FM Nirmala Sitharaman to present Union Budget 2026 on February 1

The budget for 2026-27 is likely to be presented on February 1, the first, in recent memory, to be presented on a Sunday.

The budget session may start from Jan 28 with the President’s speech. Though the final call on the date will be taken by the cabinet committee on parliamentary affairs (CCPA) on Wednesday, TOI has learnt that govt may continue with the tradition of presenting the budget on February 1.

Since 2017, govt has been presenting the budget at 11 am on February 1 and former FM Arun Jaitley had unveiled it for the first time on the first day of Feb after govt decided to advance the budget presentation. Prior to 2017, the budget was presented on February 28.

This year Feb 1 falls on a Sunday. It is also Guru Ravidas Jayanti, a restricted holiday. Being a holiday, govt offices and the stock markets are closed on Sunday.

People aware of the development said that the Economic Survey would be presented on January 29. The next two days — January 30 and 31 — would be holidays. The first part of the budget session is likely to be for three weeks and the second part will last for four weeks.