Union Budget 2026-2027: The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) on Wednesday agreed to propose January 28 as the tentative start date for the budget session of Parliament, ANI reported via sources. The report further stated that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on February 1. No official dates have been announced by the Centre so far.
The Union Budget has been presented on February 1 since the past few years. Though this February 1 falls on a Sunday, the ANI report stated that the government is unlikely to alter the schedule. That is because of the need for predictability and consistency in financial planning and budgetary processes, the ANI report stated.
The budget session is the first parliamentary session of the calendar year and traditionally opens with the President’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
Two possible start dates under consideration
According to the report, the CCPA deliberated on two possible dates — January 28 and January 31 — for the start of the session, with clarity expected soon.
As is customary, the budget session is likely to be held in two phases, with a recess in between to allow parliamentary standing committees to examine the demands for grants of various ministries in detail.
Tight parliamentary calendar ahead
The parliamentary calendar is also expected to be tight. India is set to host the AI Impact Summit next month, adding to the government’s engagements during the same period.
The current budget timetable traces its origins to February 1, 2017, when the presentation of the Union Budget was advanced by a month and the expenditure cycle by two months. The move was aimed at reforming fiscal governance and ensuring timely implementation of government spending.
Like the recently concluded winter session, the budget session is expected to see several bills introduced or taken up for discussion alongside the Budget. A Union Budget presented on a weekend would not be the first of Modi government. Sitharaman presented the Budget on a Saturday last year.
Earlier, Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budgets for 2015 and 2016 on February 28, both of which also fell on a Saturday.