NEW DELHI, Jan. 12, 2026
In a historic first for India’s parliamentary history, the Union Budget for fiscal year 2026-27 will be presented on a Sunday.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla announced Monday that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Union Budget in Parliament on February 1, which falls on a Sunday. Parliamentary proceedings rarely occur on weekends, making this an unprecedented event.
The occasion also marks a personal milestone for Sitharaman. This will be her ninth budget presentation, placing her just one short of the record held by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented 10 budgets during his tenure as finance minister.
The Budget Session of Parliament will begin on January 28 with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Economic Survey is expected to be tabled shortly afterward by the finance minister.
The session will run in two phases to allow thorough scrutiny of budgetary proposals. The first phase will continue from January 28 to February 13, followed by a recess. The second phase will resume on March 9 and is scheduled to conclude on April 2. During the break, parliamentary standing committees will review demands for grants from various ministries.
February 1 has been officially designated as Budget Day. The rare Sunday presentation, combined with Sitharaman’s near-record milestone, adds significant political and economic weight to the upcoming session. Markets and industry leaders are closely watching for new policy directions and economic measures.
