Uttarakhand Assembly session begins in Gairsain; ₹7,412 crore budget, 8 bills on table
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly's two-day session commenced on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, in Gairsain, Chamoli, amid protests by the Opposition Indian National Congress and the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) over issues ranging from unemployment and inflation to law and order concerns in the Himalayan state.
Key Legislative Business
The state government is scheduled to present a supplementary budget of approximately ₹7,412 crore on the first day of the session. Alongside the budget, the government is set to introduce eight bills, making financial and legislative affairs the twin pillars of the two-day sitting. As many as 31 MLAs have submitted a total of 445 questions, spanning constituency-level concerns and broader state development matters, which are expected to generate substantive debate on the floor of the House.
Session Opens with Tributes
Proceedings got underway with members paying tributes to former Chief Minister late Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and former Minister late Heera Singh Bisht. Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri had, ahead of the session, appealed to all political parties to cooperate in ensuring its smooth functioning. Notably, the Congress was absent from the Business Advisory Committee meeting, signalling a combative stance before the session even formally began.
Opposition Protests and Police Deployment
Several Opposition leaders staged demonstrations against the ruling government, seeking to hold the administration accountable on unemployment, price rise, law and order, and local public grievances. Police deployed security personnel and erected barricades at multiple locations across Gairsain. A heated exchange was reported between police and protesters in the Jangalchatti area. Separately, UKD workers were allegedly stopped at Simli, approximately 40 kilometres from the Assembly premises, using barricades. The workers raised slogans against the government and alleged they were being prevented from staging a peaceful demonstration.
What to Watch
With the Opposition adopting a confrontational posture — boycotting advisory meetings and protesting outside — the session is expected to witness heated exchanges between the treasury benches and the Opposition over the supplementary budget and the eight bills. The 445 questions tabled by legislators could surface politically sensitive issues on water, roads, employment, and disaster-preparedness in the ecologically fragile Himalayan region. How the government responds to Opposition disruptions will set the tone for the remainder of the session.