Puducherry’s First Budget Faces Uncertainty as Cabinet Remains Without Portfolios

Within weeks, the Puducherry government is set to present its first Budget since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returned to power. A maiden Budget typically serves as a government’s declaration of priorities — a blueprint for development, welfare, infrastructure, and governance for the coming year. However, Puducherry approaches this constitutional exercise under extraordinary circumstances.

More than two months have passed since Chief Minister N. Rangasamy of the All India N. R. Congress (AINRC) took oath on May 13, 2026, yet the Union Territory still has no portfolio allocation. Every Minister has taken the oath of office, but none has been assigned responsibility for a department. Moreover, the Legislative Assembly has not been designated a permanent Speaker. The Budget thus risks becoming the first casualty of an incomplete government.

Every department contributes to the Budget. Ministers review expenditure, approve new schemes, defend departmental priorities, and remain accountable before the Assembly for the money they seek. In their absence, a fundamental question arises: who is making these decisions? The prolonged delay has fuelled speculation that the issue is no longer administrative but political.

The continued delay in portfolio allocation, the absence of a permanent Speaker, and uncertainty surrounding other key institutional appointments have strengthened the perception that power-sharing within the NDA remains unresolved. Neither the AINRC nor the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have explained why a sworn-in Cabinet continues to function without responsibilities.

The Speaker’s position illustrates the problem. Puducherry continues under a Protem Speaker even as the Budget session draws near. A permanent Speaker is not a ceremonial appointment that can be postponed at convenience. The office safeguards legislative procedure, presides over debates, interprets Assembly rules, and ensures that the Budget receives proper scrutiny. The continued delay sends the wrong signal about the government’s preparedness.

Puducherry’s governance structure has always been more complex than that of a full-fledged State. The elected government shares executive space with the Lieutenant Governor, whose constitutional powers have frequently been subjects of dispute. Successive governments have experienced friction with the Raj Nivas over appointments, administrative authority, and policy implementation. Chief Minister Rangasamy himself recently criticised sections of the bureaucracy, remarking that many officers posted to Puducherry treat the UT as a temporary “vacation posting.” If the Chief Minister believes bureaucratic accountability is weak, the absence of Ministers exercising political oversight becomes even harder to justify.

Meanwhile, governance cannot be suspended. Traffic congestion continues to worsen across the city. Power disruptions remain a recurring public complaint. And with the northeast monsoon only months away, drainage and flood preparedness deserve immediate review. Every one of these sectors requires Ministers to make decisions and answer to the public.

The Opposition parties in the Assembly have also been remarkably subdued. A government entering its first Budget without portfolios and a permanent Speaker amid persistent administrative uncertainty should ordinarily face sustained legislative pressure. Instead, criticism has been sporadic and fragmented. Democracy depends not only on governments willing to govern but also on Oppositions willing to scrutinise.

Supporters of the government may argue that coalition consultations take time. That explanation may have been acceptable immediately after the election. It is considerably less convincing after more than two months. Citizens are not interested in internal negotiations over portfolios; they want to know who is responsible for transport, education, health, electricity, and finance. As the Budget session approaches, the need for clarity and accountability becomes urgent.