Union Budget 2026–27 Likely on February 1 Despite Sunday, Sitharaman Set for Ninth Consecutive Budget

New Delhi, Jan 2026 : The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) on Wednesday proposed that the Union Budget for the financial year 2026–27 be presented on February 1, even though the date falls on a Sunday. If the proposal receives formal approval, it will mark a rare instance in recent years of the Union Budget being tabled on a weekend.

According to media reports, the government is keen to adhere to the February 1 schedule to ensure that budgetary proposals can be implemented from the very beginning of the new financial year on April 1. Sticking to this timeline has been a consistent policy in recent years, aimed at improving fiscal planning and administrative efficiency.

The Budget Session of Parliament is scheduled to commence on January 28 with the President’s address to a joint sitting of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. This traditional address will outline the government’s broad legislative and policy priorities. The Economic Survey, which provides a comprehensive review of the state of the Indian economy and sets the context for the Budget, is expected to be tabled in Parliament on January 29.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget, marking her ninth consecutive Budget since assuming office. The upcoming Budget will also be the 88th Union Budget since India gained Independence. Since 2017, the Union Budget has been presented at 11 am on February 1, following a significant shift from the earlier practice of presenting it on February 28.

The decision to advance the Budget date was taken during the tenure of former finance minister late Arun Jaitley. The move was intended to facilitate the timely rollout of budgetary schemes and allocations, allowing ministries and departments to begin spending as soon as the financial year starts.

Presenting the Union Budget on a weekend is uncommon but not unprecedented. Sitharaman had presented the Union Budget for 2025 on a Saturday. Earlier, Arun Jaitley had also presented the Union Budgets of 2015 and 2016 on February 28, both of which fell on Saturdays.

With the 2026–27 Budget, Sitharaman is set to create history by becoming the first finance minister to present nine consecutive Union Budgets. She is now close to the record held by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented a total of 10 Budgets across two separate tenures. Among other notable finance ministers, P. Chidambaram presented nine Budgets, while Pranab Mukherjee presented eight.

Sitharaman was appointed India’s first full-time woman finance minister in 2019, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return to power for a second term. She continued in the role after the Modi-led government secured a third consecutive term in 2024, further cementing her place in India’s fiscal history.