As 2026 begins, all eyes are on the upcoming budget of the Modi government. Like every year, people are expecting tax breaks and relief from inflation. But this time, the discussion is not just about the budget announcements, but also about the date. This year, February 1 falls on a Sunday, leading to a lot of confusion as to whether the Budget will be presented on the holiday. Now, the suspense is ending, and important information about the budget session dates has come out.
Budget likely to be presented on February 1!
According to sources, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has proposed the date of January 28 for the beginning of the budget session of Parliament. It is expected that the Union Budget will be presented on February 1 like every year. Although the final decision has not been taken yet, there is every possibility in government circles that the government will not change the date of the budget despite it being Sunday. The government wants to maintain continuity and predictability in the country’s financial affairs, so February 1 is being considered as a possible date.
Government may bring many new laws during the budget session
The budget session of Parliament is the first session of the year, which begins with the President’s speech. This time, January 28 and January 31 have been discussed as possible dates for the commencement of the session. This session usually runs in two parts, allowing different committees to examine the demands and expenditure of different ministries during the breaks in between. Like the winter session, the government may bring many new laws during this budget session.
Why is the Union Budget presented every year on 1 February?
Many people are wondering why the budget is presented every year on 1 February. Before 2017, the budget was presented in the last days of February. However, the government changed this rule so that the entire budget process and expenditure can be approved by Parliament before the start of the new financial year on 1 April. Since then, February 1 has been designated as ‘Budget Day’.
Budget presentation on Sunday is nothing new
If you think the Budget being presented on a Sunday is very unusual, you should look back a bit. Presenting budget on weekend is not a new thing in the history of India. The budget for the year 2025 was also presented on Saturday. Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also presented the budget on Saturday in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, the budget was also presented on Sunday. This means that there has already been a tradition of presenting the budget on a holiday.
Now it seems clear that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her budget on February 1, which falls on Sunday. Although the stock market remains closed on Sunday, budget announcements affect the economy of the entire country. So, the suspense regarding the date is almost over, and now everyone is waiting for the official announcement.