Gujarat Assembly Budget Session Commences with Full Legislative Agenda
The budget session of the Gujarat legislative assembly is set to begin on Monday in Gandhinagar, marking the start of a significant week for state governance and policy-making. The session will open with the traditional address by Governor Acharya Devvrat, setting the tone for the proceedings that follow.
Condolence Motion and Deputy Speaker Election Scheduled
On the first day of the session, the assembly will observe a condolence motion to honor state leaders who have recently passed away. This will be followed by a crucial election for the position of deputy speaker, a vacancy created by the resignation of incumbent Jetha Bharwad in December last year. Bharwad cited a "busy schedule" as the reason for stepping down from the role.
Two nominations have been filed for the deputy speaker position: BJP MLA Purnesh Modi from Surat and Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar. Given the BJP's commanding majority of 162 members in the 182-seat assembly, Purnesh Modi is widely anticipated to secure a comfortable victory in the election.
State Budget Presentation and Key Legislative Changes
The financial highlight of the session will occur on Tuesday when Finance Minister Kanu Desai presents the Gujarat state budget for the fiscal year 2026-27. This budget will outline the government's revenue and expenditure plans, setting the economic direction for the coming year.
Beyond the budget, the session will consider substantial legislative amendments. The state government plans to introduce the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes significant modifications to the existing 2015 Act.
Major Overhaul of Anti-Terrorism Legislation
The amendment bill seeks to remove all references to "terrorism" and "terrorist acts" from the principal Act. This includes modifying the long title of the law by deleting the phrase "for prevention and control of terrorist acts." Several sections of the Act, including definitions and penal provisions, will be revised to omit any mention of terrorist activities.
The statement of objects and reasons accompanying the bill explains that the Gujarat government originally enacted the law to address the threat of terrorist acts and organized crimes through special preventive measures. However, with the central government's enactment of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which repealed the Indian Penal Code and introduced updated provisions including those related to terrorist acts, the state government now seeks to avoid legislative overlap.
"The state government, therefore, considers deleting the offences of terrorist acts from the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime Act, 2015 so that no overlapping in the investigation of the terrorist acts takes place," the official statement clarifies. This move aims to streamline legal frameworks and ensure clarity in jurisdictional responsibilities between state and central laws.
The budget session represents a critical period for Gujarat's legislative agenda, combining financial planning with important structural changes to state laws.
