Article 89 Voting on demands for grants
Procedure relating to annual financial statement
The vote on demands for grants is Parliament's main power over government spending each year. It decides how much each ministry can spend on the services citizens and businesses rely on.
After the budget is presented, each ministry's proposed spending is set out as a demand for a grant. Each demand is made on the President's recommendation, as clause (3) requires, and is placed before Parliament for approval.
Opposition and other members may move to reduce a demand, using the cut motion to criticise the ministry's performance or policy. Parliament can assent, refuse, or assent with a reduction, but cannot increase any demand.
Each demand is put to the vote. Once approved, the grants are gathered into the Appropriation Bill under Article 90, which authorises the money to be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund. Refused demands drop out of the Bill.
In plain English
How Article 89 works
Article 89 explains how Parliament deals with the budget. Charged spending, listed in Article 88, may be discussed but not voted on. All other spending is presented to Parliament as "demands for grants", usually ministry by ministry. Parliament may approve a demand, refuse it, or approve it with a reduced amount, but it cannot increase it. No demand for a grant may be made except on the President's recommendation, which in practice means the government. Members can move "cut motions" to reduce a demand as a way of criticising a ministry.
In practice
In each budget session Parliament considers demands for grants over several days, and many are passed together under the rules once the allotted time ends. Cut motions are regularly moved but, given party discipline under Article 70, rarely succeed. No demands could be voted in 2025 because Parliament was dissolved; Article 93(4) required the 2025-26 budget ordinance to be brought within the Article 89 process after Parliament was reconstituted.
The text
What Article 89 says
89. (1) So much of the annual financial statement as relates to expenditure charged upon the Consolidated Fund may be discussed in, but shall not be submitted to the vote of, Parliament.
(2) So much of the annual financial statement as relates to other expenditure shall be submitted to Parliament in the form of demands for grants, and Parliament shall have power to assent to or to refuse to assent to any demand, or to assent to it subject to a reduction of the amount specified therein.
(3) No demand for a grant shall be made except on the recommendation of the President.
English text as published on the official Laws of Bangladesh website. Where a court has changed the position, the status note above explains it.
Connected provisions
Related articles
Questions
Article 89: frequently asked questions
What is a demand for grant in Bangladesh?
It is the form in which non-charged spending in the annual budget is submitted to Parliament under Article 89(2). Parliament may approve it, refuse it or reduce it, but it may only be made on the President's recommendation.
Can Parliament increase the budget for a ministry?
No. Under Article 89(2) Parliament may assent, refuse to assent, or assent subject to a reduction. It cannot increase a demand, and new demands can only come on the President's recommendation under clause (3).
Sources
This guide explains the Constitution for general understanding. It is not legal advice. Constitutional reform proposals under discussion in 2026 are described as proposals until enacted.
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