Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time on February 1, 2026. The Union Budget will be announced on February 1, 2026 which falls on a Sunday. This has raised questions among many people regarding why the budget is being announced on a Sunday which has never been done before?
Since 2017, the government under then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley shifted the presentation date from the last working day of February to February 1. Before 2017, the Union Budget was traditionally presented on the last working day of February. For example, in 2016, the Union Budget was presented on February 29, 2016, it being a leap year.
This practice was a British-era tradition and continued in independent India for decades. However, this led to delay in approval of the schemes and the policies announced in the Budget before the starting of the financial year on April 1. Various government departments and businesses had very less time to make plans or adjust to the new policies announced in the Budget.
The date was changed to February 1 from 2017 onwards by then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, to allow for the parliamentary approval process to be completed before the new financial year begins on April 1.
This year, the Union Budget is being presented on a Sunday because the government has a standing rule to present the Union Budget on February 1 every year, which falls on a Sunday in 2026. The government chose to stick to the fixed date to ensure timely implementation of the budget proposals before the new fiscal year begins on April 1.
Union Budget on a Sunday for the first time in India’s history
This marks the first time in India’s history that the Union Budget is being presented on a Sunday, although previous budgets have been presented even on Saturday. Presenting the budget on February 1 gives Parliament sufficient time to discuss and approve the Appropriation Bill and associated policies before the fiscal year starts on April 1. This prevents delays in fund availability and project implementation.
It is to be noted here that there are no constitutional or procedural barriers preventing the budget from being presented on a weekend, as Parliament can hold special sessions for crucial business.
While presenting the Budget on a Sunday would be a first, budget has been presented on Saturday earlier. For example, budget 2025, presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, was tabled on a Saturday. Similarly, Budget 2015, was announced by the then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 28, 2015, which was also a Saturday.
Why was Union Budget announcement time changed from 5 pm to 11 am?
The Union Budget was earlier presented at 5 pm for convenience of the British Raj. However, in 1999, India decided to change the timing of the presentation of the Budget to 11 am. Former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who first presented the Budget at 11 am, said that adapting to the British time was not required. He added that changing the time to 11 am would allow more time for debate in the Parliament following the presentation of the Budget. Since then, the Union Budget has been tabled in the Parliament at 11 am.
How will announcing the Union Budget on a Sunday affect the Market?
As Budget Day falls on a Sunday, stock exchanges BSE and NSE will keep equity markets open for trading. The pre-open market session will run from 9:00 am to 9:08 am, while regular trading hours will be from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm.