News

The Constitutional Committee for Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) has recommended dates for the upcoming budget sessions of Parliament. According to sources, the committee has recommended to present the Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1, making it one of the historic moments when the Budget is presented on a Sunday.

Additionally, the CCPA has recommended to commence the first Budget session from January 28 to February 13, while the second session may take place from March 9 to April 2.

Since 2017, the Union Budget of India has been presented on February 1 every year, the practice being that Parliament has more time to scrutinise the budget proposals and approve them well before the new financial year starts on April 1. This change replaced the earlier practice of presenting in late February.

The officials and the economists think that the date of February 1 ensures the accompaniment of fiscal decisions, the Economic Survey being tabled one day earlier, and the legislative calendar being kept on track.

The budget date confusion for the year 2026 stems from the fact that February 1 falls on a Sunday, a day when Parliament normally does not sit, and several government offices, including those of administration and parliament, are closed.

Therefore, there have been speculations that the government's budget presentation might be shifted to Monday, February 2, to fit in with the normal working week. However, the government’s release of key policy statements on weekends is not an uncommon occurrence.