The first part will commence with the address of the lieutenant governor on February 2 and last till the beginning of Ramzan, which may start on February 18 or 19, depending on the sighting of the Moon. The Assembly session may resume after Eid, which is expected to fall on March 21, depending on the sighting of the Moon, official sources said.

The decision to advance the budget session by a month and have its session in two parts appears to have been made to accommodate the majority-community MLAs’ religious feelings regarding the holy month and views made by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah after presenting the budget last year.

The date for presentation of the budget will be decided only after Assembly Speaker A R Rather issues a calendar for the session.

Omar Abdullah, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented his maiden budget on March 7 last year and addressed the House for nearly one hour and 45 minutes on the sixth day of Ramzan. He expressed his intention not to present a budget again during the holy month of fasting.

After concluding his speech, Abdullah said, “After today’s experience, I will never present my budget again while on Ramzan fast. Either I will advance or postpone the session, or request the Speaker with folded hands to arrange the session around 6.30 pm after breaking the day-long fast.”

Informing MLAs of the lieutenant governor’s order summoning the House on February 2 for his address at 10 am in the Legislative Assembly Complex, Assembly Secretary Manoj Kumar Pandit called on the MLAs to submit not more than 10 starred and unstarred questions each for the coming budget session by January 12.

Additionally, each of them can also submit two private members’ Bills and four resolutions by January 15 and 17, respectively.

This will be the Union Territory’s second budget to be presented by Omar Abdullah in his capacity as the finance minister.