget discussions and policy announcements, so preparations for the session are ongoing,” he said, adding that lawmakers should coordinate with ministers on constituency issues in the meantime.
The secretariat of government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel also indicated that while no date has been finalized, “serious discussions” are underway and the session will be called soon.
Amid the delay, both Parliament and the President’s Office have said they are prepared to proceed whenever the government decides. “We are fully prepared. Whenever the government calls the session, we can operate without difficulty,” said Parliament Secretariat spokesperson Ekaram Giri. Similarly, the Office of the President has indicated that there will be no interruptions in convening the House once a recommendation is received from the Cabinet.
Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, have stepped up pressure on the government to convene the session without further delay, accusing it of sidelining Parliament by continuing to issue ordinances instead of holding discussions in the House.
The urgency has further increased as the government has already sent six ordinances to the President for authentication, some of which have been approved. These will need to be tabled in Parliament as replacement bills once the session begins.
Based on current signals, the most likely window for the budget session appears to be after May 8 and before mid-May, allowing sufficient time to complete budget-related procedures ahead of the May 29 deadline. While the exact date remains undecided, the government is expected to call the session within the next two weeks under mounting constitutional and political pressure.
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