Bengal Assembly Session starts June 18: First BJP government’s first Budget on June 22

3 min readKolkataJun 17, 2026 04:54 AM IST

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shankar Ghosh addresses the press in Kolkata on Tuesday. PTI

The first Budget Session of the 18th West Bengal Legislative Assembly will commence June 18 with the inaugural address of Governor R N Ravi. On June 22, the newly inducted Finance Minister, Swapan Dasgupta is expected to table in the House the state’s budget for the financial year 2026-27.

A six-hour discussion on the Governor’s address and a ten-hour discussion on the budget are also scheduled in the session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shankar Ghosh announced Tuesday.

The House will adjourn for a brief recess on June 25 before reconvening on July 6 for the second phase of the session.

The minister said, “In this new Assembly, the Opposition will be given proper respect and will not be suspended for raising their voice against the government. We will allow constructive criticism .”

The assembly will take up discussion on the governor’s address, public importance matters and the general budget on June 23 and June 24.

The debate is expected to witness sharp exchanges between the treasury and Opposition benches, especially ahead of the TMC rift.

On June 25, discussion on the budget will continue alongside consideration of demands for grants from various government departments.

Ritabrata defends his LoP appointment

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Trinamool Congress rebel camp leader Ritabrata Banerjee, recognised by the Speaker as the Leader of the Opposition, welcomed what he called was the BJP’s attitude towards allotting time for discussion in the session.

He said, “In the last fifteen years, West Bengal Assembly sessions were held for the least time anywhere in the country…We want this tradition to change. The working days of the Assembly must be increased.” Ritabrata added that there were several issues he wanted to raise in the House.

Referring to the TMC challenging his appointment as the LoP instead of the party nominee Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Ritabrata reiterated Tuesday that if required, he could prove it on the floor of the House that his appointment is backed by the Opposition MLAs.  “If the Speaker feels a floor test needs to happen, let there be a floor test…All this endless rhetoric and cross-talk will then come to an end,” the rebel leader asserted.

TMC rift deepens

at all-party meet

Meanwhile, an all-party meeting was called at the Assembly early on Tuesday ahead of the announcement of the Budget Session. However, it is learnt that the Mamata loyalist MLAs from the TMC were not invited at the meeting even as the rebel camp led by Ritabrata was extended an invitation.

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Assembly sources told PTI that veteran TMC MLA and the party’s official LoP nominee Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay was not invited to the meeting. Beliaghata MLA Kunal Ghosh was also absent from the invite list.    –With PTI inputs

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.

Experience

Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.

Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.

Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.

Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.

Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.

Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.

Education

Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.

Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.

Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.

Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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